Experience needed?

Specialties Travel

Published

I really want to get into travel nursing but just wondering on what you need for experience? I worked in Neuro ICU for 11 months at a large hospital. I then took a job as a chemo nurse where I learned a great deal but it was in a large office. I was there about 15 months and have now gone back to Neuro ICU at the hospital. I was very happy at my last job but I knew I needed to get back in a hospital setting if I want to travel. How much experience is usually required? Will my experience as a chemo nurse count even though it was not in a hospital?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

2 year in a specialty. Your chemo is probably only helpful if you become a chemo certified oncology nurse and get additional hospital experience in that specialty.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That is what I thought. A few of my friends were signed after 14 months at a hospital but I don't know much about the company and when I sign I want to sign with a reputable one. I am chemo certified but wanted to get back to the ICU unit. The hospital I am employed at is a Level 1 Trauma Center and I just feel I will gain more experience there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Any company will sign you with any amount of experience. But their hospitals they contract with will likely want 18 months or 2 years experience at the bedside. I started traveling with 20 months experience and got my first two contracts by the skin of my teeth. So just hang in there. The level 1 trauma experience will really open a lot of doors since you could literally go to any neuro ICU. I'm getting rejected from the area I really want to travel to because I lack level 1 trauma experience (level 2 isn't good enough) although I have 2.5 years experience in ICU now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks and I totally agree. I know their first few assignments were awful. Things are finally better for them. I really do think my chemo experience will help but the ICU will be the big benefit. I'm just wondering though my first job was a Level 1 ICU nurse for 11 months then I was offered an excellent position as a Chemo Nurse but now I'm back at the Level 1 Trauma hospital will I need to put in an additional 2 years or will I be good to go after an additional year?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You know, it is not just about requirements for travel. Professional growth for newer nurses is on a steep curve, and two to three years of good experience is needed for competence and confidence to not only handle a very alien culture (the new-to-you hospital with different charting, chain of command, and patient flow and population), hit the ground running, and provide safe to excellent patient care. Yes, you may be able to get a travel job now, but be careful what you wish for. You may be scrambling to provide minimum care at a new place where they lied to you about staffing ratios and support staff. I would recommend 2 full years of ICU experience, and doing some per diem at other hospitals for a reality check.

There is post after post from newer nurses and even student nurses wanting to go traveling with minimal to no experience. What strikes experienced nurses reading these posts is that the writers often don't even have the judgement to recognize that their judgement may be lacking. That is not a good sign for those leaving the safe working environment with their "family" for the jungle of temp staffing that requires high functionality and no "family" get-out-of-jail-free card.

That said, if travel is that important to you, forget about ICU and do medsurg/tele where chemo may give you a competitive edge and you may be competent "enough" with your ICU experience giving you some clinical depth if not functional depth.

When you interview, I suggest a confident yet humble demeanor. You don't know what you don't know yet.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know I am in no way ready to travel now and have no desire until I feel I've gained the experience needed. I like your idea about the per diem. Right now I'm doing 32 hours a week so it would leave room to float to some different floors. I'm also being trained on Epic. I definitely do not want to go through what my friends did when they began to travel. They had terrifying experiences because they did not have the experience needed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That sounds like a realistic attitude! Experience no matter where is always a plus, but don't think floating to other floors is enough of a culture change to prepare to be able to adapt quickly to a new hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental Health, Hospice-CHPN, Home Care.

HI,

Quick question related to the original post. I have most of my experience in two specialties Hospice and Psych. I have well over two years experience in both (I am a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care nurse) however my 3 years in Psych is spread over 6 years with only 1 year of it being in the last 3 years. Will that hurt me in finding psych assignments?

Thank you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Supplemental has a lot of psych assignments. Call them and ask them how competitive you are. That is the bottom line, the agency and their facilities. Not us.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have 3 friends that have been traveling over a year. They only had 18 months on an oncology floor and they continue to get assignments. The first few were pretty rough but they are very happy in California now. They use supplemental.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment