Travel nursing

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Specializes in neuro and spinal cord rehab, med-surg.

Does anyone else get as nervous as me about putting in the two month notice at work to do their first travel assignment? My goal is to do travel nursing while I still can but I did not realize you might not know where or when ur assignment will be until a few weeks before!

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Two month notice? Legally, you don't need notice at all unless you have some contractual requirement. Two weeks is standard, but I can understand you not wanting to burn bridges. On the other hand, travel assignments with two month prior interviews and commitments for never traveled nurses are rather uncommon.

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Specializes in NP. Former flight, CCU, ED RN and paramedic..

I quit my job, my wife quit her job (we both had stellar jobs) rented my house, drove halfway across the country in an RV with my wife and kid, then got cancelled a week before the contract started. Still got all the travel stipend, plus two weeks pay and housing, but still........that was kind of a rough start.

That's why I think it's important to have at least a couple months cash/living expense funds before you start travelling, and continue to build that fund while travelling.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

See? That is scary. I really want to do some travel nursing but am terrified at resigning a perm position and accepting a travel assignment and then getting cancelled (granted, I want my first assignment to be within ~200 miles from home so I am not stranded). I really want to make sure that I am assured of an assignment, but is that not possible?

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Specializes in OB.
See? That is scary. I really want to do some travel nursing but am terrified at resigning a perm position and accepting a travel assignment and then getting cancelled (granted, I want my first assignment to be within ~200 miles from home so I am not stranded). I really want to make sure that I am assured of an assignment, but is that not possible?

Before giving notice make sure you have a financial cushion of enough to cover bills and living expenses for a minimum of 3 months (you should have this when traveling anyway). Talk to multiple companies and ask them what their usual time frame is to place a first time traveler in a position. Fill out all the necessary paperwork with several companies. Then give your notice.

This way if you have a gap of several weeks after notice before starting an assignment you have the finances to cover it.

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Specializes in NP. Former flight, CCU, ED RN and paramedic..

It's not scary if you have money in savings. It's not common, but don't start unprepared.

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Specializes in neuro and spinal cord rehab, med-surg.

yup i picked two agencies and i am now just trying to get all my paper work in, find my vaccination records, copying liscences etc. and you are right about the savings, i know if i have that then i wont have anything to worry about.

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