Thinking About Travel RN

[ANGJO4567]

Hi. I am a recent new graduate nurse. I have been working about six months as a new graduate in the OR. Before graduating from nursing school I worked for nine years as a CST in the main OR. I started out as a new grad less than what I was making as a surgical tech (I live in NC) & I have really been giving traveling some thought. I guess I am curious to hear from travelers about how much experience is required before I can travel, what companies are best, and what I could expect to make (take home) as a traveler? Any and all advice is welcome!

[sannad23]

I don't travel but I work for an agency on the weekends. I make double what I make working full time but it isn't always easy work. You are sometimes thrown into an assignment with very little training and if you don't have much past experience it can be difficult. Sometimes the full-time workers resent you because they know you are making more money then them but if you have a strong back bone it is easy to ignore them. I worked Med-Surg 2 years and as a case manager before I ever worked agency but I think it also depends on the person and if you are a fast learner and feel confident that you know how the floor works then go for it! Do it while you can! And make sure to always try to talk with the manager of the floor you will be working on if possible. that can give you an idea of how it will operate and what your patient load will be.

[denise.bagby]

My husband and I are both nurses, he works at Mission Hospital and I am a travel nurse. Travel nursing is a great opportunity to visit different places and make good money. Companies are looking for people with 2 or more years of experience in their field, however, with the shortage of of OR nurses in Asheville, NC, and the 9 years of CST might just do it for you. Mission Hospital has a general surgery nurse internship that will prep you for specialty areas like Open Heart Surgery, then you are really a valuable traveling nurse. Part of travel nursing is to help you decide where you want to live and we chose Asheville, NC as the best area in the east. If you decide you want to try it out, we have 2 furnished apartments in our home for traveling nurses.

[NedRN]

In my experience, managers are delighted with a first time traveler with that experience. And every time I've worked with such a new traveler, they do really well. My major concern is RN attitude. Patient safety and good outcomes is a priority and dealing with a surgeon acting out requires judgment. Especially as an RN traveler who has a more delicate balancing act than a staffer.

But you should be fine to go if you feel comfortable with the broader role as RN.