Three Characteristics of Great Travel Nurses

Traits That Help A Travel Nurse Flourish In Their Career

Generally speaking, the travel nurses we've worked with have reported a very positive experience throughout their career. They enjoy the higher pay, the traveling lifestyle, the flexible work schedule, and the wonderful base of experience they build by working in healthcare facilities throughout the country.

However, this cycle of travel and relocation is not for everyone, and it's a great idea for a potential in the field to do some research to make sure their personality is compatible with the demands of the career.
A Side Note: A full commitment to traveling isn't always necessary. Many who are interested in trying out travel nursing will take a leave of absence from work for a single assignment. If they like it enough, they continue to pursue the career!

Helpful Trait #1: Two Years Of Experience In Nursing

Travel nurses are moving to areas where there is an immediate staffing shortage - hospital training and orientation will be at a minimum. There are some hospitals that are willing to put the time into training new travelers, but these opportunities are few and far between.

Many of the most successful travel nurses can draw on base of experience working in a more permanent environment, so they can hit the ground running when they start the assignment. If you're brand new, this can be a real challenge!

Helpful Trait #2: Adaptability

Travel nurses will find themselves in a wide variety of work environments. Each one will have its own way of doing things, which will sometimes include equipment, procedures and practices that the traveler might not be immediately familiar with. The traveling nurse will also need to have a personality that can meld in easily with many different social environments, so they can blend in with each new team and work well with the rest of the unit.

Similarly, the professional will need to be comfortable adapting to the new area in which they live, and will need to be comfortable being uprooted from one personal social circle to the next. Of course, there is also the benefit of always seeing new places, keeping fresh, and having a never-ending supply of new sights to see.

Helpful Trait #3: Confidence In Yourself

A travel nurse's work environment will be fast-paced, and coworkers are likely to assume that their new addition is a capable, experienced worker. Presenting a calm, professional demeanor will help bring a travel nurse into the team, as well as to help pull the team as a whole together.

A travel nurse will also likely have experiences and training that could be beneficial to the team. By establishing themselves as practiced, competent professionals, they make the team much more receptive to what they can bring to the table, and maximizes how much they are able to positively influence the environment in which they work.

Finding Out If You Have The "Right Stuff"

If you're not sure whether or not you have a compatible personality for this career path, there are many things you can do to research this option. There are multiple books in publication on the topic of travel nurses, as well as blogs, online forums, and websites dedicated to assisting those practicing within the profession. You can speak with agencies, ask others who have worked as travel nurses, and e-mail authors and webmasters who work in the field with questions. It's a friendly community, and they're very responsive!