Traveling nursing questions

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I am just about 1 yr into my nursing career and planning on traveling. I have a few questions from experienced travel nurses. How do I narrow my choices for which agency to select? What should I look out for? What should I ask for?

I will have about 18-20 mos experience by hours worked. I work in an ICU/CCU/NICU facillity and rotate thru all three units. I have my ACLS cert, getting my PALS cert and studying for the CCRN.

What else should I work on.

I'm planning on taking my family with me. Wife and three daughters.

Thanks for your help and input.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Hi and welcome to the site

I have moved this to the Travel forum where you should get much in the way of guidance :)

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Specializes in OB.
I am just about 1 yr into my nursing career and planning on traveling. I have a few questions from experienced travel nurses. How do I narrow my choices for which agency to select? What should I look out for? What should I ask for?

I will have about 18-20 mos experience by hours worked. I work in an ICU/CCU/NICU facillity and rotate thru all three units. I have my ACLS cert, getting my PALS cert and studying for the CCRN.

What else should I work on.

I'm planning on taking my family with me. Wife and three daughters.

Thanks for your help and input.

It sounds with this kind of background you will be a good candidate for a traveler.

That said, a word of advice from a long time traveler - don't try to make the change to traveling until the current economic outlook significantly improves. The market for travelers has bottomed out - (In my specialty alone, my company's listings have gone from 100 + at any given time to 30 - for the entire country!) Nurses with years of experience both clinically and as travelers are taking months to find a position. Especially as you will have family with you, this could be a real problem! I just got notified 2 days ago mid contract that my contract was cancelled immediately(for budget reasons at the hospital) and then today was told it's back on. Keep in mind if you are cancelled you then lose your housing, insurance, etc. along with your income. Not a very secure feeling!

Again, I don't say this to discourage you from looking at traveling at a later time, I just wouldn't leave a secure position at this time for the uncertainties of travel life.

(I can't help it - I talk like a Mom!)

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg, Travele.

While the market currently is tight, hopefully it will pick up the first of the year. There are positions out there and with your background you should be fine. Start talking with different companies about your requirements. Interview them not the other way around. Check out their insurance information, contact information. Take your time. I researched for over a year and still keep in contact with 3 of the other companies that I talked with.

Figure out where you want to be. Certain areas have more to offer then others. Certain companies have more contracts in their home area. This can be either state to state or regionally. While some of the larger companies have more listings, it's been my experience that the pay is less then with the small to moderate size companies.

Good luck

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