I am a PICU nurse and I recently have been in contact with a travel recruiter to begin. I have aways wanted to travel nurse, and am ready to get out of the town I live in. I have a couple PICU travel nurse friends who say that I am ready to do this. However, I have only been a nurse for a little over a year (all of which I have spent working on PICU). I have been given some tough assignments compared to those who also started with me, including ECMO experience while on orientation. I feel confident that I could hold my own when I travel, however I do not want to not get the tougher assignments. Eventually, I would like to be working on pediatric cardiac ICUs. My contract at my current employer is another two years, but the travel agency said they will help pay my contract off. I would like any advice you all could give me to help me with this decision. If I were to start traveling, it will be in a couple months from now and I will have had a total of 1 year and four months on the PICU
As a former ICU (Adult) Travel Nurse I'll agree with most of the gouge here. I only had 2 years of ICU experience when I decided to do travel and I dont regret it. However with that being said, I can almost assure you wont get an ECMO patient (or any patient that is severely critical). I took an assignment in a Cardio-Thoracic Surgical ICU and Travelers never took fresh hearts. We took the "failure to wean / thrive" patients who were on tube feeds, CDIFF/MRSA precautions, Q1 hour bowel movements, and generally just the "turn, water, feed" patients.
I ended up getting my contract extended there several times (over a year) and by the end of those contracts they trusted me enough to give me fresh hearts. I ended up taking a full time position in that unit and worked there 6 years.
Also - you'll be the first to float and the first to take admissions while the house crew sits around and files their nails.
MAKE SURE it is specified in your contract the areas you will float to. For me I would ONLY float to other ICUs or ED. This is important.
I traveled locally for awhile. It was quite an experience and I don't regret it. My biggest piece of advice to you is if or when you decide to travel, get an experienced travel nurse to look over your contract before you sign it. They know what to look for. And like another poster said, make absolutely certain that the units you will work are covered in your contract. Otherwise your PICU could become med/surg, or telemetry, or ortho. Many hospitals don't care as long as there is a warm body on the unit.
And be aware that some nurses won't like you no matter what. Your best bet is to find the person most receptive to you and slowly work your way in from there. It seems like simple advice, but starting a new job in a new town with no friends can be hard. There's a knack to making them like you, and good travelers learn it quick. Good luck!
anchorRN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN
279 Posts
As a former ICU (Adult) Travel Nurse I'll agree with most of the gouge here. I only had 2 years of ICU experience when I decided to do travel and I dont regret it. However with that being said, I can almost assure you wont get an ECMO patient (or any patient that is severely critical). I took an assignment in a Cardio-Thoracic Surgical ICU and Travelers never took fresh hearts. We took the "failure to wean / thrive" patients who were on tube feeds, CDIFF/MRSA precautions, Q1 hour bowel movements, and generally just the "turn, water, feed" patients.
I ended up getting my contract extended there several times (over a year) and by the end of those contracts they trusted me enough to give me fresh hearts. I ended up taking a full time position in that unit and worked there 6 years.
Also - you'll be the first to float and the first to take admissions while the house crew sits around and files their nails.
MAKE SURE it is specified in your contract the areas you will float to. For me I would ONLY float to other ICUs or ED. This is important.