Bountiful, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/16/2019 --When healthcare facilities and hospitals across the country have gaps in their staffing, travel nurses are used to filling in the holes in the schedule for a specific period of time. Staffing needs are a result of a variety of circumstances which include:

Maternity leave
Seasonal population fluctuations
Holiday needs

National statistics predict that the need for travel nurses will only increase in the next few years. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will but a shortage of approximately 1.1 million nurses by 2020. Considering this dire need for nurses – there has to be a solution to fill in the gaps! That is where travel nurses come in.

How Do Travel Nursing Jobs Work?
Healthcare facilities and hospitals work with travel nursing staffing agencies to hire nurses for their short-term staffing needs. Travel nursing agencies are the ones responsible for creating the contracts which are agreed upon by the nurse and the healthcare facility who is hiring the nurse. Essentially, the travel nursing agency serves as the middleman to make these connections and fill the staffing needs of the hospitals and healthcare facilities.

There are many different types of travel nursing jobs available that can be short-term or long-term. Most travel nursing contracts will last anywhere from eight to 26 weeks – however – the industry standard is 13-week contracts for travel nurses. If a hospital or healthcare facility has a continued need for help beyond those 13 weeks, they will offer to extend the initial contract. Due to ongoing nursing shortages, facilities are becoming increasingly flexible when it comes to travel nursing contracts.

The travel nurse has the freedom to decide whether they want the stability that comes with a long-term travel nursing contract, or the flexibility of signing onto a short-term travel nursing contract. Once the nurse and the hospital manager have signed the contract, it is a legal document and ending a contract early is rarely permitted.

Facilities and hospitals are allowed to terminate contracts early if there is not a need for the position. If this happens, a traveling nurse will not be compensated to the end of the contract length – however – nursing staffing agency will work hard to place the traveling nurse on another assignment quickly.

How to Become a Travel Nurse?

In order to become a travel nurse, one must first be a registered nurse. Beyond that, there is no additional training or education required. However, if they have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) the person is more marketable than nurses with just an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN).

Generally speaking, one must have completed at least two years in a specialty before accepting the first travel nursing assignment. The orientation period to a new unit will be very short – typically two to three shifts maximum. During this orientation period, it will be necessary to learn the unit, get acquainted with coworkers, learn the patient population, and get a grasp on the computer charting system. This time will not be using this time to learn the nursing basics – which is why it's important that one has some experience under their belt to start.

In order to accept a travel nursing assignment, one must already be licensed in the state where the contract is. Most travel nursing agencies will help the nurse acquire the necessary licenses, but the process could take a few weeks or even months to obtain. If a nurse holds a license in a state that is part of the Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC), The license will be good in 29 states that are currently part of the agreement – and a few more that are set to join soon. This is a huge advantage if the plan is to work in several different states.

What are the Benefits of Travel Nursing with Elite Specialty Staffing?

Expand nursing skill sets and build up resumes

When accepting contracts at top-rated hospitals around the country, A resume becomes very strong.

Gain more consideration for graduate school admission or earning staff positions at top hospitals

Earn a higher salary than staff nurses

Gain supplemental income for meals and incidentals

Earn money that is tax-free

Travel to new and exciting places

Take time off in between contracts

Enjoy professional and personal flexibility

One may choose their own shifts and schedules if permitted by contract

Obtain free or cheap dental, vision, and health insurance for nurses

Receive reimbursement for traveling to new locations for assignments

Broaden their horizons by meeting new people and experiencing new cultures

How to Search for Travel Nursing Assignments

There are many travel nursing assignments available across the country. They can be found in larger hospitals, outpatient centers, and smaller community hospitals. Travel nursing jobs can also be found in metropolitan cities and smaller rural towns as well. If one is unsure where exactly where to go for work, travel nursing gives them the ability to try out many settings.

In order to narrow down the many options for travel nursing jobs, it's important to determine why one would want to be a travel nurse in the first place. For those that enjoy the flexibility and being able to decide when and where they would like to work, one might enjoy working as a per diem nurse. for questions about traveling nursing and employment options contact Elite Specialty Staffing. We work nationwide throughout the United States and can help facilitate services in some cases internationally. (208) 378-1338.