Becoming a travel nurse is one of the dreams of most health workers; however, the process can be complicated, especially if you have no experience compared to other nursing career pathways.
Despite being a challenging process, we have researched and carefully compiled all the practical steps you need to become a travel nurse with no experience in this article.
Overview Of A Travel Nurse
A travel nurse is a nurse who does not work directly for a hospital or health care system but instead works from an agency known as a Nurse Staffing Agency.
It is the agency’s job to decide where the nurse could work. This is a type of nursing career pathway that has been promising and in high demand since the 1970s.
It is worth noting that the term travel nurse was derived from Travel nursing, which describes assigning nurses to areas where they are needed. This pathway was adopted in the 1970s when there was a shortage of nurses in the United States.
This career pathway is worth it if you take the necessary steps. Furthermore, there are a lot of benefits attached to being a travel nurse, of which flexibility, professional growth opportunities, and competitive pay are at the top.
The Role Of A Travel Nurse
The roles of travel nurses are the same as every role played by nurses worldwide. Nurses are noted to provide quality healthcare services to patients in hospitals, clinics, and other facilities.
Similarly, travel nurses provide quality healthcare services to patients in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare systems, but their positions and services are temporary and usually in high-demand areas. Although the roles can vary, they are within healthcare provision.
Remember that the idea of travel nursing started due to a shortage of nurses in the healthcare system.
Requirements To Become A Travel Nurse
Anyone can become a travel nurse; however, we can classify the requirements into;
- Educational requirements and
- Soft skills requirements
1. Educational Requirements
These are the certificates and licenses that make you qualified as a nurse. As a travel nurse, you must be a registered nurse (RN), meaning you must have attained nursing training. It could be an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Meanwhile, as a bachelor of science holder, you have an edge over those with ADN. This is because most nursing agencies prefer BSN holders over ADN holders.
In addition, having clinical experience can also help you achieve your aim as a travel nurse by following the steps we will outline in the subsequent heading.
Talking about licensure, you can apply for permanent licensure in your area of residence at the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). However, if you are unfortunate to get posted in any state that is not among the NLC, you may opt for one in that state.
Furthermore, having Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certificates is crucial. At the same time, a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) or Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCCN) would make it easier for you as a travel nurse.
2. Soft Skills Requirements
As a travel nurse, some soft skills are needed to help you scale up and perform better.
First is communication skills; you need to learn and master how to communicate with people irrespective of who they are. By learning how to speak, you connect deeply with your patients and get to know them and how to care for them better.
The next soft skill is adaptability. You must develop strong skills of adaptation. This means you can easily adapt to any environment you find yourself in, as your work is flexible.
Another essential skill is problem-solving skill. As a travel nurse, you need to develop this vital skill to help you handle critical issues, challenges, and hurdles you may encounter while offering your nursing service.
How To Become A Travel Nurse With No Experience
Technically, you need some experience before you can work with most nursing agencies as a travel nurse. However, here are proven steps to become one with no experience.
Step 1– Have The Requirements
The first step to becoming a travel nurse is to have at least the basic requirements. This includes the educational requirements, certifications and licenses, and some essential soft skills.
These we have carefully explained in the previous heading, and we are confident that you have what it takes. If not, plan to have them before proceeding with the next step.
Step 2– Networking
The next important step is professional networking and development. By networking, you get to meet travel nurses who have one or two pieces of information about being a travel nurse and may connect you to reputable nursing agencies that need your service.
To do this, join professional organizations and attend conferences and workshops as much as possible. This will add to your knowledge and experience of banks.
Step 3– Research Travel Nurse Agencies
As noted earlier, you won’t work directly with hospitals, clinics, or doctor’s offices; instead, you work with an agency that determines where you work.
Therefore, take your time to research reputable agencies. Get to know their requirements, understand their contractual obligations, rules, and regulations, and how you can apply to become part of their workers (nurses).
You can submit your application to two or more agencies and choose the one that suits you best if granted acceptance.
How To Become A Better Travel Nurse
To become a better travel nurse with lots of positive reviews, recommendations, and opportunities, you have to do the following;
- Let your patient be your priority. Employ and deploy every possible means to ensure that the patients in your care are well cared for.
- Be professional in your dealings and firmly uphold the ethics and ethos of your profession as a nurse.
- Kindly seek feedback from your patients and agency and keep improving with continuous learning.
Best Travel Nursing Agencies
The top travel nursing agencies include the following;
- Flexcare medical staffing
- Aureus medical group
- RN Network
- Host Healthcare
- Axis medical staffing
- Fusion medical staffing
- Aya Healthcare
Travel Nurse Earnings
There are no fixed earnings for travel nurses, and they vary as the jobs of travel nurses vary. It is worth noting that the average salary of a travel nurse in a year is bigger than that of an average nurse.
As of 2022, it was $100,000 and $82,750, respectively; currently (2024), it is $121,710 per annum.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.What is the best school for a travel nurse?
The best colleges for traveling nurses are the University of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University, and Excelsior College.
2. Which state pays travel nurses the most?
It is hard to know which states pay the most, but California and Hawaii are at the top.
3. What degree is best for traveling nursing?
It would help if you had an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and passed the NCLEX -RN exam to become a travel nurse.
4.What is the best nurse to be for traveling nursing?
Pediatric, operation room, intensive care, emergency room, and telemetry nursing are the top five nurses for traveling nursing.
Conclusion
Travel nurses stand a chance to earn handsomely. To become a travel nurse with no experience, you must have the educational requirements, certifications, and licenses before becoming a highly sought-after travel nurse.
We are confident that this article satisfies your search intent and that you have the correct information to become a travel nurse. Feel free to ask us questions in the comments section below!
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