| There are special certifications, exams, education, | | | | insurance and provide your own housing. On the other |
| interviews, and more that must be done to even be | | | | hand, some agencies will provide top notch benefits |
| considered for positions at some of the best hospitals. | | | | but the pay may be below the industry average. A |
| The money may be there, but it may take years to | | | | few agencies out there offer premium benefits and |
| get in the door. This may turn some people off from | | | | higher than average pay. When you find these |
| nursing. Travel nursing, however, usually offers a better | | | | agencies, you should do everything that you can to |
| alternative to making good money, in a short amount | | | | sign on. Remember, there is more to pay than just a |
| of time. | | | | paycheck. Look over what they offer for insurance, |
| Using Internet Forums | | | | including your professional insurance. Look at what an |
| Forums and discussion boards are valuable tools. They | | | | agency provides for living expenses. You may find |
| are not advertisements. People there are in the field | | | | that the money you save through continued education, |
| and can help you learn from their own experience. | | | | housing, and benefits far outweighs a lower paycheck. |
| Perhaps they can warn you of agencies, or even | | | | Prepare for the Dream Job |
| hospitals to avoid. They know what certifications that | | | | Just because you cannot land your dream job right out |
| you will need to gain, and what sort of pay that you | | | | of school, does not mean you should give up. Working |
| can expect for different types of contracts. This may | | | | with an agency may provide you with the skill sets |
| help you judge if an agency is worth your time or if | | | | that will set you apart from the other applicants. Many |
| you should keep looking. If the forum is dedicated to | | | | agencies provide guidance and assistance on |
| travel nursing, then these people are a wealth of | | | | accreditations and training. You can focus your |
| information about the agencies that are out there. | | | | contracts for experience that your dream job would |
| Listen to them, ask them questions, they can lead you | | | | require, this would better your chance of getting the |
| to find the best agencies and the steps to take to get | | | | job, and earning the money, you want to make. |
| premium pay. | | | | There is no get rich quick in nursing. While travel jobs |
| The Pay Trade | | | | do pay better than most, it is always useful to know |
| There is a catch 22 in discussing pay and benefits for | | | | what to look for, when it comes to pay. Remember, |
| most careers. Travel nursing is no different. The | | | | travel nursing can be your final career, or a |
| majority of the time you may get paid really well, but | | | | stepping-stone onto another. You may be willing to |
| may find that the benefits package is lacking. You may | | | | sacrifice pay, if it gets you closer to your goals. Others |
| not be provided with additional training, or you may | | | | will find the agency that provides them the perfect |
| have smaller housing allowances. The agency | | | | balance. The wealth of experience is often the reward |
| assumes that by paying you more, you can get better | | | | that most people value the most. |