Travel Nurse Salary is between $51,000 – $170,000 annually with perks and benefits that rival other nursing jobs. With the median hourly wage between $64,690 per annum and $31.10 hourly. The pay hourly can be as low as $21 and high as $80 per hour.
Travel nurse recruiter reports that their top 25 clients earn above $100,000 per year, with benefits and perks. One merit of the job is free time, new experience and travel opportunity. To practice as a travel nurse you must be trained as a Nurse.
Who is a Travel Nurse?
Travel nursing is a nursing assignment concept that developed in response to the nursing shortage. This industry supplies nurses who travel to work in temporary nursing positions, mostly in hospitals. While travel nursing traditionally refers specifically to the nursing profession, it can also be used as a blanket term to refer to a variety of travel healthcare positions, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and even doctors and dentists. – Wikipedia
The travel nurse profession is ideal for single registered nurses, because the family obligation can be an issue for interested nurses. Most travel nurses work in location between a few weeks to a month or more. The job may be tedious and demanding, however it opens a new opportunity for knowing new cultures, places and people.
Travel Nurse Salary
The travel nurse salary is very attractive, so is the perks and benefits. In addition to the salary received benefits such as paid or furnished housing, fully paid travel allowance, overtime bonuses, insurance and other perks.
In some cases travel nurse salary may include completion bonus at the end of the assignment and may also receive bonus on resumption. Travel Nurse Salary is between $51,000 – $170,000 annually, $20 – $80 per hour and a median of $64,690 per annum and $31.10 hourly.
What makes the travel nurse salary attractive?
- The license to practice either as a registered nurse or for state practice is usually paid for by the recruiting agencies as a perk.
- Maintenance of tax-free reimbursement is one thing that travel nurse can enjoy, however they must have a tax-home.
You need to get proper details from the recruiter, this because some perks may be absorbed by another cost or need for a service. For example if you change recruiter often, you may need to move from one medical insurance plan to another often.
The salary may be high in a particular state, however the cost of living may absorb such income. Housing perks may help reduce such expenses.
Benefits received as a travel nurse:
- Nurse Licensing & Credentialing Assistance
- Free housing
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Referral bonus
- Medical and dental insurance
Travel Nurse Job Description
The travel nurse with emergency experience and cardiac care often work in intensive care unit or cardiac centers. The assignment is usually within a weeks or months, while they help doctors and surgeons in their day-to-day activities.
All duties of a registered nurse are done by the travel nurse, though specialized skills may be required.
Travel Nurse Training and Education
The travel nurse must be a registered nurse, that is must have completed a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The training can start has an associate degree and upgraded to a bachelor’s degree. Most travel nurse also undergo continuous education program.
To became a travel nurse you can do a 4 years bachelors degree in nursing, this can be done in a hospital based nursing school or campus.
Another option is the associate degree in nursing which is usually 2-3 years, may be upgraded to a bachelor’s degree which will take another 1-2 years.
To practice as a travel nurse, you must have a practical hands on experience for a minimum of one year.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) considers a bachelor’s degree to be the minimum needed for any career in nursing.