Travel nursing-will I find assignments?

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Just soliciting advice! I am interested in travel nursing but am wondering what kind of assignments I would be met with. I have been working my first job as a RN for just over a year now, doing pediatric heme/onc/none marrow transplant. I plan to stay until about the two and a half year mark to learn more and gain experience-I'm under no illusions, I know I have a ton more to learn. What I'm wondering is are any of you out there traveling doing peds heme/onc/bmt? Are you finding assignments in that subspecialty or are you ending up doing more general peds units? I don't have very much general pediatric experience so I think it would be much harder for me to readily "jump in" to that.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Thread moved to Travel Nursing forum.

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The more specialized, the fewer assignments. However, the more time they require in a sub-specialty, the higher the pay. If you google one of your sub specialties (Ped onc), you'd see there are several assignments available right now. Cross Country shows 18 available this minute, with both Onc and Bone Marrow requirements, with one year experience required.

If you are flexible about the where, and the hours, you shouldn't have any trouble staying employed.

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Specializes in Pediatric Heme/Onc/BMT.

That is my specialty and I have been traveling for two years. I've never had to take an assignment in general peds, but know that you will be floating to the general peds floors, as well as NICU and PICU.

You will always find Peds Heme/Onc/BMT jobs in big cities - smaller towns with smaller hospitals do not tend to have the specialty. California always has jobs, up and down the coast. I see a lot in Texas, a few in the Midwest, and more on the east coast. The big agencies (AMN and Cross Country) let you search their postings (the external sites are not a comprehensive job board) to get an idea of where they staff.

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Specializes in CTICU.

I do not know about your subspecialty, but I would have to guess that if you did general peds it would open up more possibilites. BUT if you are in no rush, then your recruiter will find something for you in your subspecialty. I started the application process to travel in October 2015 and didn't start my first assignment until April 2016 because I was very specific with the location and I only wanted to be in my subspecialty which is CTICU. I am with Cross Country and I LOVE them. My recruiter is awesome and really worked with me to find the position I wanted and was so patient with me. I encourage EVERY nurse to travel if they can, it really is amazing and I wish I would have done it earlier. On top of having no work email, not feeling obligated to work OT and not being involved in the "hospital politics," the money is great! I am traveling right now to visit my family and I couldn't be happier :)

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Thanks for answering! I am curious, when it comes to floating do you feel you had the experience you needed for the assignments you get in NICU/PICU? When I think PICU I think pressors and vents, which I have no experience with. Any insight is appreciated!

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