To be a travel nurse, there are several travel nursing requirements that you must meet. First, earn your nursing degree and pass the NCLEX-RN to obtain a nursing license. Then, gain some clinical experience and begin applying to travel nurse agencies.
People often switch careers to nursing because they feel it will be fulfilling, but it can also offer exciting possibilities. You can choose from a variety of workplace settings and nursing specialties, from pediatrics to oncology. You could even work across different states. By learning how to become a travel nurse, you could immerse yourself in a new city or town multiple times per year.
As a travel nurse, you could indulge a passion for travel and adventure while delivering quality care. You could work toward meeting the travel nursing requirements at Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU). If you already have a completed non-nursing bachelor’s degree or have existing college credits, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in as few as 15 months.
Before getting started, you should review the basics, such as “What is travel nursing?” You’ll also want to learn how travel nursing works, what the travel nurse salary expectations are and how to get started.
What Is Travel Nursing?
A travel nurse works on a contractual, temporary basis for various health care facilities. Hospitals often have temporary staffing shortages, and they bridge the gap with the travel nursing workforce.
Travel nurses work for a travel nurse agency, which offers benefits packages and reimbursements and connects nurses to jobs across the country. Travel nurses choose which jobs they apply for and accept. Then, they temporarily relocate to work for a few weeks to a few months.
Travel nursing can be an exciting career for an RN who enjoys seeing new places, meeting new people and tackling new challenges. It’s also flexible, as RNs can take as much time off between assignments as they wish.
While travel nurses can choose from a range of specialties, travel nursing isn’t a specialty. Travel nurses may specialize in critical care nursing, pediatrics, adult-gerontology or other areas.
Travel Nursing Requirements
Learning how to become a travel nurse is relatively straightforward, as other types of nurses also must complete most of the same steps. The travel nursing qualifications you’ll need to meet include:
- A nursing degree, such as a BSN
- An active RN license
- At least one to two years of clinical experience
To advance in their career, travel nurses may later decide to earn one or more certifications in their specialty area.
Curious about how to choose a nursing specialty?
How to Become a Travel Nurse
When you’re ready to meet the travel nursing requirements, the first step is choosing the right nursing school. For example, if you have completed a non-nursing baccalaureate degree or have existing college credits, you may not need to return to school for another four years. Instead, you could be eligible for admission to NDMU’s ABSN program, which confers a BSN in as few as 15 months.
1. Earn Your Nursing Degree
In an ABSN program, you’ll work through nursing coursework and experiential learning components on an accelerated schedule. An ABSN program provides the same quality of instruction as a four-year nursing program; the curriculum, however, eliminates the general education courses.
If you enroll in NDMU’s ABSN program, you can expect to do the following:
Practice delivering patient care at Baltimore metro area health care facilities during clinical experiences
- Choose from online or on-campus nursing coursework
- Complete in-person nursing skills and simulation learning experiences to develop nursing skills
- Practice delivering patient care at Baltimore metro area health care facilities during clinical experiences.
2. Pass the NCLEX-RN
Once you’ve earned a BSN, you’ll be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN. This licensure exam is quite rigorous, so it’s best to begin studying for it shortly after you enroll in nursing school. You need a firm foundation of nursing knowledge, but passing the NCLEX-RN isn’t dependent on rote memorization alone.
Instead, the NCLEX-RN measures a nurse candidate’s ability to assess clinical situations, review possible courses of action and develop appropriate clinical responses to patient scenarios. In other words, it tests your critical thinking and clinical decision-making abilities. Passing the NCLEX-RN is a necessity for obtaining your nursing license. At NDMU, we offer tutoring services to help you prepare for this challenge.
3. Obtain Nursing Licensure
The next step in how to become a travel nurse is obtaining state licensure. RNs need a state-issued license to practice in their state. Does this mean that travel nurses need a license for every state they work in?
Not necessarily. Most U.S. states are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). By obtaining a multistate license under the NLC, you’re automatically licensed to practice in every member state.
For now, you could obtain only a state-issued license, not a multistate one. You’ll need clinical experience before you can work as a travel nurse.
4. Gain Clinical Experience
Once you’ve obtained a state license, you can apply for nursing jobs in your area. You need at least one to two years of bedside experience before becoming a travel nurse. Different travel agencies establish their own requirements regarding the amount of clinical experience needed.
This is your opportunity to learn and grow as a new nurse. During your first few years as an RN, don’t hesitate to ask questions and request feedback from the charge nurse and other more experienced colleagues.
There are plenty of non-traditional nursing jobs to consider. Explore these 10 non-bedside nursing jobs!
5. Obtain Additional Certifications
Clinical experience can also help you determine which nursing specialty you want to pursue. Although your specialty may not require it, you can bolster your career credentials by obtaining one or more nursing certifications.
There are numerous certifications to consider for practically every specialty. For example, you can pursue certification in ostomy care, palliative pediatrics, dialysis and beyond. Each has its own eligibility requirements.
6. Choose a Travel Nurse Agency
When you’re ready, start researching travel nurse agencies. Compare the options, ensuring you understand the differences in benefits and reimbursements, policies and support resources. If you encounter a travel nurse at your own health care facility, use this opportunity to ask questions about the agency they work for and whether they recommend it.
7. Apply to the Agency
Once you’ve chosen a travel nurse agency and met the requirements, you can put your application package together. You can expect to be asked to provide documentation validating your credentials. Note that some travel nurses work for multiple agencies to increase the pool of jobs they can choose from.
8. Select Your First Assignment
Start by looking through the agency’s database of available assignments. You can typically search the job listings by geographic location and nursing specialty. When perusing the listings, keep in mind that the cost of living is different from one place to another. Take the time to research the cost of living in a particular location when evaluating whether the salary offer is reasonable.
9. Ace Your Interview
Apply to your selected job. Then, your agency recruiter, who is your primary point of contact at the agency, will typically make initial contact with the health care facility and possibly even set up the appointment. Interviews typically occur by phone or videoconferencing software.
10. Sign a Job Contract
If you meet the travel nursing requirements and the facility hires you, you’ll receive a contract to review. Carefully read the entire document before signing it and ask your recruiter for clarification if anything is unclear.
Once you’ve accepted a job, you’ll need to plan your relocation. Decide whether you’ll stay in agency housing or accept a housing reimbursement. Research your new location, as well. You should become familiar with its major points of interest and transportation options.
Travel Nurse Salary Expectations and Job Outlook
All types of RNs are in demand across the U.S. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t track employment data for travel nurses specifically, but it does estimate job growth for RNs to be 5% from 2024 through 2034, faster than the national average for all occupations.
Prepare for Your Future in Travel Nursing at NDMU
No matter where your career takes you, you can build a firm foundation for the future at Notre Dame. Our friendly and knowledgeable admissions advisors are here to guide you through each step of the ABSN admissions process. At NDMU, you’ll thrive with our small class sizes, close faculty mentoring and values-based education.
Contact our admissions team today to discover if our ABSN program is right for you.