Traveling Nursing

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

Honestly I don't think this is a good idea for a new grad. At all. For travel/agency work, the RN is expected to be a fully functioning staff nurse after maybe a day of orientation. For the first couple years (at least) working, you will be a novice and still learning to practice as an RN. You need a proper orientation--preferably a residency/new grad program, with preceptors that you can follow up with on an ongoing basis. That's just not possible with travel/agency nursing.

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

By "traveling nurse" do you mean that you take temporary contracts in various hospitals that need nurses for short-term? If so, you generally have to have about 2 years in your nursing field before agencies will hire you as a traveler. You need to be able to jump in with only a shift of orientation. In order to do that, you need to be very comfortable in your role. There are lots of agencies that employ nurses, and you can work for more than one agency at a time.

MateaC · Feb 11, 2015

What kind of orientation can you do for those couple of years to prepare for being a traveling RN?

MateaC · Feb 11, 2015

Yes taking temporary contracts as a nurse where needed. Can you work in a specialty department like labor and delivery and still be a traveling nurse?

NedRN · Feb 11, 2015

Yes, any specialty. But if your heart is in L&D, know that babies will keep happening and travel L&D nurses have been in big demand making good money for quite a while. So in demand, you will be able to travel easily with one year. However, if you really want your choice of assignments, do a couple of years of high risk.

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 12, 2015

What kind of orientation can you do for those couple of years to prepare for being a traveling RN?

Work as a fulltime, permanent nurse in a hospital and gain experience.