Travel nursing?

[tfaith09]

I am still a student, but travel nursing is something I have been interested in sense before I had been accepted to nursing school. I understand that you have to have at least a years worth of experience in the department you would like to work in, currently I am thinking ER. What i was wondering is what is travel nursing really like? because all the web-sites tell you how great everything is and I get that is to try and convince people to do It but I want someone is had done or is doing travel nursing opinion. I ER a good department to be a travel nurse in?

Just looking at my options

Thanks for any help :)

[ukjenn231]

There is a whole forum on travel nursing, so you may want to look there for a lot of info.

I just finished my first assignment and am barely into my second. I will say, it was a bit of shock for me. Before traveling, I worked in the same facility for 5 or 6 years as a CNA and RN, and I knew practically everything there. Then I went traveling, knew nothing, and was being told that I was not charting this right, or didn't follow this policy correctly, etc. It was a rewarding experience, I still felt I provided my patients the best care possible, but it's the little things that differ and take some getting used to. The money and the experience of living in somewhere different is awesome. You have to be flexible and be able to let things roll off your back. And be open minded, I have quickly learned that every facility does things differently and that doesn't necessarily mean one way is wrong or right. Good luck in your career, and I hope you pursue traveling if you want! BTW - some agencies will start talking to you after 1 year, but you have to be extremely flexible. I would say after 2 years experience you are much more marketable. I got my first assignment after 18 months, but am looking forward to the 2 year mark where I can go many more places.

[tfaith09]

Thank you!