Can I travel in L&D after only 1 year?

Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN · Aug 26, 2022

You are absolutely not ready to travel in a high stress specialty such as labor and delivery after one year of experience.

As a travel nurse you are expected to be an expert in your specialty, and be able to function with just an orientation to the unit and charting system/requirements (1 shift).

I understand that your unit may be fast-paced and high risk, but one year is not enough to begin traveling. If you are burned out, try reaching out to your jobs EAP, and begin looking for other L&D positions and when you interview specify that you are not interested in rotating schedules.

I have been in critical care for 7 years and I am still not comfortable with the idea of traveling. Often times you will be given the most challenging assignments because you are making more money than staff.

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 26, 2022

No it is not feasible. You are not ready.

HiddenAngels · Aug 26, 2022

I wouldn’t do it. L&D is a whole different animal. Like Omani said, Yes your are expected to be an expert when you’re out there traveling. Staff is sometimes reluctant to help. Half of them don’t know you or care to know who you are, except maybe other travelers who usually help each other out by the way. You only get one day sometimes half a day of orientation, and you def will get the harder assignments. The supplies you’re used to having aren’t always there. Nah, I wouldn’t chance it.

JKL33 · Aug 27, 2022

Look for another job, refuse to agree to the abuse of rotating schedules, find new job, go on a nice lengthy vacation, then start new job. Repeat PRN.

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newgrad_13019 · Aug 30, 2022

I love this response. Thanks for acknowledging the abusive nature of rotating shifts. Not everyone gets that.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 1, 2022

from what I see and hear from travelers (we are using a lot of them lately) If you are burnt out as staff on an L&D, what makes you think it's easier as a traveler, no offense.

Where I am, travelers are first to float, are expected to be able to run full speed from the git go. I chose to never travel b/c it seems more stressful than my "regular" job

LovingLife123 · Sep 1, 2022

You are not even close. I expect a traveler to orient to my unit in 2 shifts which is basically me showing them how to chart. I’ve had to orient so many lately that are literally useless to us because they can’t hold their own after 2 shifts.

Ypu will be getting paid triple a staff nurse. You better know your stuff, which honestly after 6 months, you don’t. I say 6 months because it took you 6 months to learn L&D and be minimally competent on your own. You’ve spent the last 6 months learning how to navigate on your own and time management on your new unit.

This right here, is honestly why I’m against travelers these days. I’d rather take on extra patients rather than have to supervise the safety of a traveler for 13 weeks. And watch them get paid way more than me.

rac1, ASN, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2022

Another vote for "no," from me too.

After 1 year, I don't think many nurses could say that they are confident in the management majority of obstetrical emergencies. At a year - you may know how to manage the myriad of complications that can be thrown at you, but it is most likely that you aren't as fast or safe as someone that has 2 years.

Another thing is that many units that are requesting travelers is because they are VERY short staffed - they are asking for a traveler or two, but they probably need to hire 4-6 RNs permanently - which means the unit is probably going to be very busy.

We recently had a few rounds with new travelers (and although I just mean "new to us" - many of us are pondering if they are fairly "new to L&D"!). They aren't quick, they ask questions they should know, they can't perform accurate SVEs, they don't know how to catch babies, some don't know how to administer baby meds, and some aren't confident in NRP (or even comfortable). We are def. teaching more of L&D than just 2 days of how to chart. And granted - many of these things can stem from being taught in teaching hospitals where SVE are done by residents 100% of the time, and there are NICU nurses to catch babies - but then maybe you shouldn't travel to a hospital where you have to do these things!

Anyway, just some more food for thought.

NicStrRN, MSN · Sep 9, 2022

There is a difference between can you and should you. Keep in mind that, while travel agencies are requiring only a year of experience, they ARE NOT there to protect your license. Not sure where you practice, but our LDR residency program is for an entire year for new to practice, and even fellows get a 12 week orientation before being able to cement on their own, REGARDLESS of prior med/surg, critical care or other nursing experience. Keep in mind that obstetrics has a higher rate of litigation than most other specialties and not one single other entity is concerned with your continued licensure more than yourself. So can you you travel with just a year of experience in LDR? Yes, it appears you can given the requirements agencies have. Should you though? I’d think hard about the risks and not knowing what you don’t know after just one year in a specialty with a learning curve unlike any other. If you’re stressed on a unit where you presumably at least are familiar with workflows, policies and procedures, imagine how unsettling it will be to walk into units where you get like 12hr orientation to those workflows, policies and procedures. Only you can decide what’s right for you, but proceed with caution.