Travel nursing
Travel nursing refers to the health care staffing industry that developed in response to the shortage of nurses in the industry. In order to compensate for this shortage, nurses are re-located from one place to the other (where there is a shortage) for a short-term. This way, the shortage has been largely tackled to avoid critical shortfalls.
Currently, there is a severe shortage of nurses in the United States and this has made relocation of nurses highly imperative. Travel nurses, however, draw huge benefits out of these arrangements. Today, hospitals and recruitment agencies are offering enormous incentives ranging from relocation assistance and furnished housing to stipends and bonuses to qualified registered nurses.
There are several Travel nursing agencies and companies that help in this relocation process. These are like brokers. If you want to apply for a travel nurse job, you can approach one of the agencies. Hospitals contact these agencies in case of shortage and based on the requirements, nurses will be assigned to the job.
In order to become a travel nurse, one needs to have at least one year of clinical experience in your specialty. Also, you must have licensure in the state of employment. You can apply for one at the home states Board of Nursing. Sometimes,
the agency you are registered with might provide you assistance with licensure and other documentation. You would need a different license for a different State. However, if your home State is part of the NLCA or the Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators, then you can work in the member States without applying for a new license. Currently, 20 States are part of NLCA.
Travel nursing jobs are usually short-term assignments given on a contractual basis. The contract could vary from four weeks to 13 weeks. Some hospitals might offer extensions when the contract period ends and sometimes, you might also get an offer for a permanent job.
You would be paid either on an hourly basis or monthly basis for the term of the contract. Usually, the pay is higher when compared to in-house nurses. However, other non-salary benefits might be fewer. In case, a travel nurse maintains a permanent residence while working, there may be tax benefits. Most agencies also offer healthcare insurance, similar to that of staff jobs.
Travel nursing are provided accommodation in a safe locale, closer to the hospital. The accommodation could be a shared or independent accommodation. Some big travel nursing agencies even provide furnished apartments for accommodation. Travel nursing companies also provide assistance in moving as well. In case, you decide to secure housing independently of the agency, you will get a modest stipend accordingly. A travel allowance is often paid by the healthcare staffing agency that may or may not be sufficient to fully reimburse the traveler for all the costs of a cross country trip.
There is a severe shortage of nurses in the country. The growth prospects are extremely high. Consequently, over 300 travel agencies have propped up across the country. There are more than 20,000 travel nurses today and the shortage is still not adequately dealt with.
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