Travel Nursing Jobs: A Fulfilling Career in Healthcare
Travel nurses are the superheroes of the hospital. You swoop in when hospitals need you most: when they’re understaffed when their nurses are sick, when they’re going through transitions. The travel nursing jobs in Georgia is to help the patients in those hospitals feel safe during frightening illnesses. And you travel around the country, honing your skills, collecting best practices, and learning how to deliver the best care in every situation.
A traveling nurse is specifically trained to assist homebound or chronically ill patients or help hospitals and other medical settings when the staff is in shortage. The main characteristic of this occupation is traveling to various locations, including patients’ residences. There are some traveling RNs who have to travel between clinics, hospitals as well as schools. Although the prerequisite for this occupation is the standard nursing license, some other requirements vary, outlined later in the article.
Travel Nurses
Travel RNs have considerable significance in the healthcare industry. Many terminally ill or ancient patients require constant care but are unable to leave homes. For such patients, there is no other option. They need someone to administer medical care and monitor their progress and take care of their needs.
Another important job of theirs is to visit faraway schools for the medication of specific students. They can work either with any health service organization or independently as well.
How to Become a Travel RN?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the education requirements for travel nurses vary for each individual and mostly depend on the kind of employer he/she is looking to be hired by. Most healthcare agencies or individual employers look for hiring registered nurses (RN) or licensed practical nurses (LPN).
Licensed Nurse
To become a licensed practical nurse, one must obtain a high school diploma and a certificate issued by a nursing training program. Be advised that only those training programs are considered authentic that are approved by a government agency.
To become an RN, the candidate must earn either a bachelor’s or at least an associate’s degree in nursing. A few traveling nurses specialize in gerontology or physical rehabilitation by earning a graduate degree, which increases the number of opportunities many times.
As far as the certification is concerned, employers and local jurisdictions both have varying licensure standards. For being certified as an RN or an LPN, one has to pass an exam, which is commonly referred to as the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The local and state agencies that govern health-related occupations administer the certification.
Another agency that certifies healthcare professionals is the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC). Traveling RNs mostly prefer this since it relates more to their specific profession. NAHC requires an entry test, a membership fee, and involves the candidates finishing 75 hours of specific coursework that concentrates on homebound patients’ healthcare.