How much experience before going into travel/ agency nursing?

U.S.A. Texas

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Hi everyone,

How much experience do you think a new nurse needs to move into travel/agency nursing? I am planning on putting a year in on a med-surg unit, then moving on to something else. Most agencies want only 1 yr med-surg experience, do you think that is enough time to be comfortable accepting an agency/ travel position?

Thanks,

MJ

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Specializes in None...YET!.
hi everyone,

how much experience do you think a new nurse needs to move into travel/agency nursing? i am planning on putting a year in on a med-surg unit, then moving on to something else. most agencies want only 1 yr med-surg experience, do you think that is enough time to be comfortable accepting an agency/ travel position?

thanks,

mj

that's what i was told also.

don't know if that is enough time... i guess it depends on how well a person adapts.

thanks for posting this thread-- i would like to more about this subject as well!

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i graduate in dec., so i don't have personal experience, but i have had a couple of instructors who have been travelers. they both pretty much said that you need to know your stuff. you get there, pretty much no orientation, & you need to be able to go forth & conquer off the bat. between the 2 that i talked to they have been travelers in about 6-7 states & they said that the staff nurses are not always so helpful, because they know you are getting paid alot more than they are. said it is great if you are the kind of person that doesn't require a lot of hand holding to get you going. both said that you need to get enough experience in the area you are going to be a traveler in, because it is pretty much sink or swim.

it won't be an option for me--kids at home, but it sounds like a great opportunity.

good luck!!!

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Specializes in critical care.

Hi MJ,

I am currently a travel nurse, but my specialty is not med-surg. You can pretty much go into most travel agencies with 1 yr experience, regardless of specialty. It is very true that you have to be willing to come in running. Sometimes with some orientation, sometimes minimal orientation. It is best to gain as much knowledge/experience in your specialty as possible before travelling. Another valuable lesson I have learned is to know your nursing laws applicable to your state of licensure. They are important in your practice especially when it comes to travelling abroad and practicing in other states. Protect that license!

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Specializes in Trauma, Neuro, M&S ICU.

I have a couple of friends who are travel nurses. They have convinced me that it is the only way to go if single. Most of the agencies I have contacted said that I need at least tweo years experience. With that it really depends on how well the person can handle going into a blind situation in a foreign environment and cope. The two nurses said that I should go into the ED for the education. With that and two years most agencies will take you no problems.

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Specializes in Trauma, Neuro, M&S ICU.

I have a couple of friends who are travel nurses. They have convinced me that it is the only way to go if single. Most of the agencies I have contacted said that I need at least two years experience. With that it really depends on how well the person can handle going into a blind situation in a foreign environment and cope. The two nurses said that I should go into the ED for the education. With that and two years most agencies will take you no problems.

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Be certain that you are qualified for any assignment you accept. Travelers are often floated so one question I ALWAYS ask is where will you float me. I have turned down assignments based on that alone. I will not float outside of my area of expertise. I have traveled and worked strikes for more than 10 years. IT is interesting to see RNs with one year experience say they are qualified and then come to you with a thousand questions and "I never have done that" situations. I think 3-5 years working and learning before traveling should make you safe. Yes, the agencies will often say one year experience but having to come in running with no backup at all makes a single year of experience insufficient. Remember, during a lot of that time you are still learning, moving from novice to expert but certainly have not reached the expert level. Protect your license above all. Good Luck

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Many agencies will sign you up with only one year of experience, but many hospitals require that travelers have much more experience than that. Remember, the expectation is that you can walk into an unfamiliar facility/unit and "hit the ground running." Travelers/agency nurses often get only a single shift of orientation and are then expected to be able to function independently -- how much experience will you need to be able to meet that standard/expectation??

Facilities pay huge amounts of $$$ for travelers and expect, for the amount they're spending, to get seasoned, experienced "pros" who can walk in and do the job, whatever the job may be. And, as someone else pointed out, you can't necessarily expect the staff nurses to be particularly helpful or welcoming, because they're well aware that you're doing the same job they are but getting paid a lot more money to do it. They're sure not interested in bailing you out if you can't hack it.

There are a lot of issues to consider before you sign up to travel.

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