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