Worst Travel Nursing Specialties

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Hi everyone

I will be starting nursing school in less than a month (woo hoo!) and I know I want to be a travel RN as soon as I can (after a few years experience of course) while I have no commitments. I've tried to figure out what specialities are the best for travel nursing but it seems that "all specialties are hired!"

So I will rephrase my question: What are the worst specialties to be in if you want to market yourself as a travel RN?

If there are many threads already on this please let me know, I was unsuccessful when I conducted a search on it. Thanks to all who answer!

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Labor & Delivery nurses are hard to place. MS too. Most hospitals would rather float someone from another unit rather than paying higher rates for a floor RN. Any critical care specialty is also in high demand-ER, ICU, PICU, NICU. Make sure you are tele certified if you work the floor.

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Thank you Pearlsc, that's is helpful!

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Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.

Pearl is right- ER, ICU, NICU, PICU are most in demand. Whichever you choose, you will be more marketable if you have the certifications that pertain to that specialty. For ER, get ACLS, PALS, TNCC, ENPC, CEN... For ICU- get ACLS, CCRN, etc...

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Thanks for the info ERRNTraveler. ER is very appealing to me but I've heard that if you don't get experience at big trauma center you are not as appealing to travel gig hospitals. Would I have to work more years to gain experience at a smaller ER before traveling? How about OR, is it in pretty high demand? I'm guessing rural medicine is not highly sought after for a travel gig, right?

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Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.

Trauma experience will make you more marketable to trauma centers, but there are plenty of non-trauma ER's out there that hire travelers.

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Good point about the trauma level. Thanks so much for your insight ERRNTraveler! :D

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Telemetry is also a good option for travelers. I have been traveling as a tele nurse for about a year now.

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Specializes in OB.

I wouldn't say L&D nurses are hard to place - I've been traveling as an OB nurse for 12 years now and have never had any down time from inability to find a contract. Most of my contracts have been for L&D although I also have done the High Risk Antepartum and units with LDRPs. I think it has become more difficult to find positions if you strictly do postpartum as most units have gone toward the combined model of LDRPs or at least mother-baby.

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I agree with the above poster. Usually there is more of a demand for L and D nurses than many even know about, but they usually require about five years of work experience.

Always select a unit type based on what you are interested in, not what has the higher number of jobs at the time, as that always is changing. And if you do not like something, you are never going to be able to acquire the experience that you need.

If you love what you are doing, you will always find positions geared around it.

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Suzanne4, that makes a lot of sense. It's not as complex as what I make out in my mind and I will do just fine with whatever interests me. Thank you.

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You are quite welcome.

Enjoy your schooling.

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