How To Become A Travel Nurse
As a travel nurse, you will travel the country, helping patients who have illnesses and injuries. You will be able to explore many parts of the country, using your skills and talents to help save thousands of people. Travel nurses are needed, because there are many places in the world that do not have adequate healthcare. In order to become a travel nurse, you must have completed a nursing program.
Why Become A Travel Nurse
When you go to a doctor’s office, one of the first healthcare professionals you see is a nurse. A nurse is responsible for talking to patients, learning more about their symptoms, and educating them so they can feel better.
There is a high demand for nurses within our healthcare system, especially our hospitals. Travel nurses will be needed to pick up and move from one location to another, traveling to where they are needed. As a travel nurse, you will get to choose where you work. You will get to move from one place to the next, exploring many parts of the country. This is an exciting career opportunity.
As a nurse, it is your responsibility to record the medical history and symptoms of a patient. You will administer medicines. You will observe a patient and look at their symptoms, figuring out what illnesses they may have. You will examine any injuries they could have. You will work with medical equipment and take basic medical tests such as height, weight and blood pressure for all patients. You will analyze the results for patients. You will work as part of a team of healthcare professionals, figuring out how to best help the patient. Together with a doctor or other health practitioner, you will educate a patient on how to treat the illness or injury.
Travel Nurses should possess the following qualities and skills:
- Scientific
- Critical Thinking
- Compassionate
- Enjoy helping others
- Observant
- Flexible
- Adaptable
- Physical Stamina
Travel Nurse Work Environment
As the name implies, a travel nurse does not stay in one location – they move from place to place. Because there is such a high demand for nurses across the country, travel nurses pick up and move to another location, helping those in need somewhere else. Travel nurses typically move every 13 weeks. They are hired to work for a specific location, such as a hospital, private clinic, or rehabilitation center. After that, they are packing up and moving somewhere else. This job involves being flexible and adaptable.
Travel Nurse Salary
The median annual salary for nurses was $68,450 in 2016, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There are many benefits given to travel nurses. Often, travel nurses receive free temporary housing, paid by the employer, for the length of time they are stationed at their job. They may also receive other benefits such as 401K or bonuses.
There are many factors to consider when thinking about salary. If you have many years of experience in the field, you may be in a position to earn a higher salary than those just starting their nursing careers. The industry you work in may determine your salary as well, as you could work in hospitals, the military, nursing homes, or many other locations. All of this will have an effect on your salary.
Travel Nurse Career Outlook
Employment for nurses is expected to grow by 16 percent, which is much faster than most other occupations in the United States.
There is a shortage of nurses within the United States. There are some areas where nurses are especially needed, such as low-income areas and rural towns. Travel nurses will be in great demand because they are willing to travel to these areas, helping out people. Nurses will provide care to people who have illnesses and injuries. New healthcare laws in the United States have more people going to doctor’s offices to be seen for their illnesses. People are more interested now than ever before in staying healthy and taking care of themselves. Today we have a much larger elderly population, who will be seeking out healthcare professionals for issues with chronic health conditions.
Travel Nurse Degree
If you would like to learn more about how to become a travel nurse, read more below.
There are three different ways most people earn a nursing degree: receiving a degree from a nursing program, receiving an associate’s degree in nursing, or receiving a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
During your program, you will take classes in medical terminology, chemistry, biology, nutrition, psychology, anatomy and physiology, and other important classes. These courses will help give you a strong foundation in this field and help you decide if nursing is a good field for you. You will also receive hands-on, clinical experience during your program.
A diploma or associate’s program takes about two years to complete. A bachelor’s program will take four years to complete.
