Is Travel Nursing Difficult?

robred · Apr 22, 2006

check out the travel nursing forum found on this website!

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2006

Please see my post on the second page of "Florida nursing vacancies in decline".

tampabaylpn2rn · Apr 23, 2006

from my experience only. housing is provided, but as soon as you finish your assignment, you have 48 hours to move out, unless if you choose to stay in the (usually) apartment complex, you have to qualify to live there. if you live in your own house, they give you a housing stipend. usually your own medical insurance is free, but they will charge you to cover your family. if you live in their housing you don't have to pay any utilities either.

bonesrn · Apr 23, 2006

I worked as a travel RN at UNC for 3 years with Cross Country. First and foremost, make sure you have a great recruiter. A bad recruiter will equate to a bad experience. Ask other travelers out there..they will let you know. As the previous poster stated, you can either live in the housing they provide, usually free everything included except phone and cable. Once the assignment ends you have 48 hrs to vacate. We lived in a 3 bedroom condo in Chapel Hill that rented for 1200 and we paid about 400. I traveled with my husband and son. Once we found our own housing we received the housing stipend that was $1000 a month. This varies depending on where you are. The pay is great and some hospitals give great bonuses..but usually a big bonus means a needy hospital. There were a lot of travelers at UNC..I kept renewing my contract and as I said was able to stay there for 3 years. You really don't get that much orientation, they expect that you can jump right in there. Once they show you the paperwork and where stuff is your on your own..of course you can ask for help anytime. My experience was good. The hospital is a big teaching hospital so it was very busy but I was treated fairly. It all depends on where you go..sometimes you may get dumped on. You have to be able to stand up for yourself, basically let them know that you know what your doing, your confident and you won't take any s**t. I loved it and as soon as my son is off to college my husband and I will do it again. The pay varies from state to state..your recruiter will tell you all of that...be sure to get EVERYTHING in writing and be specific in your contract. I had my vacation time written in, if you won't float to certain areas, that I would only work 3 12 hr shifts and every third weekend etc....check out the travleler page..Cross Country TravCorp is a big corporation so they have a lot of assignments to chose from. My last recruiter was great. I never had a late paycheck, no problems at all. I felt as if they were there for me 100%. I have heard good things about RN network and Medical Express..not so good things about American Mobile. But, like anything in life there are 2 sides to every story and everyone has a different experience. I would definetly have AT LEAST one year of solid med/surg exp...or a year in whatever your specialty is before I traveled. Good Luck!