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Focus on Travel Nursing Employment

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JobMonkey.com
Volume VIII, Issue #44
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With a worldwide shortage of nurses set to reach record levels in the next three years, the medical community is in urgent need of qualified nurses. For communities especially hard hit by the nursing shortage, traveling nursing is becoming an increasingly popular solution. If you have or plan to earn your RN, you may be qualified to be a traveling nurse. Learn more about how to blend your love of healthcare you’re your passion for new horizons in this week's JobMonkey Newsletter.

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1) Career Advisor: Job Hunter's Survival Guide Review
2) Spotlight: FAQs about Travel Nursing
3) Around the Monkey: Types of Nursing Careers
4) JobMonkey Job Center: RN Jobs

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CAREER ADVISOR: Job Hunter's Survival Guide
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by Amy Lindgren

If you've been to a real or virtual bookstore lately, you've already discovered that there are a lot of books around on the subject of careers.

Well, here's one more to add to the list: The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide by Richard Bolles (Ten Speed Press, 2009, $9.99). Yes, that Richard Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?

For a man in his 80s, this guy manages to stay in the game. This new title has most of the wisdom of his original book but about a fifth of the verbiage. That's a good thing for time-pressed, attention-scattered job seekers who really just need to know how to find work, not how to change the world with their job. That can come later, after the mortgage has been stabilized.

That's not to say that Bolles ignores passion in this book. He wouldn't be Bolles if he did that. In describing the five most effective methods of finding work, the top answer comes out to be a version of defining what you enjoy and going after it. The lowest success rates go to the Internet, by the way, with a surprise showing at the low end for networking when it's practiced as the sole method for a hunt.

One of the most valuable features of this book is the conversational approach to key topics for strategizing a job search: Identifying how long you will be out of work, understanding that there are always jobs available should you change your criteria, etc. It's like having a frank discussion with a wise but nonjudgmental uncle who believes in you but expects you to get on with things.

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SPOTLIGHT: FAQs about Nurse Careers
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With the recession still raging, there is at least one profession that is still seeing positive job numbers every month: Nursing. In fact, the shortage of nurses across the country is set to reach record levels next year ... the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services predicts a shortfall of more than 1.5 million nurses.

A great nurse career path is travel nursing. Besides earning competitive salaries, travel nurses also have unparalleled professional opportunities to see the country.

Where can I find out about travel nursing jobs?
The easiest and quickest way to find travel nursing positions is through a nursing agency. You can also look for leads on hospital and medical center websites. Although you will have to do all the legwork, you won't lose a percentage of your salary to agency fees.

Tip: To find a reputable agency, ask for a recommendation from the Career Placement Center at the university where you earned your nursing degree.

What is the average traveling nurse salary?
Travel nurses earn top dollars for meeting an exigent community need. In fact, many traveling nurses command salaries twice what their on-staff colleagues earn. Payscale.com reports that traveling nurses earn an average of $40/hour, while most operating room nurses take home less than $20/hour (according to Allied Physicians Inc.)

Tip: Be sure to ask about completion bonuses, which average twice the monthly salary for those nurses who complete the terms of their signed contract.

Do traveling nurses also receive benefits?
Not in the traditional sense. Since traveling nurses are temporary employees, most are not entitled to the insurance and retirement benefits that full-time, on-staff employees earn. On the other hand, many hospitals offer their traveling nurses subsidized housing, plus a stipend to cover moving expenses.

How long does the average assignment last?
Relocation can be as frequent -- or as infrequent -- as one desires, with assignments lasting anywhere from a few weeks to several months or even years. For those travel nurses who decide to set down permanent roots, short-term assignments can often lead to full-time offers.

What qualifications are required for traveling nurses?
An RN degree is required, as is state licensure, to be a travel nurse. In addition, most hospitals are looking for at least a year of nursing experience, although a growing number of placements are open to candidates right out of nursing school.

If you want to learn more about this exciting job field, check out our extended Q&A about traveling nurses from the JobMonkey blog.

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AROUND THE MONKEY: Hot Nursing Careers
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Are you thinking about becoming a nurse? This (relatively) recession-proof job offers some of the highest job satisfaction in the nation. The JobMonkey blog is your source of current news and information about all kinds of nursing jobs. Check out recent posts, such as:

Travel Nursing Jobs for Non-Americans

Spotlight on Nursing Careers

Hot Jobs in Nursing

Top Recession Proof Careers (see #3 -- Healthcare and Nursing Jobs)

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JOB CENTER REPORT: RN Job Opportunities
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Are you in the market for a new job as a nurse? Check out JobMonkey's newest specialty job board for nurses. From nursing assistants to directors of nursing, the JobMonkey Nursing Job Board has all the leads you need to find RN career opportunities.

 

 

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