Every travel nurse dreams of that special travel nursing assignment.
For some, it is an assignment that will allow them a few days hanging at the beach on some tropical island, while for others, it is the adventure that comes with spending some time roughing it in the most unlikely places. Opportunities in nursing compact states can get you unique experiences!
Some nurses, however, don’t mind the location as long as they get to go home with the big bucks.
Whatever your idea of the ideal travel nursing assignment is, there are a few tricks and tips to landing the best travel nursing assignments and we take a look at some of them in this article.
Be prepared for the opportunity
You are definitely not the only one rooting for the best travel nursing engagements in the agency. Even if your idea of the perfect nursing assignment is unique, chances are you will find one or two people angling for the same position.
Making yourself stand out among your colleagues is vital if you want to capture your dream job destination. Which is why you have to meet the necessary certifications and requirements. If you’re better certified, experienced, and have skills in a particular field, it will be easier for you to get the juiciest of assignments. Remember, speciality jobs are not only in high demand, but they also pay more, but to get them, you have to be perfect for the job description.
Consider crisis rate assignments
If your definition of the best travel nursing assignment is one that pays big bucks, then you may want to consider what is known as crisis rate assignments.
Don’t let the known throw you off though. While it is true that in these jobs, crisis does happen, it is not always the case. Crisis rate assignment is just a term used by agencies and hospitals to describe work rate that is higher than normal, but it pays well.
There are many reasons why an assignment can be termed crisis rate, such as when a brand new unit is launched in a hospital, and when there is a need to cover for the shortage of staff, and when there is difficulty in getting nurses with a particular set of skills.
Beyond the high pay, these assignments are just like any other, but they do have a tendency to be strict on start and end dates. Plus, chances are some crisis will occur during the duration of the assignment. That said, this is a highly competitive role, after all, who doesn’t want to work or more pay?
Join agencies known for transparency and high pay
Every travel nursing agency is different, not just in their organisational structure, but also in their pay packages. Unfortunately, not every agency will disclose its compensation package and take-home pay.
If you want to land the best nursing assignments, whether in terms of location, assignment, or pay, you should sign up with a travel nursing agency that is transparent in its dealings. When you work with such an agency, you know what you are getting into with each assignment from the get-go, and you can easily decide if the position is right for you or not.
Get the necessary nursing licenses
You cannot work as a travel nurse without the right licence. In fact, it can be argued that this is an essential part of travel nursing.
If you have your eyes set on an assignment in a particular state or location, you should immediately start the process of getting the license needed to work as a nurse in that state. In most cases, your travel nursing agency will be able to help with this.
It can be advantageous to hold valid licenses to work in multiple states. This makes it easy to get the chance to work anywhere you want rather than being restricted to just where you are licensed to work.
Work with multiple agencies.
Finally, unless your contract states otherwise, it may be a good idea to work with more than one travel nursing agency.
Remember that no two travel nursing agencies are the same, and even though they all work in the same industry, one may have the connections to get good assignments, while another can only get lean pickings.
If you work with multiple agencies, you may be able to pick and choose as you see fit, giving you the opportunity to have access to a range of choices in terms of travel nursing assignment.
Working with multiple agencies will definitely increase your opportunities.
However, it is important that you are open and honest about your affiliations. Do not pit one against another.
Even if you end up not accepting an assignment from one, always make sure to keep in touch, because chances are you will have to work with them sometime in the future.
