| There are never enough nurses to fill the need. In the | | | | find a compatible place to settle down and build a |
| 19th and early 20th centuries, during the expansion of | | | | career. But, most traveling nurse jobs involve |
| the American West, and early in the practice of | | | | temporary relocation, as changing population dynamics |
| nursing as a medical profession, "traveling nurses" | | | | create need in fast-growing areas. |
| might have made rounds of a county or region, staying | | | | Registered nurses can easily take jobs in other than |
| a few days or weeks to tend to the sick in small | | | | their home state, as the licensing standards are federal |
| towns and ranches, in place of or assisting country | | | | and most states have reciprocity agreements. The |
| doctors who made house calls. In the 1930s, nurses | | | | placement agencies can help LPNs and LVNs with |
| traveled in big way: the first airline cabin attendants | | | | certifications and licensing for other states. There are |
| were required to be trained nurses. | | | | also temporary assignments overseas. |
| In the 21st century, traveling nurses fill a niche in the | | | | The pay scales for traveling nurses generally are a bit |
| temporary employment arena, staying in one | | | | higher than for a full-time job, but the pay will vary in |
| assignment for three months to a year or more. | | | | proportion to the local pay scales and the terms of the |
| Today's traveling nurse is more commonly called a | | | | assignment. Some assignments may include |
| "travel nurse," since travel is involved, but is not part of | | | | adjustments for travel and subsistence, but many do |
| his or her day-to-day job. Travel nurses contract | | | | not, so the prospective traveling nurse must take living |
| through a placement agency specialized in the medical | | | | costs into consideration when evaluating pay rates. |
| field. | | | | Some traveling nurses are nomadic, moving all of their |
| With a chronic shortage of nurses in all locations and | | | | belongings from assignment to assignment, but if you |
| specialties, there is a great demand for temporary | | | | have a permanent home you intend to return to, |
| nurses to fill vacancies until permanent staff can be | | | | housing expenses at temporary jobs are tax |
| hired. An RN, LPN, or LVN who is willing to relocate | | | | deductible. |
| temporarily or who is looking for the right place to | | | | Obviously, unattached nurses are best suited to the |
| settle down can find working as a travel nurse | | | | traveling life, but traveling nurses do have pets and |
| satisfying personally, professionally, and monetarily. | | | | sometimes spouses or partners with portable jobs. If |
| A career as a traveling nurse is not for everyone. First, | | | | you are nurse and want to experience living in different |
| agencies and their clients want nurses who have a | | | | parts of the country and working in a variety of |
| year or more clinical experience in one or more | | | | settings before deciding on a specialty or area in which |
| specialties, so they can go right to work with minimal | | | | to live, working for an agency is an excellent way to |
| training and orientation. Nurses in large cities might find | | | | gain work and life experiences, and maybe put a nest |
| temporary work within the local area, and spend a | | | | egg away. |
| few years "auditioning" hospitals and other facilities to | | | | |