If you are in any way related to any specialty of nursing or the healthcare industry in general, you probably have heard the term “Travel Nurse” before. And you may have a rough idea of how many types of travel nurses there are
But even if you have no idea what a travel nurse is, what they do, and what the types of travel nurses are, don’t worry. We are here to give you the 411 on the matter.
What we have compiled is a comprehensive guide on “Types of travel nurses”
You will learn about:
- Travel nursing career outlook
- Types of Travel Nurses
- Medical-Surgical/Telemetry Nurses
- Emergency room travel nurses
- Related to Health of women (MBPP/L&D/NICU)
- Intensive Care Unit Nurses
- Operating room Nurses
- Cardiovascular Operating Room (CVOR) NURSE
- Long Term Acute Care Nurses
- Psychiatric Nurses
- Final words
The career outlook for different types of travel nurses
Did you know that according to the recent reports by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s going to be an upsurge in nursing jobs by half a million from 2014-2024?
You’ll also want to know that the NCSBN states that more than 56% of nurse staff are 50 years or older. Meaning they will most likely retire in the next 10 to 15 years.
On top of that, 69 million people will become senior citizens by 2030. This means that every 1 in 5 people will be a senior citizen.
You can probably see the big picture here. That’s right! There is about to be a surge in your demand as a travel nurse.
As with all jobs, high demand means higher salaries, better benefits, and lucrative job opportunities for travel nurses in the coming years.
And of course! You get a chance to travel the country, work in different places, meet new people, and gain valuable experience, all at the expense of your employer.
Types of travel nurses
While there are many specialties that health care facilities are continuously looking for, the following eight are best for travel nurses.
Medical-Surgical/Telemetry Nurse
In 2020, most healthcare facilities demand their telemetry nurses to be med surge competent. In 2020, the demand for those nurses is constantly rising and will continue to rise throughout the year.
If you are a Med-Surg/Telemetry Nurse, there’s a lot to keep you occupied. You have to treat different kinds of patients and all ages in a single day.
You might be asked to assist a patient suffering from COVID, starting IV, or dressing a dog wound.
Mostly, you have to work with patients who need special care and monitoring. What’s important for you being a telemetry nurse is having quick reflexes and the ability to take timely action.
If you think you are a quick learner, enjoy your job, have excellent leadership qualities, and are capable of critical thinking, just go for it.
Being a Med Surg Nurse, you don’t only interact with patients but their families as well. Therefore, you need to have excellent communication skills as well.
Emergency Room
Yeah! I know you must be thinking “Emergency room…seriously?” But guess what! 2019-20 has been a comeback year for this specialty, especially after Covid-19. Fingers crossed!
If you want to be an emergency room RN, you have to be alert and always prepared for quick and immediate action. You may have to treat many patients having life-threatening diseases or injuries at the same time.
And you may become even busier, especially if you are working in an urban health care setting. But everything comes with a price. And definitely, you will be paid way more than other RNs in urban areas.
When you treat different patients with different critical injuries every single day, you gain hard-earned experience in a shorter time.
The health of women (MBPP/L&D/NICU)
In 2020, we have seen a shortage of women’s health RNs despite its growing demand. And I would urge you to not let this golden opportunity slip away from you.
Your prime responsibility as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse will be taking care of newborns. This is a job that requires vigilance, patience, and careful handling.
As the name suggests, Mother-Baby/Postpartum (MBPP) Nurses take care of newborns and their mothers immediately after birth. It also includes educating mothers about post-birth complications, handling their new-born, and self-care.
Labor and Delivery nurses have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. While looking at it, the incentive to choose this job should be to serve humanity, to the infants in the womb, and who are at the mercy of your expertise.
Beyond all imagined challenges, the comfort you can provide to pregnant women is most important. Labor and Delivery nurses work as MBPP Nurses as well as NICU. This specialty requires nurses to take care of the mother and child before and after birth.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurses
In the year 2020, ICU-RNs have seen a substantial increase in their demand. And there is just one reason for it: COVID-19. So, if you have specialized in the Intensive Care Unit setting, this is your time.
Called as the crème de la crème, ICU nurses have a plethora of responsibilities on them. They treat patients that have life-threatening injuries or diseases and take day-to-day risks.
As ICU-RN, you must have adequate knowledge of handling IVs, cardiac arrest, and patients’ anesthesia and medication dose.
Being an ICU-RN, you must have adequate knowledge of all the modern-day medical lab technologies.
And if you are a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) besides being an ICU nurse, you will enjoy even more perks and benefits.
To become an ICU Nurse, you must pass the NCLEX-RN test and have a license in your respective state.
Operating Room (OR) Nurse
As the name suggests, OR travel Nurses have their duty in the most sensitive area of any hospital: The Operating Room.
Do you know what the best thing about this specialty is? It’s one of the highest paying nursing jobs.
OR Nurses are highly skilled as they have to work in a delicate environment with highly skilled operators and surgeons. Not only must they take care of “unconscious” patients but also ensure the cleanliness of the OR.
OR nurses are considered an advocate of unconscious patients’ safety. You collaborate with surgeons and other OR staff. So, you must be confident and stay calm.
OR nurses fall under two categories: Scrub nurses and Circular nurses. Scrub nurses work with surgeons in the sterile zone while circular nurses work outside the sterile zone.
Circular nurses take care of the patient the whole time they are in the OR. They are responsible for reviewing patients’ medical records and assisting Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist.
Scrub nurses who work within the sterile environment are the helping hands of surgeons. They provide the surgeon with all instruments they need during surgery. Scrub nurses are important cogs in the machinery of the OR.
Note: You know everything comes with a price. While being an OR nurse grant you a handsome salary package, you have to be prepared for severe duty and long working hours. You may be required to stand for long durations on foot without even a single break.
Therefore, if you think you are a person who loves accepting challenges and are physically fit to handle the demands of the job, OR Travel nurse is made for you.
Cardiovascular Operating Room (CVOR) Nurse
CVOR is one of the highly demanded specialties in healthcare facilities because they are specialized in assisting with cardiovascular surgery. And of course, they are paid way more than other staff nurses.
They work in ORs under stressful conditions. They assist surgeons in every possible way.
From sedating the patient to monitoring the vital signs, CVOR travel nurses take care of many important tasks. They work in collaboration with circular and scrub nurses and ensure the availability and serviceability of all required equipment and medication.
Before you decide to be a CVOR travel nurse, there are a few things you must keep in mind.
First, you must be mentally prepared to deal with every good and bad situation.
Secondly, if you want to get paid or make your hiring process easier, you need to have BLS certification. And I would encourage you to have a CNOR and PALS certificate on top of that.
If you meet all these prerequisites of being a CVOR travel nurse, sign up for it now and kick off your career with a high-paying job.
Long term acute care (LTAC) Nurse
COVID-19 has increased the demand for LTAC travel nurses to an all-time high. On top of that, stats show that about a whopping 34% of the American population is above the age of fifty.
They will require hospital care at some point, one way or another, increasing demand for LTAC RNs.
LTAC Nurses are the most loved hospital staff members. Because they take care of patients with acute diseases and spend a long time with them.
Since last year, Hospitals have been facing a massive shortage of LTAC nurses.
That’s why many healthcare facilities have started LTAC internship programs for those who want to be LTAC RNs.
Having a minimum of an associate degree, passing the NCLEX-RN exam, and license in your state of practice are the prerequisites for being an LTAC-RN.
Psychiatric mental health Nurses
Hold on! I have a question for you. Are you good at accepting challenges and dealing with difficult patients? If yes, then you will love being a PSMH Nurse.
PSMH have a lot on their plates at the same time. Psychiatric patients can be difficult to deal with and a nurse must be equipped to deal with uncooperative and possibly violent patients in a peaceful manner.
PSMH is a very delicate job. It is easy to lose your temper if you don’t have the mental resolve and patience to deal with psychiatric patients. On top of being patient, PSMH-RNs need to be skillful as well.
Psychiatric Mental health Advanced Practice Registered nurses (PMH-APRNs) is another essential subset of this nursing specialty. They deal with mentally disabled patients or patients who cannot move on their own.
For being a PSMH, Travel nurses must have associate degrees. The final step is passing the NCLEX-RN exam and having a license in your practicing state.
Types of travel nurses – Final Words
We have talked about almost all the primary types of travel nurses, each with their pros and cons. You probably have a pretty good enough idea of what specialty will suit you.
Looking for how much each of these specialties earns? Don’t worry! We have lots of details on that as well.
A travel nurse’s field is vast, explorative, unique, exuberant, and involves new experiences and traveling. You know what? A person who used to travel is most efficient, and his consciousness is more profound than others.
As Gayle Forman said, “Traveling is not something you are good at. It is something you do. Like breathing.”
