You are done with your nursing school, passed your NCLEX exam, and got your nursing license. Now it is time for you to apply for jobs. But you want to travel, explore and make money at the same time. Well, what if there is a job that allows all of this? Confused? It is possible! Welcome to the world of travel nursing, where you explore new cities and provide patient care while making money and enjoying all the perks of traveling. If you are a new grad who wants adventure and excitement in their job, then travel nursing is the best option for you. But can a new graduate be a travel nurse? What are the requirements and challenges? In this blog we will explore how to become a travel nurse as a new grad.
Understanding travel nursing for new graduates
It is important for new grads to understand what travel nursing is and what are the requirements to be a successful travel nurse. Travel nursing sounds exciting with higher pay and benefits but it has its challenges too. In travel nursing, registered RNs go to various locations to provide their services where there is shortage of staff. These are 13-week contracts but can vary from a few days to several weeks. New grad nurses can also become travel nurses if they want to expand their career.
How to become a travel nurse as a new grad?
Now the important question is how to become a travel nurse as a new grad? As we know, most of the healthcare facilities need at least 1 to 2 years of experience before you apply for a travel nursing job. This experience allows travel nurses to work in different healthcare environments with diverse populations without any difficulty. However, some travel nursing agencies allow new grads to start their career as a travel nurse if they specialize in certain high-demand areas such as ICU, ER and Med surg.
Education and licensing
New grads must have a nursing degree such as BSN or ADN and pass their NCLEX-RN exam to get their nursing license. They can also apply for compact state nursing license which will allow them to work in different states without applying for additional licenses, saving both time and money.to know more about compact state nursing license read our blog “How can I get a Compact State Nursing License?”
Some other requirements to become new grad travel RN are:
- Background checks
- Immunizations
- Good reference
- Up to date resume.
Skills required to become new grad travel nurse
To be a successful travel nurse, a new grad nurse needs interpersonal, clinical and organizational skills. Since you are a new Gard nurse, specific skills are required to adapt to the lifestyle of travel nursing. Some of the skills required for new grad travel nurses are:
- Adaptability and flexibility to adapt to the new environments easily as travel nurses move from one place to another for their nursing contracts.
- Clear and effective communication skills are required for new grad nurses so they can communicate with healthcare team members, patients, and their families.
- Another skill required for new grad nurses is critical thinking and problem solving. Travel nurses might face unexpected situations where their critical thinking and problem-solving skills can save the life of a patient.
- Time management and multitasking are another skill required for new grad travel nurses. They take care of multiple patients with different medical conditions therefore it is important that they know how to manage time and multitask to provide best patient care.
- Travel nurses might come across high stress and emotionally charged situations. During these situations they need to stay calm and composed.
- Different healthcare settings have different technologies and equipment. New grad travel nurses should have the knowledge of these equipment’s and technologies.
Research on agencies
Research and select agencies that work with new grad nurses. Many healthcare facilities look for travel nurses that have at least 1 to 2 years of experience, but some agencies allow new grads to work as a travel nurse if there is high demand.
Pros and cons of being new grad travel nurse
Travel nursing is an exciting career option for those who want adventure and flexibility in their job. But it can be challenging too. Pros and cons of travel nursing are discussed below:
Pros:
- As a travel nurse you work in different cities and various healthcare facilities, gaining experience that helps you grow professionally.
- Travel nursing has higher pay than traditional nurses and can also get other benefits such as free meals, housing stipends etc.
- Travel nursing allows flexibility. Nurses can choose their own assignments based on location, schedules, duration etc.
- Travel nurses during their free time can go explore the new cities, enjoy different cuisines, and meet new people.
Cons:
- With all the benefits, travel nurses come with these challenges which nurses should be aware of before starting their journey as new grad travel nurse.
- Constant relocation can be challenging and overwhelming.
- As a new grad travel nurse, you may not have the same level of support and monitoring as you would have as a staff nurse.
- Living away from family members and friends for weeks is another challenging aspect of travel nursing.
- Finding suitable housing can be difficult for new grad travel nurses.
- Limited benefits and burn out risk.
Conclusion
Travel nursing allows new grad nurses to explore the world, make money and build their nursing career. Most healthcare travel agencies prefer nurses with at least 1 to 2 years of experience before they apply for travel nursing job, but some agencies may hire new grad nurses too. New graduate nurses can start their career as travel nurse especially when there is high demand in their specialty such as ICU, ER and med surg. Travel nursing has its own benefits and challenges, and every new graduate nurse must understand these challenges before deciding to become a travel nurse. Some of the skills required for new graduate nurses are adaptability to new environment, flexibility, and effective communication. If you are a nurse and looking for a job, then download SkillGigs app now and become part of SkillGigs travel nursing world!
