Most people dream of being able to travel the country but are held back by their occupation. With a practical nursing degree, you don’t have to choose once you pass your licensure exam and become a practical nurse (PN) – you can have both! PN job travel allows you to explore new places while still maintaining an income. Here, Prism Career Institute takes a closer look at what can be possible for graduates of our Practical Nursing program after achieving licensure in their state.
What Is Travel Nursing?
Travel nursing is when nurses venture to different parts of the country to help various hospitals or clinics that are short-staffed and in need of extra hands. Travel nurses typically take on short-term contracts, with the average contract lasting anywhere from eight to 13 weeks and sometimes even extending out to 26 weeks or longer. Travel nurses will typically hold duties such as the following:
- Interacting with patients
- Being involved with patient care
- Administering medications and treatments
- Performing research
- Working with other healthcare providers
- And more
Benefits of Travel Nursing
There are many advantages to pursuing PN job travel. One of the biggest benefits is the ability to travel around the country, which allows you to experience different people in different areas of the U.S. Travel nurse staffing agencies will typically provide a higher nursing salary and better benefits. This may include non-taxable stipends, travel reimbursement, and sometimes even free or reduced housing, especially if you are open to traveling to less populated areas.
Becoming a travel nurse will also allow you to take control of your schedule. Travel nurses can take time off between jobs to spend some time with friends and loved ones, with some nurses taking between two and three months off.
PN job travel also gives you to the opportunity to build your resume and solidify your career path. Travel nurses can work and gain experience in a variety of medical settings, from high-paced hospital environments to more relaxed clinic environments. This will allow you to choose which setting you enjoy the most when settling and finalizing your career in nursing. Plus, it definitely doesn’t hurt to have all of that job experience shining on your resume.
How to Become a Travel PN
To pursue a career as a travel nurse, you must have either an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing, and you must take the NCLEX-RN exam to become licensed. It’s also required that you have at least one to two years of nursing experience before becoming a travel nurse. Next, you must find a staffing agency and obtain a travel nurse contract. There are about 340 nurse staffing agencies in the U.S., so the possibilities are endless when finding a staffing agency that’s right for you.
It is also required that you are a licensed nurse in the state you are traveling to. This is where staffing agencies come in, aiding you in this process and making sure you have all of the necessary certifications and licensing to travel and work. But make sure you do your research before you travel so you can be prepared for anything that comes your way. To learn more about PN job travel or our medical career training programs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, contact Prism Career Institute today.