Traveling Too Soon?

When you travel, you are given little to no orientation: you are expected to jump into the fray and make it. Doubt 8 months is enough. I've worked with many travel nurses and usually 2 years is what you need in order to feel comfortable. I would be very leery of any agency and/or hospital that would accept 8 months experience...you're the one on the line.

I would stick it out 4 more months in ms. You could probably find some psych jobs with your experience, but they might be somewhat limited. Once you have a year in each specialty you could probably find plenty of work. You would be very versatile. Good luck.

I don't think there are many hospitals that would take you with less than a year's experience either...

Hang in there, I started traveling with only 10 months M/S experience as an RN. There should no problem if you are able to adjust quickly to new experiences. I am on my second contract now and still enjoying traveling.

No, I wasn't overwhelmed....nervous, yes! My first assignment was on a very busy post op/m/s floor in Charleston, SC. All the charting was on computer, all the meds were done by scanning....it was alot, but I see everything as a challenge. Before traveling, I worked in a small rural hospital on the M/s floor and it was very busy there because we got anything that didn't fit into L/D, ICU, psych, and peds, even though we got the overflow from peds sometime. So, I dug in and by my third week, the floor manager was asking me to renew my contract. Flexibility is key!

Hey, MSUnurse:
I have 7 mos med/tele experience and will have a year in psych in Jan '09. I plan to start traveling at that point... in psych, because I feel totally confortable and competent. So, good luck finding an assignment and I hope to hear that you love it!

She doesn't have less than a year experience. She has 8 months in med surg and one year in psych. Psych, being where she would like to work.