Thinking of travel nursing, where to start

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Hi everyone!

Just want to ask my fellow RNs out there about travel nursing like:

1. Name some good agencies to use and what qualifies as a good agency?

2. What are the best states to work in? Which pay the best?

3. How is the adjustment phase as a new travel nurse? What am I to expect from my first assignment?

4. Is there flexibility with hours and shifts? What are some pros and cons to travel nursing?

5. What happens if you hate your assignment? How easy is it to switch?

6. How are the amenities and accommodations? How do the stipends work and insurance plans?

7. Does a hospital or unit that asks for travel nurses mean that they are short staffed/disorganized?

8. Do you find yourself having enough time to travel around or sightsee in your spare time?

9. Absolutely any other info you can provide.

I have 5 years of med/surg experience and in Sept '16 I will have a year of surgical-trauma ICU. If I were to travel, I don't think I want to work in STICU but rather something not as acute (aka in a trauma center like the one I work for now). I'm also not entirely positive I like ICU. I have been flirting with the idea of travel nursing for a while now and I think I want to take the plunge after September. I am single, unmarried and want to see the world (or at least more of the USA). Please PM me if needed.

Thanks!!

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Travel Nursing forum

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Really? You want someone to write you a book? There are a number of travel nurse books on Amazon, no need to commission a book from scratch. Forums like this one work better with focused questions. Read a few threads to see how it works.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

Where do you start?

Read through some threads on here first. Ask questions after you answered the ones on your list that are readily available and have been answered numerous times.

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How about if I address #5?

One of the beauties of travel nursing (for both sides) is that it is a 13 week assignment. If you decide after a month there you don't like it then you only have 2 more months to go. You can just move on to another assignment with this new knowledge under you belt of what to watch for no the next assignment that maybe you should have looked for when taking this "bad" one.

Good luck and let me know if I can help answer anything else!

Conrad

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

In addition to this forum check out FB. I am in a psychiatric travel nurse group. Re #1. Agencies I have worked for as a staff psychiatric nurse and were ethical include: onward, supplemental, cross country. Heard good things about Titan and American Mobile. What is most important is the recruiter.

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Specializes in Trauma/Surgery ICU.

Get an ICU assignment. Most places will just float you to the floor anyway. ;)

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