Travel Nursing Tips: Are you an experienced nurse looking for some excitement and a change but not sure of what options are available? Do you enjoy and love traveling? Does meeting new people and learning about new cultures excite you much? If so, have you considered what it would feel like to become a travel nurse?
Perhaps you are wondering how to get started or asking yourself, “What are some useful tips for first-time travel nurses?” If yes, this useful travel nursing tips for first-timers in 2024 featured in this article are just for you! Let’s get going.
Things to Know Before You Begin Your Adventure: Traveling Nursing Tips
Have you recently become a travel nurse and are considering your first assignment? Have you recently accepted an assignment and are unsure what to do next?
Yes, travel nursing has distinct advantages and is an excellent way to advance your career, but getting started can be daunting.
As a travel nurse, you will gain the following:
- Meet new people
- Discover new destinations
- Learn new skills; and
- Do what you love
However, before you pack your suitcase, there are a few things you should know before starting your career as a travel nurse.
In this article, you will learn more about the following:
- Travel nurse essentials and tips
- How to start travel nursing
- Preparing for travel nursing; and
- More
New Travel Nurse Advice: What You Need to Know?
As a new travel nurse, you’ve probably narrowed down a few locations you’d like to work in, but please take the time to plan and prepare before packing your suitcase.
Travel Nursing Tips: What Should I Know Before Travel Nursing?
Travel nursing is an excellent way to travel around the world while also earning a living.
However, it can be useful to have a few pointers and tricks under your belt to help you navigate your new role and understand and enjoy your new responsibilities.
Here are useful travel nursing tips you must know before taking off:
1. Make Use of a Recruiter – Travel Nursing Tips
Finding a great recruiter is an essential part of the job, according to travel nursing veterans.
When meeting with potential recruiters, make sure to ask a lot of questions right away to determine if your personalities and communication styles are compatible. Then, once you’ve found an excellent recruiter, he or she will be by your side every step of the way.
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However, note that your relationship with your recruiter is two-way. As a result, you should provide them with as much information as possible about the types of jobs you’re looking for so they can assist you in finding the best contracts.
Travel nurse recruiters not only help you find the best contracts that fit your desires but they can also assist in the following:
- Prepare you for interviews
- Obtain new state licenses for you
- Advice you on what you might need to bring to your new job
- Have instructions ready for your first day at the new facility
- Know what documentation is required at the facility
- Arrange travel, housing, and other logistics; and
- Much more
Note: It’s important to discuss openly with your recruiters once the two of you are working together to ensure a successful recruiter-travel nurse partnership.
2: Understand Your Contract You are Going Into
Contracts for travel nursing are presumably the most important aspect of travel nursing.
Before you sign, make sure you understand everything in your contract. It is crucial to ensure that the contract will benefit you.
Travel Nursing Tips: Although it may seem obvious, you should never start driving to the contract site before signing. You have nothing to fall back on if the assignment situation changes for any reason. As with any business agreement, get everything in writing and thoroughly read the contract before signing.
A travel nurse contract will usually include the following items:
- Contract length
- Hours
- Time off
- Pay (i.e., overtime, holidays)
- Housing and travel arrangements
- Stipends (i.e., lodging, meals, incidental)
- What happens if the contract fails; and
- Many more
3: Be Flexible and Easygoing – Travel Nursing Tips
As a first-time travel nurse, a travel nurse company may tell you that they can place you anywhere you want. However, you might not always get your first choice.
If you are adaptable about …
- Location
- Facility; and
- Setting
… you will be able to find a travel nurse position quickly. After gaining experience, you will be able to be more selective about where you work.
Being adaptable increases your chances of finding opportunities. This is not to say you should settle; instead, be clear about what you are willing to compromise on.
4: Be Organized and Prepared – Travel Nursing Tips
At some point, every travel nurse is (or becomes) organized. That doesn’t mean you should color-code your closet, but it does mean you should double-check your paperwork.
You must keep the following records current and updated:
- Licensing information
- Any certifications; and
- Health and immunization records
Similarly, along with keeping these records up to date, it is crucial to know when they must be renewed. Put these dates on your calendar and allow enough time to renew them.
5: Use Other Travel Nurses You May Know – Travel Nursing Tips
Normally, you have a lot of questions about traveling nursing. You can get information from your recruiter as well as other travel nurses you may know. Travel nurse advice from other travel nurses can be extremely beneficial.
Perhaps a nursing school classmate is now a travel nurse? Contact them and ask any questions you have.
Online communities and forums with other travel nurses are other great places to ask questions. Those travel nurses therein can answer your questions.
6: Research Your Destination – Travel Nursing Tips
You should not travel to your new location without knowing much about it. You may have already decided on your destination, but it is still cautious to conduct research about it.
By doing a little online research, new travel nurses can prepare for almost anything.
When working as a travel RN, you should be aware of the following:
- What the weather and climate will be like
- The safety of the hospital and housing
- Your housing location
- Methods of transportation available to you; and
- Attractions/interests you would like to see while you are there
Another thing to consider is how long it will take you to get to work. You don’t want to be late for your first day.
Before your first assignment as a travel nurse, you can practice:
- Get up and ready at the right time.
- Plan on arriving at your destination on time.
- Find a parking spot and figure out how to get to your floor.
- Decide whether you will require more or less time to arrive on your first day.
7: Understand Your Travel Nurse Essentials – Travel Nursing Tips
Make a packing list before traveling; you can’t bring everything from home. This will ensure you don’t forget anything essential. Packing apps like Packing Pro and PackPoint can help you pack more efficiently.
One important piece of advice is to avoid packing “just in case” items. Instead, only bring what you need. You can always buy anything else you require once you arrive at your destination.
The following are some items you should consider packing:
- Any important documents
- First aid kit
- Scrubs and “off-work” clothing
- Toiletries
- Prescription drugs
- A dependable watch
- Entertainment items (i.e., books, tablets, etc.)
- Emergency phone numbers
More so, you can ask your recruiter or housing specialist what furnishings and appliances are provided in the housing arranged by your travel nursing agency. This will help you to know what you’ll need to provide.
8: Find out Out Home Details – Travel Nursing Tips
It is critical to anticipate what will occur when you depart your home for your travel assignment.
Think about the following questions below:
- How will you deal with your mail? Will you forward it or have someone check it for you?
- Do you have any scheduled deliveries?
- What about utilities and services? Should you cancel them or continue to pay?
- Do you have to write checks to pay your bills, or can you do it online?
- Do you have any pets? If so, are you bringing them with you, or do you need to make other arrangements for their care?
- Do you have a spouse or children? If so, how will you communicate with them?
There are numerous factors to consider before embarking on your first travel nursing assignment. However, don’t overlook the minor details.
9. Prepare for the interview
Consider why you want to be a travel nurse. What do you hope to gain from the experience? What can you offer the facilities where you work? Review sample travel nursing interview questions and consider how you will respond.
10. Go for It – Travel Nursing Tips
When you are new to travel nursing, it can be intimidating and frightening. Most likely, you will be unfamiliar with the location or the people you will be working with. But don’t panic it is all about learning.
Remember that you have the skills and requirements to succeed, so don’t let fear get in your way.
When you …
- Take advantage of your knowledge and resources
- Ask questions when/where necessary; and
- Are open to learning
… the experience will most likely be much better than you imagined.
Useful Travel Nursing Tips for First-Timers
Do you enjoy and love traveling? Does meeting new people and learning about new cultures excite you much? If so, have you considered what it would feel like to become a travel nurse?
READ: Safety Tips For Business Travelers | Travel Safety Tips
Perhaps you are wondering how to get started or asking yourself, “What are some useful tips for first-time travel nurses?” If yes, this useful travel nursing tips for first-timers in 2023 featured in this article are just for you!
What are Some Useful Tips For First-Time Travel Nurses?
The following are useful tips to help you prepare for your first-ever travel nursing assignment: Travel Nursing Tips!
1. Learn more about travel nursing and what it entails
Travel nursing provides many exciting opportunities, and one of the best tips for new travel nurses is to learn as much as possible about travel nursing. Every few months, you can work in a different city or state, gain experience in various specialties, and make new friends.
However, Travel nursing is not always the best option for everyone. Take the time to learn about travel nursing, what to look out for, and the benefits and disadvantages.
2. Determine your availability to work as a travel nurse
One of the benefits of travel nursing is the ability to work whenever you want. Determine whether you want to work certain months of the year. Do you prefer some downtime in between contracts, or are you ready to jump right in and work back-to-back contracts? It is necessary to decide your availability and communicate it to recruiters so that you are not paired with an assignment that conflicts with your schedule.
3. Get a Compact Nursing License – Travel Nursing Tips
Currently, thirty-four states have enforced the Nursing Licensure Compact. The NLC allows eligible nurses to have one nursing license and work in any compact state.
4. Consider working as a float nurse in your current nursing position
Travel nurses must be able to work in a variety of hospitals or healthcare settings while maintaining high-quality skills and ease of performance. Become a float nurse at your current job to prepare for a variety of assignments.
5. Update Your Resume Regularly – Travel Nursing Tips
Nurses should keep their resumes up to date with each new job, experience, certification, or change. Update your resume with all relevant nursing experience, education, certifications, and references before applying for your first travel nursing job.
Furthermore, at the end of each contract, update your resume with the most recent job experience. Interestingly, the more experience you have as a travel nurse, the easier it will be to find your next job.
6. Create a Medical Records Portfolio and keep it up to Date
Medical records and clearances are required differently by travel nursing agencies and the organizations that use them. Therefore, to save time and frustration, keep immunizations up to date and have some type of physical health documentation that states you can handle the physical job requirements.
7. Ensure all licenses and Certifications, and Immunizations are Current
One of the most important travel nursing tips I can give you is to keep your licenses and certifications current, organized, and easily accessible.
8. Gather all the Necessary Documents – Travel Nursing Tips
Travel nurses should keep all necessary documents in one place for easy access. An up-to-date resume, names and contact information for references, immunization record, most recent PPD/Chest x-ray, copies of your BLS/ACLS, copies of all licenses and certifications, annual physical form, driver’s license, social security card or passport, and a notarized I9 form should all be included in a complete portfolio.
Note, a skills Checklist is also required by many travel nursing agencies. However, if you completed one at a previous job, request a copy and make sure your recruiter has it in one file.
9. Get Excellent Letters of Professional Reference and Recommendation
Your resume should include personal and professional references, but you should also consider having three to five letters of professional recommendation. Letters of reference can provide more information than your resume’s simple name and contact information. Inquire with former supervisors, charge nurses, or college professors.
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The letters should speak about your chances of success as a travel nurse. Request that the preparer include information such as how you demonstrate good communication and interprofessional skills, your flexibility with work assignments, and your work ethic.
10. Don’t burn bridges – Travel Nursing Tips
Becoming a traveling nurse provides excellent personal and professional development opportunities while enjoying the many sites and cultures of different states and countries. However, it is also necessary to plan for the long term of your career. You might decide to return to an old job or take a break from traveling at some point. It will be easier to transition from a travel nurse to a permanent position if you have left previous employers on good terms.
Conclusion on Travel Nursing Tips
This article provided answers to the question, “What are some useful tips for first-time travel nurses?” There are numerous opportunities available worldwide for nurses who want to travel and provide patient care. The useful travel nursing tips for first-timers in 2023 featured here can help you understand what’s important and how to get started on the journey to travel nursing!
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