When to start...

I would start with a plan after collecting information. Tax home planning on PanTravelers and TravelTax should be your first priority right now and you will find out why I recommend some education on the topic (which you probably haven't heard about).

Second would be what states you want to travel to, and/or discover the states that pay well with good working conditions (those two factors are often found together). Some of this information can be gathered by talking to agencies now. Talk to enough recruiters and you will gain a sense of the broader market, and the specific market for NICU and CVICU. You will also learn to figure out which recruiters are speaking plainly, and which ones are just making stuff up, as well as which ones you communicate well with - which is the most important factor in predicting travel success. Skip the recruiters who insist you sign up before telling you about their jobs and pay.

If you plan on going to California, I would start working on that license now. Otherwise, do not get licenses before exploring jobs with agencies. Most agencies will pay for at least some of the costs of a new license, but may be reluctant to do so if you already have a valid state license that covers the assignment period. Thus you will avoid unnecessary expense of getting licenses before you need them, and getting them reimbursed as well.

There is an advantage in having licenses in hand to take advantage of fast moving "crisis" assignments that pay significantly more. However, you don't want them as a new traveler, and after you have gained experience and want to exploit such situations, you will have a number of licenses in hand.

For California licensing specifically, the path is smoothed significantly by getting fingerprinted in California. This is unique to California, other states permit Livescan fingerprinting out of state, and other state's delays with hard copy fingerprints are not excessive. There are two California based agencies, American Mobile and Valley Healthcare, who will pay for a flight to California to start the license process and back home. You can meet your recruiters in person as well, which is cool. The latter agency is just a few blocks from the BON.

Something to learn about travel nursing is that there is just one pot of money and if an agency pays you more in one form of compensation (such as a free roundtrip to California), they may pay you less in another area. So if they are not reimbursing you for a license, you should get more somewhere else (like hourly). Just something to think about. These trips to California may be a "loss leader" (like a grocery store sale price that is below cost) just to get you hooked on their agency, but I would certainly ask if your first assignment with them (required if you take the deal) will be at regular rates or if a deduction would be made for the flight. These questions are always worthwhile but I'm sorry I don't know the details.

Ned should write a book on travel nursing lol

Just collect all the short stories I write here. ;-)

P.S. I worked in Metairie before nursing.

Just collect all the short stories I write here. ;-)

P.S. I worked in Metairie before nursing.

Oh wow! That must've been many moons ago (when a gallon of milk was 0.47 cents)

I'm ready to move out of Louisiana though....$25.00 hr job won't cut it. Ready to pack my stuff in storage and get on traveling....hopefully someone has a need for 18months Tele and 9 months critical nurse :)

Pay phone calls were a nickel. If you can remember pay phones.

Pay phone calls were a nickel. If you can remember pay phones.

Ned should write a book on travel nursing lol

Lol, I think that AN should make an 'Ask Nurse Ned' segment, a la 'Ask Nurse Beth.' It would probably get more hits.

I'm sure you have a ton of incredible/ridiculous/hilarious stories from your years on the road in addition to your awesome advice.

Thanks Ned!!

a lot of good information. Going to look into it right now.

Pay phone calls were a nickel. If you can remember pay phones.

I first went to Louisiana when I was 18 and worked offshore. Because of the pay phone nickel thing, dimes were exceedingly rare in circulation. Playing a local gambling game called Boo-Ray, guys would take dimes out of the pot, saving them to delight their little boys at home.

When was this? The Nixon era?? Lol

Actually, yes! 1973 is when I graduated high school. Nursing is like a tenth career choice that I seem to be stuck in now. Still miss being a welder offshore, paid better and I was really good at it. Usually won at Boo-Ray too. Took a couple years to become a decent nurse and quite a bit longer before it paid better than prior careers.

I believe the nickel phone call persisted into the 1980s. Last time I was there, no payphones and dimes in circulation like everywhere else.