The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Travel Nurse

If you’re a nurse looking for adventure, flexibility, and the opportunity to expand your skills, a travel nursing career might be the perfect fit. Travel nursing allows healthcare professionals to work in different locations on short-term contracts, often with competitive pay and benefits. But what is a travel nurse, and how do you become a travel nurse? This comprehensive guide will answer those questions and more, helping you navigate this exciting career path.

What Is a Travel Nurse?

A travel nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who takes on temporary assignments in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities across the country. These assignments typically last between eight and 26 weeks, with the flexibility to extend contracts or move on to new locations. Travel nurses help fill staffing shortages, ensuring quality patient care in high-demand areas.

The concept of travel nursing emerged in the 1970s in response to nursing shortages. Today, it has evolved into a robust industry that provides essential staffing solutions for healthcare facilities while offering nurses unique career opportunities.

Why Become a Travel Nurse?

There are lots of reasons to become a travel nurse. Below are some of the top reasons.

Financial Benefits

• High earning potential – Travel nurses can earn up to 50% more than staff nurses in permanent positions.
• Tax advantages – Many travel nurses receive tax-free stipends for housing, meals, and travel expenses.
• Sign-on and completion bonuses – Many agencies offer additional financial incentives.
• Reimbursement for certifications and continuing education – Some agencies cover these professional development costs.
   

Lifestyle Benefits

• Flexibility – Choose when and where you want to work, with the ability to take extended time off between assignments to get a reprieve from the long hours.
• Adventure – Explore new cities, regions, and environments while getting paid
• Avoiding workplace politics – Short-term assignments mean less involvement in long-term facility dynamics (which can be a good thing in certain workplace settings/cultures).
   

Professional Benefits

• Career growth – Gain experience in different healthcare systems, specialties, and patient populations.
• Skill development – Adapt to new technologies, protocols, and procedures across different facilities.
• Networking – Build professional connections across the country.
• Resume building – Diverse experiences make you a more attractive candidate for future opportunities.

How to Become a Travel Nurse

If you’re wondering how to become a travel nurse, follow these key steps: 

1. Earn Your Nursing Degree

To work as a travel nurse, you must first become a registered nurse. Many employers prefer a nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), so consider pursuing this degree for more opportunities.

2. Gain Clinical Experience

Most travel nursing agencies require at least one to two years of experience in your specialty before offering assignments. Critical care, ICU (especially NICU), ER, and OR nurses are in high demand, so gaining experience in these areas can be beneficial.

During your early nursing career, focus on:

• Developing technical skills specific to your specialty
• Building time management capabilities to handle multiple patients efficiently
• Enhancing communication skills with patients, families, and healthcare teams
• Documenting meticulously to maintain accurate medical records

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3. Obtain Specialty Certifications

While not always required, specialty certifications can make you more competitive for desirable travel nursing positions. Common certifications include:

• Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (MEDSURG-BC™)
• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN™)
• Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC™)
• Pediatric Nursing Certification (PED-BC™)
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (PMH-BC™)

These certifications demonstrate your expertise and commitment to excellence in your specialty area.

4. Find a Travel Nursing Agency

Travel nurses typically work with agencies that help match them with assignments. Research reputable agencies that offer good pay, benefits, and contract flexibility.

When evaluating travel nursing agencies, consider:

• Pay package transparency – Can they clearly explain compensation structures?
• Benefits offered – Health insurance, retirement plans (and match), sick leave, etc.
• Licensing assistance – Do they provide assistance for getting a new state license (if needed)?
• Housing options – Agency-provided housing vs. stipends
• Recruiter responsiveness – How quickly do they address your questions and concerns?
• Assignment variety – Do they have positions in locations and facilities that interest you? How close are the facilities to the local attractions?
• Reputation – Check reviews from current and former travel nurses

Many travel nurses work with multiple agencies simultaneously to access more assignment options.

5. Reach Out to a Recruiter

Each travel agency has recruiters who can help you find out what you need to know. When you get them on the phone, here are some questions to ask:

• What assistance do you offer with getting a new license?
• What documents do I need to start collecting?
• Is there mentoring available?
• Can I talk to another travel nurse that you are currently working with?

These questions can help you gauge if this agency is the right fit for you.

6. Prepare Your Documentation

Before applying for travel nursing positions, gather essential documents, including:

• Nursing license(s) in the applicable state(s)
• Specialty certifications
• Immunization records
• Professional references
• Resume highlighting relevant clinical experience

Having these documents organized and readily available will streamline the application process.

7. Apply for Travel Nurse Positions

Once you’re signed up with an agency, you’ll start receiving job offers. Be prepared to discuss salary, housing, and benefits with your recruiter.

The application process typically includes:

• Preliminary screening with your recruiter
• Facility interview (often conducted virtually)
• Skills assessment to verify your capabilities
• Background check and drug screening
• Credential verification

After accepting a position, you’ll receive a contract outlining assignment details, compensation, and expectations.

What Does a Travel Nurse Do?

The day-to-day responsibilities of a travel nurse are similar to those of a staff nurse. The main difference is that travel nurses must quickly adapt to new environments and healthcare systems. Strong communication skills and adaptability are essential. Travel nurses must become proficient in facility-specific protocols, documentation systems, and workflow processes, often with minimal orientation time. This requires:

• Quick learning abilities to master new electronic health record (EHR) systems
• Emotional intelligence to integrate with established healthcare teams
• Problem-solving skills to navigate unfamiliar resources and processes
• Cultural sensitivity to adapt to regional differences in healthcare approaches

If these match your skill set, travel nursing might be a good fit for you.

How Much Does a Travel Nurse Make?

One of the biggest draws to travel nursing is the competitive pay. But how much does a travel nurse make? Salaries vary based on location, specialty, and demand, but here’s a general breakdown:

• Weekly Pay: $2,000–$3,000+ per week
• Annual Salary: $75,000–$150,000+ (depending on contracts and overtime)
• Tax-Free Stipends: Many travel nurses receive housing, meal, and travel stipends, which can significantly boost overall earnings.

Travel nurse compensation packages are structured differently than traditional nursing salaries. They typically include:

• Base pay rate – Taxable income for hours worked
• Housing stipend – Tax-free allowance for temporary housing
• Meal stipend – Tax-free allowance for food expenses
• Travel reimbursement – Tax-free payment for transportation to and from assignments
• Healthcare benefits – Insurance coverage during assignments
• Retirement options – 401(k) plans with potential employer matching
• Bonuses – Sign-on, completion, extension, and referral incentives

Understanding the “blended rate” (a combination of taxable wages and non-taxable stipends) is crucial when comparing offers from different agencies.

Crisis Contracts and Premium Pay

During healthcare emergencies or severe staffing shortages, travel nurses may have access to crisis contracts offering significantly higher compensation. These assignments typically involve:

• Working in high-stress environments
• Responding to natural disasters, pandemics, or other healthcare crises
• Providing care in severely understaffed facilities
• Being deployed with minimal notice

Crisis contracts can pay $5,000–$10,000+ weekly but often come with challenging working conditions and less stability.

Cons of Travel Nursing

Travel nursing comes with many perks, but also has some drawbacks. Below are some of the most common reasons nurses may decide travel nursing is not for them.

• Frequent moving and adapting to new environments
• Lack of job stability between assignments
• Navigating licensing requirements for different states
• Being away from family and friends for extended periods
• Limited orientation to new facilities and systems
• Potential for assignment cancellations due to changing facility needs
• Complexity of tax situations with multiple state income tax requirements
• Need to be self-sufficient in finding housing and navigating new communities

Is Travel Nursing Right for You?

If you’re seeking a rewarding career with flexibility, high earning potential, and the chance to explore new places, travel nursing could be a great fit. Understanding what a travel nurse is, how to become a travel nurse, what does a travel nurse do, and how much does a travel nurse make will help you decide if this career path aligns with your goals. With careful planning, professional preparation, and a spirit of adventure, travel nursing can provide both personal and professional fulfillment.

Looking to make the most out of your nursing career? Check out the iHireNursing Resource Center for more guidance and expert advice.