[annacat]

Hello,

I my name is Anna and I am a new BSN student in Baltimore, MD.
I am 35 and I have previous experience as a board licensed acupuncturist. My interest for now is to become a traveling nurse with the eventual goal of seeking a Masters level specialization.
I would love to hear from people who have experience in traveling nursing. I see it as an ideal way to get diverse experience while participating in many different work environments. I have friends all over the country and think that I won't get too lonely. I have heard from a teacher that it can be very difficult to jump into travel nursing with out any previous experience. Is there any one who can speak to this issue?

[caroladybelle]

Originally Posted by annacat

Hello,

I my name is Anna and I am a new BSN student in Baltimore, MD.
I am 35 and I have previous experience as a board licensed acupuncturist. My interest for now is to become a traveling nurse with the eventual goal of seeking a Masters level specialization.
I would love to hear from people who have experience in traveling nursing. I see it as an ideal way to get diverse experience while participating in many different work environments. I have friends all over the country and think that I won't get too lonely. I have heard from a teacher that it can be very difficult to jump into travel nursing with out any previous experience. Is there any one who can speak to this issue?

Please do a search in the traveler nurse form - there are numerous threads on this topic.

Most travel groups cannot place traveler nurses that have no experience. And, no, it doesn't matter how diverse your clinicals/prestigious your school is/that you worked as a tech. Once in a long time, exceptions are made for longtime LPNs. I don't think that acupuncture would count but you could always ask.

But for you and your patient's safety, it would be best not to travel as a new grad.

Nurses do not leave nursing school able to work full on as a nurse. They need at least a year of experience to really get a grip on things. As such, most reasonable agencies require a year's experience before circulating your resume. Preferably, they want 2-5 years in a specialty, so that you are well grounded.

That said there are agencies that will take aps before that one year is up and there are a few assignments that will take new grads. I personally would not work them. Because, quite bluntly, travelers are suppose to be able to jump in and work with minimal supervision/orientation - such a situation would in no way be safe for a new grad. You may also find that a facility/agency that will accept a new grad, is not a safe employer to work for - desperate and not safe.

Agencies may also take your ap - but just because they do, does not mean that they can find you a job.

Some facilities accept new grads for long-term assignments - a year to 30 monthes. They often hire foreign nurses and figure that way that they can invest the time. But that would defeat your purposes of seeing a variety of situations.

Remember, that facilities do not hire travelers with the associated expense, so that you can get diverse experience, a good orientation to nursing and to let you see many places. Facilities hire travelers so that they have experienced hands that require minimal orientation to work full on, to serve their needs.

[oMerMero]

In order to survive as a travel nurse you need a couple years of experience before travelling. Most travel companies require one year. But you need to experience because you will be given very little, if any orientation at hospitals when you travel. You are expected to be able to work after being given a tour of the floor.

It is great you want to travel, it can be a lot of fun. But first you need to gain a bit of experience.

[Daytonite]

Anna. . .I did one travel nursing contract. Travel nursing is nothing more than agency nursing except that you are locked into a contract with one specific facility (hospital), usually for 13-weeks, but the length could be any length of time. You are guaranteed a 40-hour week at a specific wage. I was paid by the traveling nurse agency, not by the hospital and provided with housing. What I found was that I was a glorified float nurse. Although I was assigned to a medical unit I was always the first nurse that was pulled and floated to another unit that was short of a nurse. Also, I had to pay part of the cost of my apartment and it wasn't as great as they advertised that it would be. I had a lot of problems with parking. When I was questioning why I wasn't getting the huge hourly wage that the company was always advertising I was told that the huge wage was only for nurses who had worked for them for awhile and had proved they were loyal and dependable. You see, a lot of travel nurses never complete their first contract because they get home sick or the job just isn't what they expected it to be. Yes, you have to have experience working before these companies will even consider hiring you. I have also heard that recently, some hospitals, will give traveling nurses tests to take when they first arrive to test their competency. If they do not pass them, they cancel their contracts and send them home before they even get to put a uniform on and practice nursing. I've heard them complain that these tests are harder than the NCLEX licensing exam.

There is a forum on allnurses specifically about Travel Nursing that you might want to check out.

[Tweety]

Good luck. Be sure to check out our Travel Nursing forum (where I'll move your post)