How To Become a Travel-Certified Nursing Assistant?

When it comes to nursing, there are several reasons why a facility would need to hire a travel nurse. It could be due to issues keeping skilled nurses in a particular location—seasonal population increases or an excepted leave of absence. Because many areas need skilled nurses, many are completely willing to take on skilled travel nurses for short periods to provide an excellent quality of care to their patients.

The Benefits of Being a Travel Nurse

The great thing about being a travel-certified nursing assistant is that you can choose where you work, what specialty you will be working in, and how long you will be working there. You can expect an excellent salary as a travel nurse and often have all your housing and travel expenses taken care of while receiving a full benefits package. You will find that a travel nurse is usually paid more than a staff nurse, and the money that they earn is normally tax-free since the nurse is traveling more than fifty miles from their home.

Another great thing about the pay you can receive as a travel nurse is that you can make more money by extending your contract at a particular hospital or taking an assignment at a higher-need hospital.

As far as benefits go, as a travel nurse, you get to see places all over the country. You normally spend three months on each assignment, allowing you to learn all about a certain area of the country and make new friends. You can enjoy all kinds of different cultures, foods, and types of entertainment.

So, How Do You Get Started as A Travel Certified Nursing Assistant?

When you want to get started as a travel certified nursing assistant you need to attend CNA school. When you become a CNA, you will attend school for two to four years. As soon as you have attained registered nurse status, you must pass the CNA state exam and spend at least one year specializing in a specialty you wish to practice. Depending on where you practice, you, as a travel nurse, may need to pick up additional certifications. Having several certifications on your resume is highly recommended so you can gain plenty of work as a travel nurse. You want to ensure you can demonstrate your competency in a particular field. Quite a few nursing agencies require their travel nurses to have a physical, a TB test, and specific immunizations to start their first assignment. You will be ready to take on your first assignment as a travel nurse as soon as you have completed all of these requirements.

Locating Positions as a Travel Certified Nursing Assistant

When you want to find a position as a travel nurse, you should have a fairly simple time doing so, as highly skilled nurses are always in demand. You will want to look for a staffing agency that can offer you multiple opportunities so that you can compare your options better. A great benefit of many of these staffing agencies is that you will be offered healthcare, retirement, housing, and reimbursement for travel.

Staffing agencies should be able to offer you positions nationwide, so you can interview at various locations and see which location will be the best fit for you. You will find that most assignments will last around 12-13 weeks. So, the time investment is fairly minimal if you do not like where your position is. However, many nurses are offered an extension if they like their job after their period is up.

What’s next after CNA School and Certification?

You will be ready to select your assignment as soon as you get your education and find a staffing agency you want to work with. You want to keep an open mind when choosing your assignment, while you may not find an assignment in the exactly city that you are hoping for you just might find one close by. Since you need an RN license in a specific state to be able to practice there, you will need to discuss with your recruiter about a compact RN license, which will allow you to practice in different states.

As a travel nurse, you will receive many benefits, including house opportunities near the facility where you will be working, retirement plans, insurance, and a very competitive salary. Many staffing agencies will offer signing bonuses to travel nurses after they complete their first placement. If you are a nurse who enjoys traveling and experiencing new environments, you should look into becoming a travel Certified Nursing Assistant.