How to Become a Travel Nurse
Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
Credit: Halfpoint Images / Moment / Getty ImagesAre you interested in a financially rewarding nursing career that lets you explore new places without taking time off work? Travel nurses take short-term assignments across the U.S. and abroad, playing a critical role in hospitals, clinics, and underserved communities.
Explore how to become a travel nurse, what kind of license and certifications you need to enter the field, and what to expect on the job.
How Long to Become
2-4 Years
Degree Required
ADN or BSN
Required Certification
Basic and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
What Is a Travel Nurse?
A travel nurse is a skilled nurse professional, usually a registered nurse (RN), who takes short-term assignments located a distance from their home, across the U.S., and even internationally. These assignments can last from a few weeks to several months. Instead of seeking permanent positions, these nurses find temporary placements through nurse staffing agencies that specialize in travel nursing. Travel nurse contracts outline start and end dates, total compensation, and job expectations, among other components.
Travel nurses fulfill the same duties as RNs, providing hands-on patient care, performing assessments, and administering medications. They also provide patient education and advocate for their needs. Likewise, they work in similar settings as other RNs, including hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and outpatient centers.
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Steps to Becoming a Travel Nurse
A travel nurse must meet the same educational and clinical requirements as all registered nurses. You must first earn an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). According to the Zippia data, 47% of travel nurses have a BSN degree, more than any other degree type.
Once you earn your degree, you need to pass the NCLEX-RN to acquire your state nursing license. Because employers expect travel nurses to begin working immediately upon arrival, travel nurse staffing agencies typically look for applicants with at least one year of clinical experience. Specializations and certifications can also give you an advantage.
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Earn an ADN or BSN Degree from an Accredited Program
Travel nurses must earn an ADN or a BSN to qualify for RN licensure. An ADN offers the fastest pathway to an RN nursing career. However, a BSN, which typically takes four years to complete, provides graduates with a higher level of training and clinical experience, leading to broader employment opportunities. The major travel nurse staffing agencies and large healthcare systems prefer to hire RNs with a BSN degree.
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Pass the NCLEX to Receive RN Licensure
You need to pass the National Council Licensure Exam for RNs (NCLEX-RN) to earn an RN license. This computer-adaptive test takes up to five hours and covers nursing practice, conditions and treatments, how the healthcare system works, legal and ethical issues, and patient communication and education.
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Gain Clinical Nursing Experience
The more clinical experience you have, the more likely you will find a placement. Most agencies only consider applicants with a minimum of one year of experience. However, some healthcare contracts require two years or more of clinical experience. Travel nurses must have the skills and background to jump into assignments without on-the-job training or orientations, adjusting to new environments, staff, and procedures.
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Find a Travel Nursing Agency
Nurse staffing agencies have grown in popularity, filling the nursing shortage gap resulting from RNs who retire or leave the workforce. Consequently, many agencies have emerged that specialize in travel nurse staffing. Travel nurse agencies advertise for specific positions, often recruiting at nursing school career offices, professional associations, and online. Before working with a travel nurse agency, it is important to research its reputation. When evaluating agencies, you should compare if the contracts they offer meet your expectations about available locations, types of assignments, salary and benefits, and travel and housing arrangements.
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Begin Your First Travel Nursing Assignment
Because travel nurses work in multiple settings with varied patient populations, duties and responsibilities differ for each new assignment. In most cases, you will receive little on-the-job training. Depending on the employer, your first shift may begin with a full orientation or just a brief introduction to the facility’s procedures and policies. You may be paired with a nurse for your first few days, but then you will be expected to work independently soon after.
While some travel staffing agencies handle housing arrangements to help you settle into your new environment, you may decide to find your own accommodations to save on living expenses.
Travel Nurse Education
Different employers and positions have different travel nurse requirements. However, becoming a travel nurse first requires becoming an RN, which involves earning at least an ADN degree. While the ADN is the quickest educational path, many travel nurses have a BSN as well.
ADN Degree
Most travel nurse positions require a BSN, but some nurses start with an ADN, which takes two years to complete compared to four years for a BSN. The ADN still meets the requirements for the NCLEX and RN licensure.
- Admission Requirements: ADN programs require a high school diploma or GED certificate, and many look for passing grades in math and science programs, particularly biology and chemistry.
- Program Curriculum: The ADN curriculum includes nursing practice, the basics of evidence-based practice, conducting patient assessments, monitoring patients, and patient education and communication. It also includes clinical hours spent developing skills in a healthcare setting.
- Time to Complete: Most ADN programs take two years to complete, ideal for those eager to start their nursing career right away. Students with Advanced Placement (AP) course credits or transferable college credits may complete the course sooner. Part-time students working full-time may take longer.
- Skills Learned: Graduates of an ADN program are equipped with nursing skills, such as taking blood pressure and other vital signs, safely lifting and moving patients, communicating effectively with patients, understanding the healthcare delivery system, and addressing legal and ethical aspects of nursing.
BSN Degree
All travel nurses must be licensed RNs by earning an undergraduate nursing degree, either a BSN or an ADN, and passing the NCLEX-RN. However, many employers require or strongly prefer a BSN, which is also typically needed for graduate programs.
- Admission Requirements: BSN programs usually require at least a 3.0 high school GPA and passing grades in math, science, and English. They also require recommendations from teachers or counselors.
- Program Curriculum: The BSN curriculum includes prevention and health promotion, evidence-based nursing practice, statistics/research methods, healthcare systems and management, community health, nursing leadership, and communicating with and educating patients. It also includes clinical experience in healthcare settings.
- Time to Complete: Most BSN courses take four years to complete. Students who attend part time may need more time to complete coursework, usually up to six years in total. Learners with an ADN degree, transferable college credits, or AP passing scores can finish a BSN in 2-3 years.
- Skills Learned: BSN graduates can perform advanced health assessment, educate patients on health promotion and disease prevention, lead healthcare teams, and effectively communicate with patients and healthcare professionals. Compared to ADN graduates, BSN nurses have additional training in leadership, nursing research, and healthcare management, allowing them to take on more complex roles.
Travel Nurse Salary and Job Outlook
Travel nurse salaries vary by setting, location, and specialization. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary for travel nurses is $49 an hour, or $8,430 a month. For comparison, the average hourly rate for emergency room (ER) nurses is $42 and $41 for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.
While the BLS projects a 6% growth for all RNs from 2023-2033, demand for travel nurses remains strong due to the national nursing shortage.
After gaining a year of nursing experience, you can work with a travel nursing agency to find assignments. If you’ve worked with a travel nurse previously, ask which agency they used to connect with their recruiter. Your duties may vary by specialty and setting. Possible work settings include:
- Hospital unit: Direct patient care, medication administration, monitoring vital signs, and team collaboration
- Long-term care facility: Medication administration, wound care, care planning, and patient assessment
- Surgery center: Education, postoperative care, patient assessment, and infection control
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Travel Nurse
It typically takes a minimum of three years to become a travel nurse: two years for an ADN and one year of nursing experience. However, it could take longer if you pursue a BSN first or if your specialty requires additional years of nursing experience.
Related Pages
What to Know About Working as an International Travel Nurse
If you love traveling and want to become a nurse, consider the growing field of international travel nursing. Choose from many well-paying positions in a variety of destinations all over the world.
Why Do Travel Nurses Get Paid So Much?
The highest paid travel nurses work in their states and specialties. The pay is commensurate with the challenges they face and the skills they bring to the job.
How to Become an International Travel Nurse
To pursue a career as an international travel nurse, you’ll need a nursing degree, an active RN license, and possibly additional certifications.