Traveling with only MS experience

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Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.

If I only have M/S experience will I be limited to mainly M/S assignments? I want to travel eventually, but really wanted to travel as an OR nurse. So far I've only interviewed for one OR position and haven't heard anything yet. However I know someone that works there and they said be patient because it takes months for them to hire. I'm just curious if that falls through and I travel, will I be limited to medicine floors with only MS exp. or do recruiters place you on other floors too. I don't want to always be stuck on medicine especially as a traveler!

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Your travel assignments would be on floors that you're qualified to work. You'd not be eligible for a contract in the OR with no experience.

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Recruiters are not what drive placement, it is hospitals. They are the ones who require appropriate experience.

You have applied to a training position in the OR - typically programs are 6 months to a year. My own OR training was 8 months, and my overall experience was 3 years before I started traveling. You should develop some realistic expectations. Your dreams are subverting your judgement and common sense.

If you do end up traveling as a medsurg nurse, yes, you will only work in those environments. You may find them very challenging with perhaps higher patient loads than you are used to, different clinical patients and post ops, different clinical software, very different working culture, and different local culture. I don't think you will be bored.

I would recommend that at a minimum before you go traveling that you get significant telemetry experience. There is a lot of competition for bread and butter travel assignments, and a nurse with telemetry experience will always be chosen over someone with none.

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Specializes in MedSurg, OR, Cardiac step down.

I don't expect an OR travel position, My judgment is not that clouded.

I don't even plan on traveling any time soon because I want to get into the OR firstly and get that experience. Even if I do travel I want to wait 2-3yrs. I work on an acute medicine floor now where most of our pts would be in an icu at other hospitals, with 4-5 pts. So I'm getting good practice with these heavy pts, But I know travel assignments can be worse. And also I'm on nights so I feel like I have a lot to relearn on day shift before I go out into the big bad world, and I'd like to get a good yr in on days first.

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