Tips for Travel Nursing in 2021

​Travel nursing has always been a volatile market in comparison to permanent employment options. Jobs open and close, sometimes within minutes and there are so many different staffing companies who all have different positions, in different locations, and at different pay rates. It’s chaotic, overwhelming, and scary (especially when you’re experiencing it for the first time), but don’t let it stop you from taking the plunge!

---

The benefits of travel nursing in 2021 are big. With adequate preparation, navigating this environment is easier and will make you more successful. Here are some guidelines for setting yourself up for success as a travel nurse in a hot market:

Know your motivations.

Why do you want to be a travel nurse in the first place? What are you searching for? Common motivations for travelers fall into a few buckets; Which one are you in?

• Financially Motivated (make more money!). It’s no secret that travel nurses can make a big paycheck. Travel nursing is often used to expedite student loan payoff, save for a home downpayment, or simply to make the money you deserve as a nurse. However, there are associated expenses (housing, travel, etc), differing pay packages, gaps in employment etc. that can offset the higher income ... knowing how to navigate each will increase your take home and decrease the associated expenses.
• Travel and Adventure- Seeing new places and seeking experiences you’d never have the opportunity to on a one week vacation--few careers offer this type of travel better than travel nursing. Your travel career can act as a powerful vehicle for exploring the U.S. (and further) in a way that allows you to experience your environment like a local, without breaking the bank.
• Career Advancement- I remember the first travel nurse I met (and who motivated me to take this path) was so squared away as a nurse. She truly had seen it all - she’d experienced different styles of practicing medicine, worked in a range of facility sizes, advanced trauma levels, most charting systems, various patient populations ... she was knowledgable in a way that felt so complete. She had the confidence to do what she knew was best, and the humility to raise her hand when she was unsure. The exposure you receive as a traveling healthcare professional can sharpen your tools as a clinician in ways a perm position cannot offer.
• Control- I’m sick of MediTech. I’m over night shift. I’m ready to be near the beach. I hate wearing white scrubs. With travel nursing, all of that is in your hands - every 13 weeks. You have the control to choose when, where, and what you’ll be doing on that next assignment. If you end up somewhere less than desirable, it’ll only be for the duration of that contract. Having control over your career is unique to this flexible career path as a nurse.

Identifying “why” behind your motivation to be a travel nurse is important to at first, expose, and then hold on to throughout your career. Having it as your “North Star” will ensure you make the right-for-you career path decisions quickly when you hit a fork in the road (and you will often as a traveler). Holding onto the “why” will also help you keep motivated when the going gets tough (and it will).

Find and hold onto your North Star.

1. Things move fast and you need to make decisions quickly. When a recruiter is pressuring you toward a contract you should be able to quickly remind yourself what it is you want, and recognize if it fits your needs. Sometimes a contract can sound awesome on paper but if you’re getting into travel nursing because you want to experience nursing in a larger hospital and want to be close to the mountains - don’t be tempted by that high paying contract in a rural facility in El Paso, TX.
2. It gets tough as a traveler. Especially in the first weeks of your assignment. You’re out of your comfort zone and having to adapt very quickly (new policies, doctors, charge nurses, unit layout, equipment, supply room, codes for all the doors). You’re going to challenge yourself in those low points “What the hell am I doing here? Why did I agree to this?” and having that North Star to remind you “Oh, because I’m making X more dollars a week and will pay off those student loans so much faster” - it can help get you through the rough patches.

Get & Stay Organized

Once you dip your toes into the travel healthcare world, things will move quickly. Get your ducks in a row or you’re going to miss the best opportunities. It’s no surprise that a contract you think is perfect is also catching the eye of other qualified candidates. The better the contract, the greater the competition. See below tips for how to get organized as a travel nurse and ensure you present yourself with your best foot forward:

• Rebuild your Resume- Whether it’s through a resource like Kamana, or via the guidance of a travel nurse recruiter you want to reconsider your resume. Hospitals look for a succinct layout of specific skills and experiences on a travel nurse resume (much different than for a perm position) and the closer your resume is to articulating your unique experiences in the perfect format, the faster your recruiter will be able to submit your profile for placement. Learn more about the ideal travel nurse resume here.
• Organize your Credentials- Off the bat, things are going to be needed from you. It’s annoying, especially if you’re re-sending it to multiple recruiters. But at the end of the day, they need details and documents to generate a profile for submission. Delaying that submission means you’re going to get skipped over. Organizing your licenses, certifications, medical history docs, references, skills checklists, etc. is simplified with your Kamana Profile, and allows you to maintain one professional portfolio.
• Be prepared to share your professional profile quickly. It’s the cowboy with the fastest draw (not the biggest gun) who wins the dual. When you’re presented with the perfect contract -- be ready to shoot from the hip and win it. Quickly providing that recruiter with what they need to place your profile at the top of the list is going to ensure your success with landing it. And don’t expect the timing to happen when you’re sitting at your laptop - they will call you with the position while you’re on a hike, at the bar, or managing a busy patient assignment - it’s never when you’re sitting ready in front of your laptop with all your credentials on hand. So have it packaged and ready to share. Your Kamana profile can be shared from your phone with a few clicks. Anyplace, anytime.

Play it Safe

Lastly, don’t be reckless with your data. You’ll be encouraged by recruiters to quickly email or text your personal-sensitive info. Would you do that with patient data? So don’t do it with your own! Some agencies have a secure portal for uploading sensitive documents (ask for it), either way, your Kamana Profile is equipped with the power of encrypted sharing (and un-sharing) so you can protect your data while providing access to who you feel needs it.
Broaden your options. Realistically, no single recruiter or staffing agency can land you a contract in every city and always guarantee a higher paying contract than all their competitors. One recruiter does not have it all, you gotta work with a few (I suggest 5). It sounds overwhelming to maintain more than one recruiter relationship (and even unfaithful in a strange way) but you can do it tactfully and in a manner that respects your recruiter relationships and everyone’s time. Recruiters spend many hours finding and connecting nurses with facility needs. When you’re open about working with other agencies, organized with your documentation, and clear with your expectations – it will allow them (and you) to quickly identify if they have a match.
Get after it. You're entering the travel healthcare world for a reason (money, control, career advancement, adventure/exploring) so whatever the reason - make it your part time job to be the best traveler for you, and for your own success. Just like in the nursing practice there are so many resources out there to help us navigate, learn, and grow in this career path. Check out some of the best ones here.
       
 Written by John Modica, RN
John Modica, RN and Kamana co-founder, has over a decade of experience in healthcare, spending the majority of his career working as a travel nurse in hospitals across the United States. Having seen first-hand the inefficiencies of the industry, he fully understands the frustrations and dissatisfaction held by the healthcare workforce. John is customer zero. Kamana is his solution. ​