Travel Nurse
Becoming a travel nurse is one of the most rewarding ways to further your nursing career. Traveling gives you the opportunity to see new places, meet new people, and have new experiences all while continuing to work as an RN.
In addition, as a travel nurse, you’ll also be able to save money for retirement sooner than if you continued working in just one location. If you want to know what it takes to become a travel nurse, keep reading.
Working as a travel nurse is challenging and comes with its own set of unique challenges. These professionals need to have excellent communication skills, be comfortable in unfamiliar locations, and also be able to adapt quickly when things don’t go according to plan on the job.
Additionally, applicants should have strong organizational skills so that they can juggle multiple assignments at once and keep track of where they are needed next. The following are some essential tips on how to become a travel nurse:
Research the different travel agencies and make your choice.
As a travel nurse, you’ll work for an agency that contracts your services to different hospitals. The first step in your research should be to find out which agencies are hiring and which ones best fit your needs and goals as a travel nurse.
The first thing you’ll want to do is look at the different agencies’ websites to get a feel for what their culture is and how they treat their nurses.
Next, you’ll want to contact some of the agencies and ask some questions about how your role as a travel nurse would work and how much you could expect to earn.
Get your BSN.
As a travel nurse, you may be asked to do some clinical work and patient care. In order to do this, you need a BSN, which is the minimum educational requirement for most hospitals.
If you don’t currently have your BSN, you can still become a travel nurse, but you’ll need to get it before you can be hired. Getting your BSN can take a year or more, so if you don’t already have one, start working on it as soon as possible so that you can hit the ground running as a travel nurse.
Network and build up your resume with other travel jobs.
One of the best ways to become a travel nurse is to network with other nurses who work as travel nurses. Ask them for advice on how to become a travel nurse and what the application process is like.
Also, make sure to keep track of all your experience and jobs you’ve worked on your resume so that you can easily add them to your application when you apply to be a travel nurse.
Learn to communicate effectively in English.
Many hospitals hire nurses from all over the world, but English is the language used in most medical facilities, so you’ll need to be able to speak and understand English in order to be successful.
If your English isn’t strong enough to be a travel nurse, take some classes or find a tutor to help you improve your skills. You can also sign up for an English as a second language (ESL) course or online English class and practice your language skills with other people in the same situation as you.
Pick a language you want to learn and use it consistently.
Another tip on how to become a travel nurse is to learn a second language. This can be anything from Spanish to French or even Chinese.
The more languages you know, the more options you’ll have for travel nursing jobs. You can use an app like Duolingo or start a language club with friends to practice and help each other learn.
Develop some computer skills.
With the rise of online jobs, it’s become much easier for travel nurses to find temporary work on websites such as Indeed or TravelNurse.com.
In order to apply for these types of positions, though, you’ll need some computer skills, whether it’s knowing how to use Microsoft Word or being comfortable enough with a computer to work on healthcare websites and apps.
Developing some computer skills is a simple way to make yourself more valuable to employers and make it easier to find work as a travel nurse.
Bottom line
Becoming a travel nurse is challenging and rewarding. To succeed, make sure you have excellent communication skills, are comfortable in unfamiliar locations, and are able to adapt quickly when things don’t go according to plan on the job.
Additionally, you’ll want to research the different agencies and make your choice, network and build up your resume with other travel jobs, and learn to communicate effectively in English.
Finally, you’ll want to pick a language you want to learn and develop some computer skills in order to become a successful travel nurse.
Travel Nurse