Travel nurse questions

Feb 13, 2006 08:29 AM

by bell47

I've got a question about travel nursing. I'm changing careers to nursing and just trying to learn all I can. What does it take to become a travel nurse? I understand that you can become "certified" in certain areas or type of nursing such as ER or ICU. What does it take to become certified in an area? I'm a 32 Year old male and I'll be about 35 when I get out of school with an ASN/RN. I have been told several times that I will be in high demand as a male nurse, is this really true? What type of schedule do most travel nurses work? Any incite is really appriciated. bell47

fergus51 · Feb 13, 2006, 08:32 AM

Re: Travel nurse questions

To work as a travel nurse you need two things: a nursing liscence and EXPERIENCE. Certifications are bonuses, but certainly not necessary. The experience is the big thing. You need at least one year of work under your belt (not including your orientation) and many places now require at least two years, particularly for critical care areas. Your gender won't really matter much.

Schedules vary. You could be working days or nights, 12 hour shifts, 8 hour shifts, 10 hour shifts, anywhere from 30-72 hours a week.

LNeonurse · Feb 25, 2006, 08:50 AM

Re: Travel nurse questions

To be a traveler, in addition to the nursing liscense and experience, you need an open mind and flexibility. Understand that many times as a traveler, you are held to a different set of standard than the facilities regular staff and you are expected to learn that facilities way of doing things. This can sometimes be a good thing and sometimes not. One thing that i found helpful before I took my first travel assignment is to try agency in your area. That way you can get an idea of what it's like to walk into a new environment and "start running".

*suzanne4* · Feb 25, 2006, 09:08 AM

Re: Travel nurse questions

A male RN is not in more demand that a female RN, gender doesn't make the difference, but skills and experience do.

You pick a specialty that you want to work in, not something that you think will be more marketable, or get experience in a couple of areas, such as ICU and ER, but that will take more years to train. You have to enjoy what you are doing, not what you think a facility will want at a certain time.

Needs are always changing, as well as the market.

Good luck with your career............

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Travel nurse questions

Travel nurse questions

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