Being a travel nurse requires you to work away from home. This career demands skills in performing the correct nursing procedures in the different areas of the hospital and in carrying out the doctors’ orders with accuracy. Traveling nurse jobs also entail to have the passion to take care of patients may it be in a hospital, nursing home, or elderly home.
Nursing as a worldwide career
The severe shortage of nurses in the United States has caused recruitment agencies from different areas all over the world to get as many supplies of nurses by offering incentives such as stipends and bonuses, furnished housings and relocation assistance. Aside from that, travel nurses enjoy arrays of benefits such as high salaries and a chance to travel to their desired places. But not all nurses from other countries can get nurse travel jobs because of the strict requirements imposed in the employment of foreign nurses. This is made for the purpose of screening nurses and getting only the high quality ones.
Shaping up your career as a travel nurse
For one to become a travel nurse, a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing should be earned. Some would require continuing education such as the Masters of Science in nursing specializing in a specific field of interest. The minimum clinical experience required is at least one year of experience in a specialized area. Another very important requirement is a license in the employment state, which has to be granted by the state’s board of nursing.
What to expect in the travel nurse industry
Traveling nurse jobs usually require a work contract under a short period ranging from 1-2 years. At the end of the contract, most hospitals offer an extension or a permanent position. When working in a hospital, travel nurses are expected to perform their duties and responsibilities such as focusing on the overall care of the patients, administering medications with a doctor’s order, keeping records through charting patient’s symptoms and progress, and supervising practical nurses and nursing aides.
Travel nurse jobs have very vast fields of specialty. Nurses specialize according to work setting and the type of treatment needed, like critical care nurses work best in intensive care units and psychiatric nurses work best for patients with mental disorders. They also work according to disease, ailment, or conditions of the patients needing the care. Also, they are categorized to work according to organ or body system disorder, which is why there are respiratory nurses, cardiology nurses, nephrology nurses and so on. Some nurses work by population, such as pediatric nurses who take care of children and maternity nurses for the pregnant women. Moreover, some work in combined specialties, such as cardiac emergency nurses who take care of the patients with heart problems during emergency cases.
Advanced practice nurses are those who get special trainings. They work in collaboration with the physicians or independently as a primary health care practitioner.
A quick look at the standing of travel nurses
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over 480 companies that are offering travel nurse jobs and there are about 25,500 travel nurses working in the United States. The salary varies widely according to the location, hospital capacity, hospital level, education, area of specialization and previous experience. In 2004, records show that registered nurses earn $52,330 median annual salary.
Among all jobs, registered nurses working in the United States are expected to create the second largest number of occupation. It is also projected that by 2014, employment for travel nurses will grow even much faster compared to other occupations.
The search and need for nurses will continue to rise in the future because of greater number of medical problems that needs nursing care and treatment. And elderly people who demand care and special attention in long-term facilities and nursing homes are rapidly rising in number. Home health care employment is also increasing in number.
The increase in high technological equipment used by most of US hospitals can be the challenging part as well as delivering quality care to US people but the fact that it outstands the high demands of nurses, then it’s a good indication of starting a career as a travel nurse. This continuous growth in scarcity and popularity that increase year after year creates an overall demand for the career. This is a good start for those wanting a career as a professional practitioner in the field of health care.
