new to travelling

[tutulu]

I'm an aspiring RN at ccbc. i love travelling and i'd like to know what it takes to become a travel nurse as oppossed to any other nurse. i would love to work in as many foreign countries as possible. and probably care for those caught in the middle of wars, strife etc. does any one know of which types of organizations hire such nurses??? and what type of skills i should by try to get??????

thanks

[nursesearl, BSN, RN]

How about the US Army?

[Ebeza]

Hi Tutulu:

Regards your question to globe trot as a nurse, I don't think you have to join the army to do that. I've been reading in on the Australian Nursing forum (on this site) and see that they have quite a different life than we american nurses. i'm a New York City Nurse on a medcial floor with one year of medical expereince and have now been calling travel companies to start my travel nursing. I'm going to Ca this winter then prob. Alaska this spring. However... I used to travel a lot in adventurous capacities, such as Australia England, Scotland, Germany. I know for a fact that Australia has a pleasant and not overloaded work environment. though it was ten years ago I was allowed to sleep overnight for several days while a man I was involved with languished away with a brain tumour. I was able to watch the nurses in action which shaped my background on nursing.

I also know an Irish girl at my hosptial who says the conditions in Ireland aren't that bad but the money isn't there. I heard England has overcrowded conditions. Go on these forums and get a hook-up. I'm sure you could even find work in Thailand or other exotic locales. let me know how you do, I may follow suit--good luck--

[rEAL nUT]

Finding a travel agency is not difficult at all. You can find many web sites with agencies that offer jobs all over the world on the internet. Just be sure to read the fine print. I am almost finished with my first and LAST travel assingment. Make sure you have a recruiter that is working for you, make them put everything in writing, be prepared to do lots of paper work immediately after you agree to take an assisgnment, ask lots of questions when you do your phone interview and make them give you detailed information so when you get to the facility or area you are going to be working in you don't HATE it. The agency will also be able to tell you if an area you are looking at is easy or difficult to get a license or if your state lic. will be sufficient.

[cargal]

rEAL nUT,

Can you tell us why this will be the last time you travel? Sounds like you had a bad experience!

I want to give this a try, but from the paperwork a company sent me, it seems I just don't have the backround! I think I can learn fast, but most of my experience just seems to have been geriatrics in some form or another: hospice, skilled and long term care. Even my new "ortho" position morphed into long term acute care, just another name for nursing home. Most of my experience seems to be comfort measures and cleaning up after incontinence. How can I travel with that? Do I need to hurry up and take BLS and ACLS? Will that give me what I need?

I really need to get out of here for the winter

Any input would be very welcome!

[cathlabtraveler]

i would think you should be able to find a travel assignment in the area of nursing where you have experience. generally agencies and employers want contractors with at least a years experience in the area they need filled. but i've heard, and believe, that an agency will give you an assignment in an area where you don't have a lot of training. they're out to make money. but i also think that when you interview with the facility you should ask alot of questions and they inturn should be interested in hiring someone with experience who can step in on day one and work. i've been traveleing for a year and love it. but it's not for everyone.

where you work now doesn't require at least BLS?