Information about traveling nurses

Published

I am currently a LPN and in school to get my RN. I am divorced and my son will graduate High School when I am finished with my degree. I really want to become a traveling nurse when he goes off to college. I am trying to do my research now and would love to talk to someone who has been a traveling nurse or is currently traveling. Any advise would be great.

Thanks,

Robyn

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Absolutely Health Care | Find Healthcare & Medical Jobs in the US First, you need at least a year in your specialty, you should get your license in whatever state you want to visit then search for a contract. It's a great lifestyle if you have the flexibility. I've been doing it off and on for years!!
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Not a traveler, but I work with them a lot. Most of them take assignments for 2 months, at my hospital, and then have to be signed on to work another 2 months. Most are from the surrounding area, but others have been from across the U.S

In fact, one nurse I work with is having financial problems. She signed on to work as a traveler just 25 miles from her home. They are paying her a housing allowance of 3000 a month, plus travel costs and a higher pay, just to essentially go north on the freeway instead of south.

So for now, the hospital is paying her mortage and then some and they are getting caught up on bills. The downside is, if they do not renew her contract, she's out a job. She was so well liked, that she might be coming back to us.

Travelers have to go through the same new hire orientation like everyone one else. But, if they don't pass the PBDS or the drug calculation tests, etc..they are not worked with like a permanent hire would be, so are not signed on.

Travelers are also guaranteed hours where I work and can only get called off 3 times in a contract period.

Hope that answers some of your questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

What is PBDS?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in neurology, cardiology, ED.

There's a whole Traveler's area on the Nursing Specialties part of this website. It's got loads of great information on it. Beware though, lots of places have cut back on using traveler's in the past couple of years because of the costs. A former co-worker of mine thought she would try it with just a year of experience, and ended up only being able to get a contract out in the boondocks of New Mexico (no offense to those of you who are from NM, it just wasn't her cup of tea). She said they really prefer you to have several years of experience in a specialty such as OR, ER, ICU etc. in order to qualify for choice assignments.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Travel nursing is NOT for a a beginner! I have had several assignments. You will be given a very brief orientation and expected to perform as a seasoned staff member. Also,, the agency will be taking a chunk of your pay. It is NOT easy to be in a new environment, in a new hospital. Of course, the experience is priceless, but so is your investment. I would not advise it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

I LOVED being a traveler. I wanted to get a fresh start in life after my divorce, and decided to sign on with a travel company. I started out just in my state. I had the option of taking provided housing or I could rent my own place and take a stipend. One of the posters here said that a friend was given a $3000 stipend...WHOA! That is a lot. My company only allowed $1100 for housing, but that is based on the area you will be working in.

You need at least two years of nursing experience to do travel nursing. You will be required to take several competency tests that the travel company will administer, and you will also need the nuts and bolts like a CV and references.

While it is true that once your contract ends, you are waiting nervously for a renewal or a different assignment, a good recruiter will be looking out for you. Travel companies vary in their pay and bonuses, but if you hook up with a good recruiter, you will be sitting pretty.

I made $90K as a travel nurse and was able to get back on my feet again after a year. It was a wonderful experience, and if this is something you really want, go ahead and get your experience under your belt and then start contacting companies.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice, ONC, Tele, Med Surg, Endo/Output.

Kaiser hospitals hog all the travelers, mainly for med-surg tele. Travelers there are treated like slaves, and most hospitals, especially Kaiser, won't take a traveler unless he/she has had 2 years of hospital experience. Travelers also get no sick, holiday, or personal time off. You will work the days the facility wants you to work. You will be floated up to 2 times in a 12 hour shift and travelers are the first to float. Charge nurses will give you the patients that the other nurses are tired of--drug seekers, dementias who are constantly getting out of bed, confused, loud, or otherwise any patient who constantly presses the call-light. Travelers can be cancelled from their contracts at any time for any reason; happened to me twice. Lots of facilities, including Kaiser, have no CNAs, except as sitters. Be prepared to do your own i & o's twice in 12 hours, all code brown duty, and all dressing changes. You will have minimal help as a traveler and will be required to be up and running with barely an orientation; and the assistant nurse managers will critique your computer documentation and make you correct it before you go home. If you are unfortunate enough to take a travel assignment be sure you are confident and know your stuff. Don't go to any Kaiser. They don't care at all about travelers and the nurses treat them like outsiders.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
Kaiser hospitals hog all the travelers, mainly for med-surg tele. Travelers there are treated like slaves, and most hospitals, especially Kaiser, won't take a traveler unless he/she has had 2 years of hospital experience. Travelers also get no sick, holiday, or personal time off. You will work the days the facility wants you to work. You will be floated up to 2 times in a 12 hour shift and travelers are the first to float. Charge nurses will give you the patients that the other nurses are tired of--drug seekers, dementias who are constantly getting out of bed, confused, loud, or otherwise any patient who constantly presses the call-light. Travelers can be cancelled from their contracts at any time for any reason; happened to me twice. Lots of facilities, including Kaiser, have no CNAs, except as sitters. Be prepared to do your own i & o's twice in 12 hours, all code brown duty, and all dressing changes. You will have minimal help as a traveler and will be required to be up and running with barely an orientation; and the assistant nurse managers will critique your computer documentation and make you correct it before you go home. If you are unfortunate enough to take a travel assignment be sure you are confident and know your stuff. Don't go to any Kaiser. They don't care at all about travelers and the nurses treat them like outsiders.

I feel confident in stating that you dislike Kaiser. I worked for Medical Express, and I had sick days, benefits, some holidays off. I agree that staff nurses treat you like an outsider, but honestly...we are. I was totally ok with being treated as an outsider at first because I expected it. When I got to be friends with some of the nurses, they told me that they resented travelers because we made almost twice their salaries...and we do. NOT MY PROBLEM. I delivered patient care as expected, and I was polite and cordial to my co-workers. I knew that I would be scrutinized by the nurse manager and that she would be checking behind me all the time...so what? I was confident in my documentation and my patient care. So travelers get the crappy assignments. Yeah...and we get paid well to do it! I didn't mind that part of travel nursing. I had a blast being a travel nurse. I guess it's all in how you view it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Kaiser hospitals hog all the travelers, mainly for med-surg tele. Travelers there are treated like slaves, and most hospitals, especially Kaiser, won't take a traveler unless he/she has had 2 years of hospital experience. Travelers also get no sick, holiday, or personal time off. You will work the days the facility wants you to work. You will be floated up to 2 times in a 12 hour shift and travelers are the first to float. Charge nurses will give you the patients that the other nurses are tired of--drug seekers, dementias who are constantly getting out of bed, confused, loud, or otherwise any patient who constantly presses the call-light. Travelers can be cancelled from their contracts at any time for any reason; happened to me twice. Lots of facilities, including Kaiser, have no CNAs, except as sitters. Be prepared to do your own i & o's twice in 12 hours, all code brown duty, and all dressing changes. You will have minimal help as a traveler and will be required to be up and running with barely an orientation; and the assistant nurse managers will critique your computer documentation and make you correct it before you go home. If you are unfortunate enough to take a travel assignment be sure you are confident and know your stuff. Don't go to any Kaiser. They don't care at all about travelers and the nurses treat them like outsiders.

Boy, that is really sad. Our travelers are treated just like the staff. No hard assigments, etc..They rotate just like the rest of us. No wonder many have signed on as regulars!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
What is PBDS?

It is a test required in some facilities for travelers, and many fail it and lose their assignments.

If you use "search" on this site, you will find many threads on it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, SICU,(Critical Care).

I was a traveler for seven years. I went to St. Croix and they wanted me to keep renewing my contract and I ended up spending 7 years in the Virgin Islands. To say the least,I enjoyed it. One thing I would stress is to make sure you know what is in the contract! It doesn't matter what your recruiter tells you. What you will be required to do, what you will be paid, what is expected of you to hold up your end of the contract is on the paper you sign. It can be a rewarding experience. You can make a lot of money. (Be sure the agency is keeping up with your taxes). When you go to another place, esp. out of country, try to fit in with the locals as much as you can. You will get to see the side of the country that tourists "off the big boat" don't get to see. At work you must be able to hit the ground running and I agree that having at least a year exp is almost a necessity. Good Luck.

P.S. If you go to St Croix, be sure to see the beer drinking pigs at the Domino Club!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion