How to Choose a Travel Nurse Company

According to "Fast Facts for the Travel Nurse; Travel Nursing in a Nutshell," 85 percent of travel nurses enjoyed the opportunity and would consider working as a travel nurse again. The accommodations, contract commitments and pay associated with each travel nursing job varies greatly from one travel nursing company to the next, according to "Travel Nursing: Your Ultimate Guide." Choosing the best travel nurse company for you can be a challenging process, but ultimately a rewarding decision.

Instructions

1

Choose where you want to travel and how long you want to stay. Nursing travel agencies commonly offer contracts for as short as four weeks and as long as four months.

2

Determine how many days you want to work while travel nursing. Typically, three 12-hour days are scheduled each week for travel nurses, but some flexibility may be available.

3

Decide if you will be traveling alone or with a partner, children or pets. Some travel nursing companies will accommodate travel partners and others will not.

4

Contact travel nursing companies and ask if travel nursing opportunities are available in the places and for the length of time you determined you were interested in during Step 1.

5

Discuss with the companies' representatives if a schedule that will suit your needs is available. If applicable, discuss if the partners you decided to bring along in Step 3 will be accommodated.

6

Negotiate an acceptable rate of pay with the travel nursing agencies. Typically, travel nursing companies charge hospitals a fee for each hour you work there. The agency then pays you a lower fee and keeps the difference as profit. This allows you to negotiate for a higher rate of pay.

7

Review the terms of the proposed contracts presented to you by the travel nursing companies you are interested in working with. Be certain to carefully review the terms of your pay. Some travel nursing companies do not guarantee a certain weekly wage and only pay for time actually worked. Others will guarantee a weekly wage even if you are told by the facility you are working at that you are no longer needed for the day.

8

Select the travel nursing company that presents the best offer for your needs and desires.