How to Become a Travel Nurse

Nurses have the opportunity to treat a wide range of patients in diverse settings. For nurses who value that variety, one path to consider is travel nursing. Becoming a travel nurse enables them to work in hospitals and clinics across the country or throughout a specific region.

To become a travel nurse involves several steps. An effective education in nursing can be integral to building the foundation for ensuring the highest standards of patient care.

What Is a Travel Nurse?

A travel nurse is a registered nurse (RN) and has the same responsibilities as one. However, instead of reporting to work at the same facility, travel nurses are assigned to temporary roles in hospitals, clinics and other care facilities across the country. Travel nurses are usually dispatched to help fill staffing shortages, and their tenure at a particular facility may last a few days, a few weeks or a few months before the next assignment begins.

What Does a Travel Nurse Do?

The exact job description for a travel nurse may vary from one assignment to the next. For example, a nurse may have an extended assignment providing triage in an understaffed emergency room, while the next assignment may be providing acute care at a public health clinic following a major disease outbreak.

Travel nurses fulfill the role of an RN on a temporary basis. Their duties can include:

Performing patient assessments and diagnostic tests
Taking patient information, including histories and vitals
Administering treatments and medications
Reporting to other health care professionals
Supporting and educating patients on health-related information

Why Become a Travel Nurse?

The travel nurse role isn’t for everyone. For nurses who prefer being in the same work environments every day, who dislike travel or who simply wish to be close to their family, travel nursing may not be the best option. It may be better to look for a more permanent role within one of the best places for nurses to live.

For those who do enjoy travel or simply love the rush of having new assignments and new work environments every so often, travel nursing offers significant benefits. These include variety, the chance to hone a range of skills, competitive pay and potential perks, such as meal stipends and phone provisions.

What Is the Typical Travel Nurse Salary?

Those wondering how to become a travel nurse should consider the average salary and career outlook associated with the role.

Average Salary

According to Payscale data from June 2024, the median annual salary for a travel nurse is approximately $84,070. Several factors can affect the salary, including years of experience and level of education.

According to Trusted Nurse Staffing, ZipRecruiter reports that the states with the highest hourly rates for travel nurses are:

New York
New Jersey
Wisconsin
Nevada
Wyoming
Massachusetts
Indiana
Arizona
Pennsylvania

Career Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects job growth of 6% for RNs between 2022 and 2032, a rate that’s faster than the average for all professions. This suggests that plenty of opportunities are available to start a successful career in the field of nursing.

HealthLeaders reports that the states with the most opportunities for travel nurses are:

Texas
California
New York
Florida
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
Illinois
North Carolina
Maryland

Steps for How to Become a Travel Nurse

Finding success as a travel nurse means developing the right clinical competencies and patient care skills. There are a few steps involved in this process.

Step 1: Earn a Degree

An undergraduate degree provides the basic skills needed to find work as an RN. Prospective nurses can choose to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), although a BSN is usually preferred. Coursework in anatomy, pharmacology, patient assessment and public health can all be helpful.

Step 2: Get Licensed

Completing a degree program should provide the competencies needed to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The state nursing board administers this exam. Nurses should also review state licensing requirements.

Step 3: Gain Experience

Before becoming a travel nurse, gaining a few years of experience in a more traditional nursing role is usually necessary. Gaining RN experience across different units or departments can prepare nurses for the various assignments that travel nurses can take on. This experience can also provide a chance to focus on travel-specific skills, such as adaptability and the ability to learn new technologies.

Step 4: Consider an Optional Advanced Degree

While it may not be required for some travel nursing roles, an advanced degree, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a post-master’s certificate can help nurses build essential specialized or leadership skills for success. A graduate or postgraduate education can also prepare nurses to fill travel roles for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

Find Success in Travel Nursing

Travel nursing provides the thrill of travel with the satisfaction that comes from administering direct patient care. For a role in this field, pursuing a strong education is necessary. Felician University’s online nursing programs offer several paths to developing a broader set of nursing skills that provide the foundation for success in wide-ranging nursing roles, including the MSN programs with family nurse practitioner (FNP) and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP) specializations, and the post-master’s FNP and AGPCNP certificates.

To find out more about obtaining a meaningful nurse education, reach out to Felcian University today.