New Grad-Interested in Travel Nursing

[kmschwass02]

Hi all,

I just recently graduated nursing school and passed the NCLEX-RN. I have about 8 months of LTC LPN experience and also have experience giving flu shots. I'm interested in ICU nursing and travel nursing. Our local hospital is going through some major changes and isn't hiring for any positions at this time. The next nearest hospital is 1 1/2 hours away. I'm interested in doing local travel nursing, does anyone know of agencies that would be a good fit??

Thanks in advance!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

It might be easier to look for a new grad position and move or commute. Most (if not all) agencies will require more experience than that. LVN with limited experience in LTC to travel RN in acute care ICU is a hard sell.

[Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN]

I highly doubt you'll get a travel job as a new RN, even if you had extensive LPN experience. Sorry. Not saying it's impossible but pretty unlikely and unsafe to boot because as an agency nurse you'll be put in unfamiliar situations and often borderline unsafe and hostile. Agency gets put in places that are understaffed, otherwise they wouldn't pay extra for agency. Also some of the local nurses might have a chip on their shoulder about the you making more (double) what they make for the same work so they'll be hostile to you. And lastly as an agency nurse you are expected to hit the ground running and just know what to do because of your vast experience and versatility these are qualities new grads haven't developed yet :-(

[NedRN]

Start looking for a teaching hospital (ideally 6 months ago) with a good ICU internship - ideally 9 - 18 months in length. Unfortunately, you may have missed the best programs for this year so you might have to work medsurg for a while but there is no harm in that at all. Relocate anywhere that will hire you. Then after 2 to 3 years, think again about traveling.

[jhayroe]

As a travel nurse you can only expect to get 2 days orientation tops, and some places only will give you as little as 4 hours. You need to have very strong nursing skills before jumping into that situation (which is why most places won't even look at your application if you have less than 1 year experience). The stress of having to learn your way around the unit, policies, charting and physician preferences will be stressful, even for an experienced nurse. But if you still have the stress of simply being a new grad, you would find yourself if a bad position indeed. I just graduated nursing school 3 years ago, so I know how tough and frustrating it is to find a hospital willing to hire a new grad. But keep plugging away. Most people I graduated with were able to find jobs within 6 months after graduating. I know, that doesn't sound very promising, but keep looking for a full-time job. It would be better than wasting time than looking for a travel job since it most likely won't pan out. I had 2 years experience before applying to be a travel nurse and had a very hard time getting my first travel job because some hospitals required 3 years experience, and some hospitals also wanted travel experience. I wish you luck and to pursue travel once you have a few years full time experience.