[ONMELD]

Is it ICU, ER or just regular med surg?

[naskippy]

I practice in med/surg working on medical floors, surgical floors, med/surg floors, medical-telemetry, and telemetry floors. I never have problems finding assignments in one of these areas. I also have experience in pediatrics and in skilled, but have not accepted a travel assignment on one of these units.

[ONMELD]

Thanks Skippy, Traveling is one the reasons I want to go into nursing. No other career seems to afford you as many opportunities

[LadyNASDAQ]

I work in all the ICU's. Haven't had any problem getting work from travel or local agency ever.

[suzanne4]

With every specialty of nursing, there are travel positions. The key is to find an area that you like, not one where you think there will be the most assignments. If you do not like what you are doing, you are not going to stick with it. You really need to have a couple of years of experience under your belt before considering travel positions.

You are expected to be able to hit the floor running with minimal orientation.

[Michellex1013]

If you are willing to go anywhere you won't have a problem finding a position with (almost) any speciality. I think ICU nurses are more in demand and are treated better though. Most ICU's have 1:2 ratio while med/surg, ortho, tele, neuro ect may have 1:5-8.

[a21chdchic]

5-19-2007
The biggest demand is in ICU/ER, but you don't have to be in a specialty area to get a travel position, just need 1 years experience to get started with an agency. You can travel on your own and get assignments yourself, but if you want benefits, you need to be with an agency.

a21chdchic in AZ

[NurseguyFL]

I agree with Suzanne4, you should be looking into the areas that you like to work in instead of just looking for whatever areas have the most opportunities. I mostly work in critical care, and that's what I ask for when I call the agency. Some recruiters have tried to push me into ER, but even though I have ER experience I don't like working there so I always downplay that part of my background when I interview.

[ONMELD]

Thanks for all of the responses. I am leaning toward the ER when I am done with nursing school. I am currently an EMT and enjoy the work very much. I would like to see what happens after I drop the patient off and in a year or 2 getan RV with my wife and travel the US.

[LadyNASDAQ]

ICU has the most jobs. Also, if you can float to Tele and Med-Surg like I can, the hospitals will grab you first because you can float wherever you are needed. Ill do ER in a pinch as well.