What is a travel nurse? A travel nurse takes on short-term job contracts at hospitals around the country. Travel nurses work for travel nursing agencies, which connect them to job opportunities. To become a travel nurse, you’ll need a nursing degree, nursing license, and clinical experience.
If you love traveling and are interested in working in healthcare, a career as a travel nurse might be a great fit for you. What is a travel nurse? Travel nurses are registered nurses who work temporary assignments at hospitals nationwide. A travel nurse can accept contracts based on a location they wish to visit or hospitals seeking their specific specialization. At Madonna University, our values-based nursing education can provide a great foundation for any type of nursing career, including becoming a traveling nurse.
Madonna’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is an ideal start for aspiring travel nurses. Here, you can earn a BSN in as few as 16 months and take the licensure exam sooner. Our curriculum helps you master all the essential nursing concepts, from health assessments to pharmacology, and prepares you to tackle nursing challenges in any environment.
Before planning your career pathway, it’s a good idea to learn more about travel nurses and answer common questions, such as “What is a travel nurse’s specialization options?” and “How much do travel nurses make?” You should then consider the steps to becoming a travel nurse.
How Does Travel Nursing Work?
Travel nurses work for travel nursing agencies that connect registered nurses (RNs) to temporary job assignments at healthcare facilities across the country. When an RN finds a contract they are interested in, the agency facilitates the job application and interview. If the RN is hired, they’ll travel to the facility to work for a predetermined period.
To take a deeper dive into this career, consider these questions:
Where Do Travel Nurses Stay?
Travel nurses can stay at the accommodations the agency offers. If a nurse wishes to arrange their own housing, they typically receive a housing stipend.
What Is the Typical Day of a Travel Nurse Like?
It depends on many factors, including the nurse’s specialty, workplace setting, and the needs of the patients on any given day. A travel nurse may work anywhere, from the ICU to the emergency room to a family medicine practice. These RNs can handle various nursing tasks, including medication management, patient education, and wound care.
What Is a Travel Nurse’s Schedule Like?
Scheduling is highly dependent on the individual employer. Travel nurses may work eight or 12-hour shifts. They may work daytime or overnight shifts. RNs can typically expect to discuss their scheduling preferences with the employer.
What Are the Benefits and Challenges of Travel Nursing?
Travel nursing can be an exciting way to make a living. Some of the top benefits include:
- Able to see many different places and meet many people
- Can take time off between job contracts
- Can choose from a range of work assignments
- Enjoy strong compensation potential and perks, like housing stipends
Travel nursing also has its challenges, however. These may include:
- Difficulty transitioning to new settings frequently
- Feelings of homesickness
- Trouble with work/life balance
What Do Travel Nurses Do? Roles and Responsibilities
As a travel nurse, you can expect to carry out the typical duties of an RN, caring for patients and administering treatments. Some of the responsibilities of a traveling RN may include:
- Performing head-to-toe patient assessments
- Monitoring patients’ vital signs and recording health information
- Providing patient and family caregiver education and obtaining informed consent
- Performing wound care and inserting IV lines, nasogastric tubes, and catheters
How Much Do Travel Nurses Make?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t track salary data for travel nurses. Although all types of RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600 as of May 2024, according to the BLS. Traveling nurses are typically well-compensated, often making more than their non-traveling counterparts. They also benefit from strong benefits packages and perks, such as housing stipends.
How to Become a Travel Nurse
A career as a travel nurse can be a lucrative way to see the world while doing a job you love. If you’re thinking about becoming a travel nurse, you’ll need to start by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
1. Earn a BSN and Obtain a Nursing License
The first step toward becoming a travel nurse is earning your BSN. Instead of spending four years earning a BSN in a traditional nursing program, consider Madonna University’s ABSN program. Our ABSN program prepares eligible students to step out into the world prepared to pursue a career in nursing in as few as 16 months.
The Madonna University ABSN program combines online learning, hands-on labs, and clinical placements to build strong nursing competencies. In addition, our curriculum is infused with our Franciscan values. After earning a BSN, you’ll be ready to take the NCLEX. Passing this exam enables you to obtain a nursing license.
Interested in learning more about the Madonna ABSN program? ABSN students explain what nursing school is like.
2. Gain Clinical Experience as an RN
Before most healthcare organizations consider you a qualifying travel nurse candidate, you’ll need to spend at least one to two years as a working nurse. During this time you will learn how a hospital runs smoothly, adapt to best practices, and provide exceptional patient care.
3. Apply to Travel Nursing Agencies
What is a travel nurse agency? These agencies connect travel nurses to job contracts. It’s not unusual for a travel RN to work for multiple agencies. This allows access to a broader range of contracts to choose from. Take your time comparing different agencies and exploring the benefits packages and perks they offer. Tap into your professional network, as well. If you know any travel RNs, ask them about their experiences with their agencies.
4. Find the Right Travel Nursing Job
Your recruiter at your travel nursing agency will help by doing most of the legwork required. They will help you find and apply to various positions. After submitting your application, you can conduct the interview remotely. If hired, you’ll be asked to review and sign a contract. Then, you can deal with the logistics of travel and housing.
Travel Nurse Specializations
A travel nurse can work in any nursing specialty, from pediatrics to adult-gerontology. Some of the nursing specialties with the highest demand include:
- Critical care
- Step down/progressive care
- Telemetry
- Medical-surgical
- Operating room
- Emergency room
- Labor and delivery
- Neonatal intensive care
- Pediatric intensive care
At Madonna University, our clinical rotations empower you to “try on” a variety of specialties, like those listed above, to see which may be the perfect fit for you.
Learn more about what to expect from Madonna nursing clinicals.
Get Started on Your Accelerated BSN Education Today!
If pursuing a career as a travel nurse sounds right for you, Madonna University’s accelerated nursing program is here to help you leverage your existing college credits and achieve your goals. Our ABSN program provides values-based nursing education with small class sizes, dedicated nursing instructors, and Academic Success Coaches to help you along the way.
Get started today by connecting with one of our admissions representatives. In addition to answering any questions about the program, they will help determine your eligibility and identify prerequisite courses.