Pennsylvania Travel Nurses
Career Guide: Job Duties, How to Become & More
What is a Travel Nurse?
Travel nurses take on short-term assignments at healthcare facilities around the country. They step into the shoes of staff nurses, providing bedside care while handling the complexities and stresses of an unfamiliar setting. Their transient status necessitates top-notch clinical skills, cultural competence, and flexibility to thrive in a range of environments and situations.
As temporary supplements to the core nursing team, travel nurses build rapport with new cohorts of colleagues at each site. They quickly demonstrate their expertise in specialty units like the ER, ICU, or OR while adapting to different organizational protocols. At the same time, these nomadic nurses focus care around the unique needs and preferences of each patient.
Read on to learn more about the steps to train for this position, and answers to commonly asked questions.
Key Responsibilities of a Travel Nurse
The role requires clinical expertise, familiarity with varied protocols, and knowledge of patient safety best practices. Travel nurses provide critical bedside care so that permanent staff can effectively concentrate on managerial duties.
With strong adaptability and the ability to work well under pressure, they help ensure smooth operations wherever there is need.
- Getting up to speed on unit practices and workflows at each new facility
- Assisting the nursing team by taking on a full patient load
- Coordinating patient care plans and treatments with doctors
- Facilitating communication between families and care providers
- Administering medications, changing dressings, and assisting with ADLs for a roster of patients
- Monitoring and accurately documenting symptoms and vital signs
- Following each hospital’s protocols for tests, procedures, discharges, and transfers Copy
How Do I Become a Travel Nurse in Pennsylvania?
Pursuing a career as a travel nurse taking assignments at healthcare facilities across the country is an incredibly rewarding path for nurses seeking new challenges and adventures. Properly preparing for this critical yet transient role requires meeting key licensure, experience, and contractual milestones:
Licensure
- Obtain an active RN license in Pennsylvania through the State Board of Nursing
- Consider obtaining licensure in multiple compact states to expand options
Experience
- Have at least 1 year of experience in a specialty area like ICU, ER, labor and delivery etc.
- Get substantive experience functioning effectively in high stress environments
Contract
- Research and vet travel nurse agencies for things like pay, benefits, stipends, reputation
- Negotiate and sign a travel nurse contract with an agency to formalize an assignment
Those aspiring to become travel nurses have a rewarding career ahead helping hospitals and other healthcare facilities fill gaps. The key is laying the proper foundation through licensure, hands-on experience, and securing contracts. Obtain an active RN license in Pennsylvania and consider obtaining additional ones through compact states. Reinforce skills via at least a year of experience working in intense specialty units.
Research agencies thoroughly and sign a contract to formalize your first assignment. Consider relevant part-time work for added exposure as well. Keeping these key steps in mind will lead to an engaging career supporting healthcare teams nationwide.
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