With So Many Travel Nursing Jobs, How Do You Choose?

Travel nursing jobs are at a 20-year high, increasing the need to prioritize what’s most important to those seeking travel RN jobs

By Melissa Wirkus Hagstrom, contributor

It’s a good problem for jobseekers to have: medical facilities across the nation are reporting an increase in the need for experienced, temporary health care professionals, and qualified nurses have the ability to choose from a plethora of travel nursing jobs in a variety of specialty areas and locations.

A recent USA Today article highlighted the significant industry growth, reporting data from Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) that the demand for travel nurses is positioned to increase by 10 percent this year, and the investment firm Avondale Partners estimated the demand for travel nurses and other clinicians is at a 20-year high. SIA attributes the increase “to declining unemployment, which raises demand by increasing commercial admissions to hospitals.”

This increase in hospital admissions, combined with more people gaining access to health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, has created ample opportunities for travel nursing assignments across the country. But, with so many choices, how do nurses pick the right one?

Start with expert guidance

Start by working with a qualified recruiter and reputable travel nursing agency. A good recruiter will take the time to get to know you, and provide the expert insight to help you make a smart, informed decision about travel nursing assignments.

Jasmine Gonzalez, senior recruiter with Onward Healthcare, an AMN Healthcare company, starts by asking a lot of questions of her travel nurses to understand their personal and professional goals, and uses that information to match them with the most appropriate travel nursing jobs. She believes that location should be one of the first factors to consider.

Pick locations that match your interests

“Usually, one of my first questions is, ‘Where do you want to go?’ or ‘Where have you been dreaming of going?’” Gonzalez explained. “I try to narrow it down on the location first, since we do have so many positions available.”

When deciding on location, travel nurses should consider how they like to spend their time off, the location of friends and family they may want to visit, and the distance to travel destinations they want to explore. Their recruiter can help sort through the options and weigh other variables.

“Taking the time to think about their interests and passions is so important,” Gonzalez continued. “For example, if they love skiing, then Vermont and Colorado are awesome. Do they want to be close to home, close to family, or do they want a new adventure? I want to find out their motivation for travel.”

Choose facilities that meet professional goals

Travel nursing jobs offer unique opportunities to gain new skills, and nurses can choose from a variety of facility types and workplace settings.

“If professional growth and experience is a top priority--say, a nurse is interested in Level 1 trauma, for example--then we have a number of prestigious hospitals we work with that can fit that goal. We also have exclusive contracts with many of these facilities,” said Gonzalez.

Consider compensation and cost of living

Compensation can also be a key factor in the job search, and Gonzalez often gets requests to find the best paying opportunities available. If income is particularly important to a nurse, she will focus on the higher paying positions and the assignments that offer bonuses. Rapid-response assignments may be an option, since they tend to pay more because of the quick turnaround.

Most travel nursing agencies, including Onward Healthcare, pay for housing and offer travel reimbursements as part of their pay and benefits package. Yet cost of living is still important to consider, especially if a nurse is going from a small town to a major city.

Compare big-city vs. small-town lifestyles

“I had a nurse from Indiana who wanted to go to New York City,” Gonzalez said. “Since I am from the New York City area, I was able to talk logistically about how the cost of living is completely different, and just being city savvy, and how the nurse needed to consider things like public transportation. The city positions are more competitive, so going into detail on all of these items is important.”

If a job is in a rural location, on the other hand, Gonzalez will work with the nurse to look at the different housing options and things to do in the area.

Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities in major metropolises, small towns and mid-size communities alike. Gonzalez noted that Onward is seeing an increase in travel RN jobs across the board, with an abundance of contracts in places like Northern California, Texas and New England. Some specialties--including labor and delivery, OR, ER, ICU and NICU--are even more in demand than others.

Gonzalez encourages nurses to go for their most-desired travel nursing assignments, but be flexible about some items on their wish list--especially if they are new to traveling. Each assignment has something special to offer, and a recruiter can help you prioritize.

“It’s an adventure going from one location to another, and, as a recruiter, I am here to guide you throughout the whole process,” Gonzalez concluded.

One application connects you with leading travel nurse agencies across the country. Get started on the road to your ideal travel nursing job today!

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