There are few jobs as fast-paced as an emergency room nurse and ER travel nursing is no exception. Travel ER nurses work in a high-stakes environment and need to be both adventurous and adaptable.
What Experience Do You Need to Be a Traveling ER Nurse
First and foremost, you need to graduate from nursing school and pass the NCLEX. But your journey to becoming an emergency travel nurse doesn’t end there. You’ll need at least two years of experience before you can travel. Think back to your very first day working in the ER. Did you know what you were doing? Or were you closely supervised by the ER staff? Nurses are always learning and growing and aren’t ready to be fully on their own for a couple years. That’s why most facilities require at least two years of experience.
Additionally, you’ll also need some certifications. Typically these include BLS, ACLS, TNCC, PALS, CEN ENPC and NIHSS, but this can vary by facility. Travelers who work travel nursing ER jobs typically do not float to other units.
Why Choose Emergency Room Travel Nurse Jobs?
No other specialty sees as many different patients and it’s guaranteed that no two days are alike. If you thrive on change and constant movement, the ER is likely to be a great place for you. But what can you expect?
A Wide Range of Experience
ER travel nurses can work in many hospital types, from large, Level 1 trauma centers to smaller, community or rural hospitals. Each hospital has its own patient demographics and protocols, which helps you gain experience and determine which type of facility you enjoy most.
Flexibility
Travel nursing offers incredible flexibility. Travelers get to choose when and where they work, as well as when they want to take extended time off. For instance, many travelers choose to work year-round, but then take a few months off in the summer or during the holidays. Whatever you choose, know that you have the freedom to work the way you want.
Higher Pay
More on this later, but in general, travelers make more money.
Networking Opportunities
When you travel the country working in different facilities, you can build connections. If you decide to hang up your traveling shoes, you’ll have an entire network of people who might be able to help you find a job. And because you’ve traveled, you might have an idea of where you want to live.
Types of ER Travel Nursing Jobs
When you’re looking for travel nursing ER jobs, you’ll need to make some decisions before accepting a position. Think about:
Nights vs Days
Do you want to only work days or are you a night owl at heart? Both shift types have their positives and negatives. Typically, night shift can be a little slower. Patients tend to come in only in a true emergency, but you may see bigger catastrophes like gunshots when you work night shift. You may also have fewer resources on the night shift, but also fewer administrative duties. If you work day shift though, you’ll likely see more patients, but also more staff to help with them. It’s also easier to sleep a regular schedule when you’re on day shift (and easier to explore your new city).
Trauma Facility vs Community Hospital
A trauma center will treat major injuries, such as gunshot and stab wounds, major burns, traumatic car crash injuries, blunt force trauma and brain injuries. Emergency rooms treat broken bones, loss of consciousness, heart attacks, less severe burns, strokes and severe vomiting. You will likely see more severe cases in a trauma facility, but may get more varied experience in a small community hospital, especially if it’s a rural facility.
Patients Seen in the ER
Working in the ER means you’ll see a variety of patients. Common reasons someone might come to the ER include:
Car accidents
Broken bones
Sports injuries
Chest pain
Asthma attacks
Allergic reactions
Drug overdoses
Suicidal thoughts
Severe abdominal pain
Food poisoning
Getting a License for Travel Nurse Emergency Jobs
Naturally, you’ll need a license before you can practice in a specific state. If you’re from a compact state, you’ll have an easier time with licensing, just because you won’t have to apply for each state’s individual license. However, some places, like Hawaii and California, are not members of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so you will need to have those licenses in hand before you can work in those states.
Questions to Ask Before Taking Travel Nurse Emergency Jobs
If you’ve never traveled before, the process can be daunting. That’s where your recruiter comes in. When you’re looking at a specific job, ask your recruiter about the unit size, what charting system the facility uses and the typical patient ratio. Some jobs come with auto offers, which means that you may not have a chance to talk to anyone from the facility so that’s why it’s vital that you get this information up-front.
Your recruiter will have some questions for you too. They’ll ask you about your experience and what trauma levels you’ve worked with and if you’re comfortable working with both adults and kids. They’ll ask about your experience with fast-track areas dealing with minor illnesses and telemetry monitoring. Be honest with your experience! The last thing you want to do is get in over your head for a 13-week assignment and put your license in jeopardy.
ER Travel Nurse Salary
There are plenty of factors that affect pay when you work in the ER as a travel nurse. And to make things slightly more complicated, travel rates are always changing. Rates can be affected by season, location and even the supply of nurses who are willing to go to a specific location. For instance, cold weather locations in the winter could see higher rates because it’s more difficult to entice travelers to work there. If facilities can’t get travelers to work in North Dakota in January, for example, rates for assignments there will go up.
Staying Successful as an ER Travel Nurse
When you’re moving every 13 weeks, it’s vital to stay organized. One tip: get a referral from your manager before you leave your assignment so that you always have recent recommendations. When you have that before you leave, it will be easier to find a new assignment. Also, store your important documents in a digital profile so that they’re always accessible. The fastest traveler gets the assignment so having your profile ready to go means your recruiter can submit you quickly.
Don’t forget to maintain a healthy work-life balance. ER nursing can be intense and exhausting so you need to take care of yourself. Take time for self-care and don’t forget to get out and explore your new town.
Lean on your support system. When you’re moving every 13 weeks, having a support system. If you are traveling alone, try to connect with other travel nurses during your off time, or use friend finder apps to get to know folks in your community.
When you’re looking for a place to live, it’s tempting to sign a lease before you get there so you have a place to crash as soon as you arrive. However, we recommend waiting until you actually put eyes on the place. It’s not uncommon for scammers to find a rental listing and pretend that it’s theirs. We’ve heard of travelers communicating with a scammer, signing a lease and even paying thousands for first month’s rent and a deposit. Then they arrive to pick up the keys and find out that they’ve been scammed.
Lastly, prepare for the unexpected, especially financially. It’s a fact that travel contracts can be pushed back or even cancelled, so it’s important to have a safety net.
Are you interested in ER travel nurse jobs? The Triage travel nurse jobs board has hundreds of jobs throughout the country.