Travel Nurse Job Description - Salary, Education and Career Guide for Becoming a Travel Nurse

Travel nurse positions offer an excellent opportunity for those who want to improve the health of others while experiencing new places. An individual interested in working with a variety of health conditions and range of ages will likely find travel nurse employment an ideal fit.

Job Description

A travel nurse must be prepared to easily adapt to all types of environments. A travel nurse will work independently in a variety of environments, without other staff on call for backup. Therefore, this job requires a great deal of independence and skill.
 
Because you may be the only one responsible for a patient’s care, your tasks as a travel nurse might include:
  • direct care, such as taking your patient’s vital signs, including temperature or blood pressure
  • educating patients about their conditions and necessary lifestyle changes
  • providing medication and treatments as needed.
 
While travel nurses generally focus on a few patients at a time, this varies depending on your job. For example, some travel nurses work on cruise ships, taking responsibility for the health of an entire shipload of passengers. In contrast, a travel nurse responsible for the transfer of a critically ill patient from overseas to a special hospital in the states will need to be totally focused on an individual patient.
 
The benefits of travel nursing include variety and adventure, as well as the opportunity to experience new places and cultures.

Salary Guide

Salaries for travel nurses vary depending on:
  • employer
  • level of experience
  • specialization
  • the areas in which they are willing to travel.
 
In past surveys, salaries ranged between $45,000 and more than $85,000. The top-paying areas were California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Jersey and Maryland.

Education and Training

To become a registered nurse, the most typical education path begins with earning an Associate’s degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor’s degree in the field (BSN). After earning one of these degrees, a passing grade on a national licensing exam is required. Registered nurses will take about four years to graduate from the average BSN program, while ADN degrees usually require a two to three year commitment. Another method, known as a diploma program, is administered in a hospital and takes about three years. For those who want to earn an advanced degree, master’s degree programs (MSN) are available. These usually take two years.
 
For aspiring nurses who have already earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a non-nursing field, you have the option of entering an accelerated BSN program, which usually lasts from a year to 18 months.
 
Regardless of which path you choose, expect to experience a combination of supervised clinical work in a hospital and classroom learning. Your coursework will include psychology, physiology, anatomy, chemistry and related classes.
 
As a nurse, you will need to renew your license at various intervals. If you choose a specialization, you may need certification, depending on the your home state.

Prior Work Experience

To qualify for travel nurse jobs, previous employment as a nurse in a similar situation helps. In addition, travel nurse job applicants with prior experience in nursing or patient care can expect a higher salary than those without experience.
 
Examples of relevant work experience include:
  • a nursing position that involved traveling to different areas
  • an entry-level travel nurse job with an agency
  • a position serving as a student nurse for patients with a variety of conditions.
 

Career Advancement

Travel nurses that would like to stay in the field can likely expect an increase in salary and responsibility over time. If you hold a registered nurse travel position for several years, you will likely have seniority and the ability to choose the places that you travel and work. Experienced travel nurses can also expect to earn:
  • desirable positions, such as travel nurse employment aboard a luxury cruise ship touring the world
  • steady opportunities for positions as a travel nurse
  • the opportunity for variety, such as traveling as a registered nurse for a critically ill patient on one assignment, then shifting to a more relaxing position as a travel nurse for a retired group tour of Hawaii
 

Related Associations and Groups

  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing
  • American Nurses Association
  • National Student Nurses’ Association.
 
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