| Travel nursing is becoming one of our | | | | experience. You might get less money in an |
| nation's fastest growing professions, and | | | | exotic location and come back with more money |
| it's no surprise. If you love seeing new | | | | from a not-so-exotic location. My point is, |
| places and enjoy exciting new experiences | | | | your criteria will determine your priorities. |
| that evoke the feeling of taking an extended | | | | |
| vacation, then the career of a traveling | | | | BENEFITS |
| nurse might be just what the doctor ordered! | | | | |
| Travel nursing enables many people to stay on | | | | What some companies may lack in salary, they |
| vacation for two to six months in free luxury | | | | make up for with benefits. Many agencies |
| accommodations while earning high hourly | | | | offer benefits programs that revolve around |
| wages at the same time. | | | | monetary bonuses or discounted luxury |
| | | | housing; and I have even observed a trend |
| Yet despite all these advantages, many nurses | | | | with several newer companies that offer |
| describe to me that they've shied away from | | | | entirely free housing to all their nurses. |
| the traveling profession. Why? Because bad | | | | Take note, however, that those agencies may |
| experiences with placement agencies have left | | | | not ante up the really high salaries. It's a |
| them with nothing but a negative impression. | | | | trade-off, so they compensate you with |
| They've been underpaid or lacked benefits, | | | | benefits to save you daily, monthly, and |
| and I can't tell you how many nurses have | | | | annual expenses. Every nurse should be aware |
| complained to me about inadequate housing or | | | | of what benefits they need the most, and then |
| recruiters who were unkind, uncaring, and | | | | ask their recruiters to assist in developing |
| just plain unavailable. The sad result is | | | | a package that is tailored to their |
| that nurses end up jumping from one agency to | | | | individual needs. |
| the next, always in search of the perfect | | | | |
| package that's never there. | | | | CUSTOMER SERVICE |
| | | | |
| In this light, choosing the right staffing | | | | To many traveling nurses, customer service |
| agency requires a nurse to consider | | | | and aid are the most important attributes a |
| everything that is offered. Some nurses | | | | placement agency possesses. If you called |
| emphasize pay as their top priority. Others | | | | ten agencies and only talked with one live |
| require an excellent benefits package. Many | | | | recruiter, it's probably best to narrow it |
| travel RNs are location-specific and want to | | | | down to the agency where individual placement |
| experience the lifestyle in the country's hot | | | | specialists were easily available. After |
| spots. Career flexibility is often a pivotal | | | | all, if you're ready to proceed with a new |
| factor, along with customer service. The | | | | assignment you'll want an agency that can |
| bottom line is, your agency choice depends | | | | make it happen fast and has recruiters |
| largely upon one of the four following | | | | available who already understand your |
| criteria. | | | | criteria. In fact, your criteria may change |
| | | | from one assignment to another, so customer |
| SALARY | | | | service is paramount. Determine what you |
| | | | want and then find out which agencies can |
| No question about it, there are some agencies | | | | make it happen. |
| that offer more money than others. So the | | | | |
| first thing to remember is that agencies may | | | | FEATURED LOCATIONS AND HOT SPOTS |
| base salaries upon things like location | | | | |
| availability, need-to-fill assignments, and | | | | While for some nurses, salary, benefits, and |
| cost of living. | | | | career flexibility might be the number-one |
| | | | interest, many others just want the |
| Some agencies must offer noticeably higher | | | | obvious-to travel and see the world. If |
| rates if they expect to fill certain | | | | you're an adventurer who cares more about the |
| assignments where nurse-to-patient ratios are | | | | travel experience than the money, then you'll |
| very low, or where a facility has extreme | | | | need an agency that can offer you the |
| patient needs. If you're a nurse who is | | | | locations you want. |
| attracted by very high dollars, be alert for | | | | |
| a potentially desperate situation you might | | | | Not every agency can send you just anywhere. |
| be entering, and the workload it could bring. | | | | Figure out where you want to go, and then |
| You may make more money, but you'll earn | | | | call around to discover who can send you |
| every dollar and more. | | | | there. |
| | | | |
| Location also factors into salary. The | | | | A travel nursing career is absolutely one of |
| California bay area and many larger east | | | | the best, most rewarding choices any nurse |
| coast cities definitely offer more lucrative | | | | can make, but it's important to select a |
| pay rates. It's also much more expensive to | | | | company who will partner with you every step |
| live in those places, so recognize the | | | | of the way. Before you jump in, do your |
| relationship that exists between salary | | | | homework and research all the best placement |
| dollars and cost of living. I've seen nurses | | | | agencies. Finding the agency that fits your |
| return from Hawaii saying they had a great | | | | unique wants and needs will drastically |
| vacation and made a lot of friends-but their | | | | increase your chances of success and |
| purses were lighter, not heavier from the | | | | happiness in your career. |