Travel as ER nurse? Looking for advice and guidance

[Cpf9]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for a bit of advice and guidance. Ive been an ER nurse for 20months and a Nurse for 2yrs now. Ive always wanted to be a travel Nurse no matter the field. I have now genuine intrest and drive to pursue ER nursing further. However, I have no interest what so ever to stay where I am. The unit I work in is next to a Level 1 trauma ER and a specialized hospital for children part of our same medical organization (DMC) so we dont often, if at all, recieve children or the trauma cases, so I dont have much expereience with that population. Im currently in the process of getting my PALS, TNCC, and maybe ENPC. I know your thinking "Why dont you transfer out to the Level 1 trauma for awhile for experience". BELIEVE ME I would, if I were in a position to but I cant. I know I have the option to just apply to a different hospital that is Level 1 but I don't have any desire to stay where I am at all. Id like to just move and explore. Also, my rationale is, whats the real difference in transferring somewhere else or join an agency to place me; Im still going to be placed in a position to learn something new or faced with a case Im unfamiliar with. The bulk of cases I recieve are MI's, Cancer patients, and all of BS in between. Most of my cases are terminally ILL or OB pts. And so my question for the Travel ER nurses is this: After my certs are up to date is it a good idea for me to just jump in there and gain experience along the way of traveling and taking assignments or do I stay and find another hospital to gain more experience?

please help me.

~~~ Although many of you commented and gave wonderful advice; I made the mistake in posting the same subject in multiple sites to gain as much feedback as possible and the site saw it as spam and the previous post was taken down. I hope more of you continue to give more things to consider and mole over as I begin this Journey as a Travel Nurse. Thankyou all!!! : )

[NedRN]

What advice are you looking for? You got several replies to your previous thread(s), any of them any good? If I recall, I said you have enough experience to get a travel job now, perhaps most travelers have no level one experience. I also suggested based on your post to consider moving to a new city (which will help relieve your travel itch) and work in a level one for a year. That will help your confidence in your skills, and improve your competitiveness as an ER traveler.

[Cpf9]

You know I more than likely will do as you suggested and move to a city of my choosing and work in there trauma center for some time. My anxiety comes in when I here from other ER nurses that it would not be a smart move for me to travel nurse without that experience; and I guess Im just looking for encourgment or testimonials for anyone that had a similar experience as the one Im about to take to see what it was like for them. When I posted this on the ER thread their werent very many encouraging or positive comments about me venturing out without that trauma experience.

[NedRN]

I agree totally that trauma experience will make you a stronger nurse and travel candidate. As such it is a good career move. But it could be done by traveling and slowly collecting what trauma comes your way until you think you are ready to dive into a Level One. Staff training at a teaching hospital Level One would be ideal depending on your learning style of course.

[JenNurse1972]

I say go for the travel experience. You aren't happy at your current job and you want an adventure. I've been an ED nurse for a long time and trust me, do not worry about the Trauma Center. Take your first assignment someplace not as high acuity to get your feet wet. It's 3 months. No biggie. Then start choosing your assignments based on the knowledge / skills you want to develop.

To decrease your stress...in reality, the regular staff at most Trauma Centers love doing trauma. It's why they are there. Travelers can be at a Level 1 Trauma Center and never be assigned a trauma patient. Will the hiring manager want you to have the experience? Sure. But the Charge Nurse makes the assignments. The best way to travel is to go with the flow.

[ERRNinMI]

I left as a travel nurse with no Level 1 experience, just TNCC cert. I specifically didn't get placed at a Level 1 facility and I am fine with that. There are many other ER opportunities that you don't need trauma experience for, although those would be the most exciting. Getting a contract in a place of interest is the best way to learn about that area. You are only committed for 13 weeks minimum and if you hate it, on to the next. Leaving my comfort zone and bubble was the best choice I made for my career.