It’s the start of a new year, which means it’s time for new adventures! Working as a healthcare traveler definitely comes with perks. Getting to explore new parts of the country, gaining new experience in your career, and making double, or even triple your salary versus working staff at a hospital. Before diving head first into the world of travel healthcare, there are a few things you need to know about how to start your career as a healthcare traveler.
Experience
As a healthcare traveler, you’re expected to jump in and help right away. It’s recommended that you have at least 2 years of experience in your specialty before you begin traveling. According to some veteran healthcare travelers, the more experience you have, the better off you will be on your assignments. When you take a travel jobs, most of the time there is very little to no orientation or training. Your job as a traveler is come in and be of assistance, which is why having the proper amount of experience is absolutely vital. Don’t start traveling until YOU feel the most comfortable and confident in your skills. Travel nursing isn’t going anywhere, and the opportunity will always be there!
Do Your Research
The best thing you can do before you start your career as a healthcare traveler is research. Figure out which specialty you want to travel in, and set some expectations. The market for travel healthcare fluctuates all the time. How much you can make as a healthcare traveler varies from specialty and location. Some locations have higher pay than others, and the same can be said about different specialties. Specialties in higher demand, for example OR, ICU or Med/Surg, typically have higher pay rates than others. With the COVID pandemic settling down, pay is not what it used to be during those times. The good news is rates are still above where they were pre-pandemic, and there is certainly an abundance of money to be made. Find a pay threshold that works for you, and start exploring job boards to get an idea of where the market is for your profession or specialty.
Pick a New Destination
One of the best parts about travel healthcare is exploring new places! However, when picking your destination, you should take a few things into consideration. Do you want to stay closer to home, or do you want to take off on a new adventure in a new city and state? As a first time healthcare traveler, sometimes its best to stay closer to home for your first assignment. It allows you to have the opportunity to dip your toes into the world of travel healthcare, while being able to travel back and forth home if you need to. Go where you feel the most comfortable! The beauty of travel healthcare is having the flexibility to go where ever you want, whenever you want.
Find a Recruiter
The next, and probably the most important step in starting your career as a healthcare traveler is finding a recruiter. Travel nurse agencies and recruiters are a dime a dozen these days as the demand for healthcare professionals is on the rise. Your recruiter is your right hand person throughout your travel healthcare journey. They are the one who finds you a job, helps you when things go wrong, and everything else in between. Having a recruiter you can rely on is absolutely essential as a healthcare traveler! Don’t rush to find a recruiter, you should focus your search on someone who is personable and that you can connect with.
