Experience needed

[auntlala]

I've thought about travel nursing off and on for a year but not even sure an agency would look at me. I worked on a Neuro ICU floor for 11 months then I took a job at a cancer center. It's a Hematology Oncology office where we treat cancer patients. I've been there over a year. It's a lot of responsibility and can be very demanding. I love my job though and patients. But I feel like I might want to give travel nursing a try. Would an agency even look at me or do I need to go back to a hospital ?

[NedRN]

What is a neuro ICU floor? You can always call agencies and see if you are employable, but I think you will be doing a disservice to yourself, your patients, and the hospital and agency to consider travel without a solid year or two in a defined specialty. You will also be competing against experienced proven travelers with many years of experience in their specialty and successful travel assignments. Yes, my opinion is that you need to go back to staff at a hospital before traveling.

[auntlala]

Neurology/Neurosurgery ICU. I was on that floor for about a year and then transferred to a cancer center. I probably will go back to a hospital and put another year in. I just think the timing is right for me. I have a few friends that are traveling and they only had one year before they were picked up by a travel agency. I have a lot of certifications in different areas. I was surprised that they didn't even know how to start IV's and were hired. They have been traveling a year now and love it. They actually are in a call center for their current assignment.

[NedRN]

Everything is possible, but there is still a right way to gain experience, and gaining experience with a lot of support is better for everyone than being thrown out to sink or swim.

It is unusual to describe an ICU as a "floor".

[auntlala]

Really. That's the floor I was on. It's a level 1 Trauma hospital and my floor was Neuro ICU and we also had a Neuro Step down unit.

[dance4life]

Depending on the type of floor you work on depends on if you can start an IV. If you don't work on a floor that doesn't have too many of them you are not going to gain the skill. As a Traveler some hospitals have a policy that you cannot start IVs. That was fun going to my next assignment dull. Lol! I was asked a few times if I could during phone interviews but, I don't think it was definitive of me being hired. I know plenty of people that cannot start them and they are seasoned.

Some hospitals even require you to have travel experience in order to take a job. With the minimal amount of orientation offered the really just want to throw you into the wolves. I stopped travel for 3 years to work Per Diem at an agency. It took me 3 months to obtain a position even with a hospital background. They didn't consider agency the same as travel.

Might take some time but it is possible! Plus I think it all depends on what specialty you are in.