Newly Licensed RN Wondering about Traveling

ESRD · Jan 27, 2004

Most companies and hospitals require at least a year in your specility. If a company doesn't require this I would be worried because they may put you in a position you might not be able to handle.

Remember you should check out the company you work for as closely as they check you out... I worked for a local agency once who didn't even bother to get any of my paper work but wanted me to go to work for them...I declined.. I figured that they probably hadn't checked out the job either..

ESRD:kiss

live4today, RN · Jan 27, 2004

I was only an RN for one year when I took my first traveling nurse assignment in Med/Surg. I loved the experience, and never had any problems.

I agree that you should get one year of experience under your belt before you undertake traveling nursing. You'll be so glad you did, especially in lieu of today's nursing issues. :nurse:

bellehill, RN · Jan 28, 2004

One year experience is a definite must. I am married, my husband travels with me and gets temp jobs at Wal-Mart or whatever is nearby. It works out pretty well, kind of nice to focus on my career for a while.

TweetiePieRN · Jan 28, 2004

The hospital i work at utilizes traveling nurses on a consistant basis. They say u need to have at least 1 yrs experience before an agency will sign you on. The nurses say they love traveling....housing and travel expenses all paid for!!

TinyNurse, RN · Feb 6, 2004

be weary as a new grad, there are a few companys that get your hopes up, but then when it comes time ( after you've filled out 10 pages of stuff), they tell you that you need 1 yr exp. it happened to me. They basically keep your name on a list. The recruiter keeps names of who he "has contacted"

basically i've found that you can't travel unless you have 1 yr exp.

xo Jen

nekhismom · Mar 3, 2004

One year experience is a definite must. I am married, my husband travels with me and gets temp jobs at Wal-Mart or whatever is nearby. It works out pretty well, kind of nice to focus on my career for a while.

Sounds like a dream! I have always said I wanted a career that would let me travel. I never knew nursing could be that career until recently. The place I am going to work at will have a 2 year contract. BUt after that, My family will be travelin'!!

rollingstone · Mar 3, 2004

Definately one year current clinical experience and be ready to float to other units. I work telemetry, but the current contract calls for the traveler to "float first." It doesn't happen all the time, but I've floated to med-surg, ortho, and a sister unit of the tele unit with more of a medical focus. My next contract coming up doesn't require any floating at all. The core staff floats. Change is the only sure thing in travel nursing. I travel with my stay-at-home-Wife and our seven year old German Shephard, Friska. We've spent the last five months in Tucson. Good luck to you.