Why do travelers get hired?

[Staragate, ADN, ASN, RN]

I would love to do this once I get some floor experience under my belt. I am wondering what the advantage is for hospitals to hire travelers over float pool or local talent?

Travelers cost more and aren't oriented to the city or the hospital when they first arrive. Local RNs are available due to the supply of new grads, laid off nurses, etc.

Please enlighten me? :)

[cjlpa]

I'd love to know the same thing.

[alaskaman]

The cost of using a travel nurse is less than hiring a benefited full time employee even though the travel nurse makes more dollars per hour. In addition, the travel nurse company is responsible for some taxes and other benefits.

[meandragonbrett]

I would love to do this once I get some floor experience under my belt. I am wondering what the advantage is for hospitals to hire travelers over float pool or local talent?

Travelers cost more and aren't oriented to the city or the hospital when they first arrive. Local RNs are available due to the supply of new grads, laid off nurses, etc.

Please enlighten me? :)

1) Travel Nurses often fill in temporary needs to cover for multiple staff members out on vacations, maternity leave, FMLA

2) It's more cost saving to bring in a travel nurse for 3 months rather than hire a part time or full time person. Travel nurses do not receive but minimal orientation (a handful of hours generally at the most) and are then expected to go immediately into staffing at their facility they are working at.

3) Being oriented to the city is a moot point. Also being oriented to the hospital is moot as well....local per diem nurses are in the same boat.

4) New grads aren't able to walk into a hospital and be ready for work within a couple of hours. They cost the hospital a significant investment

[bagladyrn, RN]

Add on to the list : There are areas of the country where there is not a pool of available nurses and there are no local agencies. I do contracts in these settings frequently.