Are you a nurse who wants adventure in their life and craves change in their routine? While doing what you love the most, welcome to the world of travel progressive care nursing, where career advancement meets adventure, flexibility, and freedom. PCU travel nurses travel to different states and work on assignments typically for 13 weeks. Each assignment brings new challenges and rewards. As a travel nurse, if you want to elevate your career, then choosing to become a travel progressive care nurse is the best option for you. In this blog, we will discuss what PCU travel nursing is and what the benefits and responsibilities of PCU travel nursing are.
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What is a PCU travel nurse?
PCU stands for Progressive Care Unit nurse, and PCU travel nursing means traveling from one state to another to provide patient care at the healthcare facilities where there is a shortage of staff. Progressive care unit travel nurses take care of patients who are not as serious and ICU (Intensive Care Unit) patients but still need close monitoring and ongoing assessment. PCU nurses, or progressive care unit nurses, work on assignments that are typically 13 weeks but can vary from a few days to several months, depending on the situation.
What do PCU nurses do? Core responsibilities of PCU nurses
As we have already discussed, PCU nurses take care of patients who are not as critical as ICU nurses but still need more monitoring than med-surg patients. Some of the responsibilities of PCU nurses are as follows:
- PCU nurses provide continuous monitoring of vital signs such as checking heartbeat, oxygen, etc, and reporting any change in the patient’s condition.
- Administering medications and IV therapies to the patients.
- Their duty also includes assisting with post-operative recovery.
- PCU (Progressive care unit) nurses also educate patients and families about the procedures and care plans.
What are the benefits of PCU travel nursing or travel Progressive Care nursing?
Travel PCU nurses work on short-term assignments and provide their services where there is a shortage of staff. PCU travel nursing is a blend of career advancement, flexibility, adventure and financial rewards. Some of the benefits of PCU travel nursing are as follows:
High pay and Benefits:
The demand for PCU travel nurses is increasing and to attract qualified RNs to fill the positions, healthcare facilities are providing competitive pay and benefits. It is a known fact that travel nurses get paid more than staff nurses because of the nature of their job. With higher pay, they also get other benefits such as tax-free allowance, housing stipends, travel stipends, completion bonuses, and so much more! If you are a PCU travel nurse and don’t want to get stuck in a permanent nursing job, then travel PCU nursing is best for you, where you can make more money and travel to different states at the same time.
Flexibility and work-life balance
What is better than working on your own terms? Another benefit of becoming a travel PCU nurse is that they can choose their own assignments, meaning they can decide where, when, and how long they want to work. They can choose the assignments that best suit their interest and needs. Flexibility and work-life balance are two main perks of travel PCU nursing. We know that travel PCU nurses work on short-term assignments, and if they want to take a break and spend time with their family between their assignments, they have the freedom to do so.
Exploring new places
Another benefit of PCU travel nursing is that nurses, while working on their assignments, can also explore different places, cities, and cultures. When you choose PCU travel nursing you are not stuck in one healthcare facility instead you are exploring new place, new healthcare facilities, meeting diverse patient populations, exploring different cultures and so much more.Travel nursing gives you the freedom to choose what type of place you want to work and where you want to spend your off-clock time after you are done with your shift. If you love winters, you can choose Colorado, and if you like beaches, you can choose Florida, or if you like summers, you can choose Texas.
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PCU travel Nursing and Skill Advancement
Being a PCU travel nurse will expose you to different healthcare facilities, patient populations, EMR systems, advanced technologies, equipment, and protocols that will help you in your skill advancement. The benefits of PCU travel nursing are that it will broaden your clinical knowledge, which is very important for your career and professional growth. The more knowledge and experience you have, the more healthcare facilities will want you to work with them.
Networking and professional growth
One of the other advantages of PCU travel nursing is that while working in different cities and with healthcare facilities, you build professional relationships. These connections help you grow professionally and can lead to future job offers and leadership opportunities. While traveling to different locations and experiencing each place you can also decide where you want to work permanently as a nurse.
How to get started as a PCU travel nurse?
Now you know all the benefits and perks of becoming a PCU travel nurse, and have finally decided to become a PCU travel nurse, but want to know how to get started. Here is a step-by-step guide on what you need to know to become a PCU travel nurse in 2025:
- Become a registered nurse by completing a nursing program and passing the NCLEX.
- Gain at least 1 to 2 years of experience in post-ICU care, intermediate care, or cardiac monitoring.
- Get the right certifications, such as BLS, ACLS, NIHSS, and PCCN.
- One of the most important steps is to apply for a compact state nursing license or NLC. This license will help you work in compact states without applying for additional licenses, saving you both time and money.
- Update your resume and documents. SkillGigs 3D resume makes your resume visually appealing to potential employers.
- Join SkillGigs and find the jobs that best match your interests and needs.
- Get ready for your PCU nurse travel assignment with SkillGigs.
How much do PCU travel nurses make?
As we know, travel nurses make more than staff nurses, but the salary varies according to location, assignment, healthcare facility, experience, etc. In MAY 2025, travel PCU nurses were making $61.14 per hour. To know more about our travel nursing salary read our blog “Healthcare Payment Trend Series – Salary Trends for the Year 2025 (May 2025)”
What certification is required to become a PCU travel nurse?
If you want to gain more knowledge related to PCU nursing, you can always go for additional certifications. These certifications will boost your resume and increase your job opportunities. A list of some of the certifications you can get is:
- BLS (Basic Life Support)
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN)
- NIH Stroke Scale Certification (NIHSS)
- Telemetry Certification
What is the typical contract length for travel PCU nurses?
The typical contract length for travel nurses is 13 weeks, but it can vary from a few days to several months.
Are PCU travel nurses high in demand in 2025?
Yes, the demand for travel nursing is increasing due to many factors such as an aging population, nationwide staff shortages, etc.
Conclusion
Progressive care nursing offers a unique blend of career growth, adventure, and flexibility. If you are a nurse who wants to explore and travel while earning a living, then PCU travel nursing is the ideal option for you. No doubt, each travel nursing assignment has its own challenges, but it also has its benefits. The benefits of PCU travel nursing include flexibility, high pay, career advancement, personal and professional growth and so much more. If you are a nurse with at least 1 to 2 years of experience and want to become a travel nurse, then join SkillGigs now and become part of our travel nursing world. SkillGigs gives you the opportunity to work in top healthcare facilities and high-paying contracts. So why wait? Sign up now!
