Published May 9, 2015
Amjones92
10 Posts
Hi everyone! I am preparing to graduate nursing in December with my ADN and will have my BSN by December 2016. Question: Is it possible to do travel nursing within the first year? And also is it possible to pick your assignments? I am wanting to spend half the year in Arizona and half the year in Ohio so I can be with my family. I wasn't sure if this was an option. Can y'all help? Thank you!
sirI, MSN, APRN, NP
17 Articles; 45,819 Posts
Thread moved to Travel Nursing forum.
cracklingkraken, ASN, RN
1,855 Posts
I believe travel nursing entails you having previous experience as a nurse. After all, your assignments will be short-term, so travel nursing requires a great deal of flexibility, ability to learn quickly, and experience.
Thank you. Still new to all the topics :)
I'm asking more if it is possible to choose your assignments and the places you practice. I'd specifically want to work in these cities each time.
Sure, I don't know the specifics, but I've heard that utilizing travel agents is a great way to get into travel nursing. You can tell them your preferences on location and they can arrange for you to go to a facility in that area. I'm hoping to also do travel nursing after a few yrs of experience.
I plan to stay in Az a year and finish my BSN, but I want to be able to go back and forth between here and Ohio to be with my family.
caroladybelle, BSN, RN
5,486 Posts
You can ask about certain locations but there have to be jobs available in those areas. Many travelers flock to the sunny states during the winter. Many popular places are in high demand with more travelers (and regular nurses) wanting to work there than there are jobs.
While travel groupd will accept apps from new grads, that does NOT mean that facilitis that they work with will hire you. Bluntly, any facility that hires a new grad traveler is not a facility that would ever want to go as a traveler nurse or a patient. It is dangerous for the patients and not safe for the nurse.
By the time I plan to travel I will not be a new grad. I'm starting to look into things now though.
PacoUSA, BSN, RN
3,445 Posts
For maximum opportunity, you should have at least 2 years of staff nursing under your belt before starting a travel nurse assignment, and even then you can only take assignments in the specialty you have experience in. So, an ER nurse with only that experience cannot take travel assignments in labor and delivery, for example.
AxOxCrazy
16 Posts
I have personally researched travel nursing and every single company I have looked in to has required at least 18 months experience in an acute care setting.
I have narrowed it down to a few companies and the ones I've looked at you get to pick where you go!
I cannot wait to finish up my 18 months experience and then hit the road 😊
I have personally researched travel nursing and every single company I have looked in to has required at least 18 months experience in an acute care setting. I have narrowed it down to a few companies and the ones I've looked at you get to pick where you go! I cannot wait to finish up my 18 months experience and then hit the road 😊
What company are you looking into?