As a Travel Nurse educated in the U.S. can you get assignments in Europe?

RNERHOUSESUPOR · Mar 8, 2011

And what are the 'Compact States' for Nursing in the U.S.?
Can you have a specialty like pediatrics or gastro.?
How much do starting travel nurses get paid hourly?
And can you choose ANY place you want or are you just given assigments and told where to work?

Compact states are a group of 22 states which will honor states nursing license without having you obtain their license. I have a multi state Iowa nursing license and have used it in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Iowa. Google Compact nursing states for the complete listing. Missouri is the latest to join in June of 2010.

You may have as many specialties as you like but if there are no assignments that desire that, it doesn't do much good. ICU, Critical Care, ER, OR are the ones that seem to have the most positions and better pay. There are general Med Surg and Telemetry areas also.

The hourly wage depends on the location, your specialty and what you are willing to accept. Talk with a Tax professional before getting caught up in the "Tax Advantage" programs that all companies will want you to think are the best for you. It may not.

Jobs or assignments are in many different areas at different times. The Southern States usually have "winter" or "Season" assignments and the Ski areas sometimes have their seasonal needs also. It is hard to tell where the needs will be but if there are no needs there are no jobs. In my early days of travel nursing I had a great recruiter. I would tell her where I wanted to go and she would find me a hospital. I really miss her. It's not the same now. I'm older and maybe a bit less flexable in during the Winter, but summer time is wide open.

These are non paid comments from my brain only. Use them at your own risk.

Rod

RN Zeke · Mar 10, 2011

Think there are 24 compact states now.

RNERHOUSESUPOR · Mar 11, 2011

I stand corrected, thank you. Guess I don't know where the 21 came from it seems like it's been floating in my mind for a while. Hope it's gone now...

Rod

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2011

As far European assignments, in most cases you would have to go through their licensure and the facility would have to have demonstrated a need to get approval to hire a foreign nurse from outside the EU. With the current economic issues, that is pretty much impossible, as far as I am aware. As their facilities have different educational requirements, you might find that the requirements are more than you want to do.