Travel nursing checklist item #1: Determining Why You Want to be a Travel Nurse
The first step in becoming a travel nurse is determining exactly why you want to travel. Is it to make more money? Do you want more control of your schedule? Are you looking for more time for yourself? Do you want to improve your current skills? Learn new ones? Are you looking to meet new people? Or, are you just wanting to see new places?
Considering the real reason or reasons you want to take a travel nursing job will help you in many of the decisions you will have to make down the road in the travel nursing process.
Travel nursing checklist item #2: Figuring Out Where You Want to go as a Travel Nurse
The next step in becoming a travel nurse is to figure out where you want to go. Like determining why you want to travel, knowing where you want to go will guide many of your future decisions in the early stages of your travel nursing career. Maybe you want to see new places that aren’t like your permanent home. So instead of spending the summer in muggy Mississippi you want to experience a cool New England summer in Maine. Maybe you want to spend time with family, well then obviously you will want to go where they are. The choices are endless really.
Travel nursing checklist item #3: Choosing How Long You Want to Work as a Travel Nurse
Figure out how long you want to work on a travel nursing assignment. Most travel nursing jobs last 13 weeks, but this is not necessarily always the case. Some assignments can be either shorter or longer depending on the hospital’s needs, so make sure you know if you are willing to be away from home that long before you take an assignment. If not, you may want to find a travel nursing assignment that is a little more short term or has the potential to turn into a longer assignment if you want. Figure out how long you want to work on a travel nursing assignment. Most travel nursing jobs last 13 weeks, but this is not necessarily always the case. Some assignments can be either shorter or longer depending on the hospital’s needs, so make sure you know if you are willing to be away from home that long before you take an assignment. If not, you may want to find a travel nursing assignment that is a little more short term or has the potential to turn into a longer assignment if you want.
Travel nursing checklist item #4: Picking Who You Want to go on a Travel Nursing Job With
Determine who you want to travel with. Do you want to take your spouse? Are your kids coming with you? Do you want to travel with another nurse? What about pets? Each of these options present their own challenges and questions that I will look at further down the list.
Travel nursing checklist item #5: Thinking About Travel Nursing Housing
Time to think about housing. Not all travel nursing companies offer private housing, so make sure you find out early on in the travel nursing process. What you want is fully furnished and paid and private housing. After a long day at the hospital the last thing you want to deal with is a roommate you don’t know. You also want to make sure that if you decide to pick something on your own or stay with friends or family that you are offered a housing stipend instead. Here are some questions you should ask regarding housing:
Does the travel nursing company pay for housing?
Who pays for moving into the new housing?
Are the utilities paid?
Can I bring my spouse?
Can I bring my pet?
What kind of housing options are there (apartment, duplex, house)?
Where will my housing be located?
Do I have to share the house with other travel nurses?
Will my housing be furnished?
What items are included in the furnishings (microwave, television, washer & dryer, etc.)?
What happens if I decide not to live in the provided housing, but what to find my own?
Travel nursing checklist item #6: Choosing a Travel Nursing Recruiter
The next thing you want to look at is what kind of relationship do you want with you recruiter. Many travel nurse agencies are split up based on regions or states, so if you decide to move to another location after your first assignment is over that is outside of your recruiters region then you are forced to work with a new recruiter. However, some companies are split up based on Recruiters and Client Managers, this type of set up lets you maintain and build a great relationship with your Recruiter who knows you and your needs. I would definitely look into this before you choose a travel nursing company.
Travel nursing checklist item #7: Looking at Travel Nursing Benefits
The next thing you want to look at is the travel nursing benefits that each company offers. Different companies offer different benefits but there are some basic ones, besides compensation, you should look for. These include:
Furnished Housing
401(K)
Health Insurance
Travel Reimbursement
Licensure Reimbursement
Direct Deposit
However, many companies offer a much broader range of benefits including:Â Â Referral bonus
Completion bonus
Sign-on bonus
Extension bonus
Free continuing education credits
Private housing
Remember though that you are still paying for these benefits one way or the other if they come in cookie cutter standard packages. However, if the travel nursing company lets you customize your compensation package and utilize per diem allowances, then your chances to maximize your pay are much greater. That’s because you have the room to negotiate and personalize your package based on what you need. You are not forced to take a benefit that frankly doesn’t benefit you. Just another area to keep in mind on your travel nursing journey.
Travel nursing checklist item #8: Researching Travel Nursing Companies
The next step in your travel nursing career is to research the travel nursing company you want to work with. There are companies of all different sizes and most have a website you can look at. If you have competed the first seven steps in the Ultimate Travel Nursing Checklist you will know exactly what you are looking for when you begin the company research process. To the find the company that is right for you take your time and spend some time on their website. You want a company that takes the time to provide you with the info you need and one that has an extensive FAQs section that answers all your questions. You also should look for one that provides you with all the resources you need to begin working with them and makes it easy to contact them.
