19 Sep Becoming a Travel Nurse
Exploring new places across the U.S. takes significant funds. One approach that professionals, especially those in healthcare, use to support themselves during such travels is through a travel position. Nurses, in particular, are in high demand throughout America and have a lot of exciting opportunities available to them working as a travel nurse. What is a travel nurse?
Essentially, it is a qualified registered nurse (RN) who fills temporary positions in various healthcare settings. These placements could involve a position in an outpatient facility, short-staffed hospital or even in home health. What’s more, these positions cover a wide range of specialty areas, such as the OR, ER, pediatrics, and so on. The contract nurse is tasked with the same responsibilities as someone in a fulltime position, but it’s only on a short-term basis. Typically, the contract length ranges between 8 to 26 weeks.
In 2021, travel nurses comprised a mere 1% of the nursing profession. However, as the impacts from the pandemic continue to unfold, that figure is increasing drastically and is expected to hit 23.4% by 2028. There are a lot of factors contributing to this explosive growth that go beyond the uncertainties within the job market. The main two are the freedom gained from fewer hours and selecting the position that works best personally with the pay. On average, travel nurses work 36 hours and earn $3,167 per week according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That translates to roughly $75,000 for an annual salary.
How does someone become a travel nurse? The first step is to become an RN through an accredited nursing program. This could be by just completing an associate degree; however, many positions require a BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Other qualifications include passing national and state exams, gaining specific certifications, and, often, having experience working in the specialty associated with the placement.
Ensuring all these requirements are met is typically made easier by going through an agency specializing in travel nursing placements. These professional staffing services help by laying out what all is needed as well as connecting the candidate to numerous opportunities. They’re also there to help throughout the process by securing contracts, arranging housing, and offering relatively high wages with desirable benefits packages.
Choosing where and when to work is a freedom many of us would relish. It’s no wonder more and more men and women are taking advantage of this freedom — along with all the other perks — by working with an agency and hitting the road as a travel nurse. If you want to learn more about becoming a travel nurse, check out the accompanying resource from Skybridge Healthcare, an expert in finding traveling physical therapy jobs.
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Last Updated on September 19, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD
