As an emergency room nurse (E.R. nurse), the opportunity to work in different settings including urgent care centers and emergency departments are always present. A career as an E.R. nurse provides the excitement and adrenaline rush for registered nurses looking for action packed scenes inside the hospital.
Emergency room nurses are very much in demand and there are numerous ER nurse jobs available in different settings. It may even allow ER nurses to travel to exciting locations.
Emergency nurses would get an average salary (as of June 2008) according to www.nursezone.com is $59,227. A travelling ER nurse can expect to make at least as much or more every year including housing, insurance and other benefit due to the high need of their expertise and skills and understaffed facilities.
Travel nursing was developed in response to the nursing shortage. With travel nursing, nurses are relocated for short term nursing positions. Travel nurses are offering incentives ranging from relocation assistance and furnished housing to stipends and bonuses to qualified registered nurses and health professionals.
But there are additional costs of being a traveller. Costs would included additional licensing costs and travelling costs. These costs can be reimbursed based on the company, recruiter and of course, your negotiation skills.
Nurses often dream of combining their medical growth and seeing the world. But a nurse should always be prepared. A successful traveller requires good financial planning, a flexible outlook, knowing what companies and recruiters to deal with and how to negotiate.
Of course, salary for travel nurses widely varies. Salary is based on the location, need of the hospital or the nursing unit. Perceived staffing needs by the unit manager and still, on the ability of the traveller to negotiate. Generally, areas in the southern United States pay less than areas in the north or west. Housing costs can also have an impact on the salary as well, since housing can be part of the benefits a travel nurse will receive. In terms of picking out the location an E.R. nurse wants to practice her profession, she would need to consider the process of applying a nursing license in the state to be assigned.
Currently, 17 states belong the Nursing Licensure Compact. With this Compact, a nurse who is under any of these 17 states may practice in other states. They would have to follow the laws and regulations of the state in which they are practicing.
A travelling E.R. nurse is can have a staff position which is frequently in critical care settings. Many jobs or positions available as a travel nurse would be in critical care. It is also essential for a registered nurse who wants to be travel nurse to possess background in critical care. Adaptability, flexibility and capable of easily making friends are also some characteristics present in a travelling E.R. nurse.
Some drawbacks in being a travelling E.R. nurse is that there is often little or no time to get oriented at the new location and moving from place to place every three months (average). Issues in obtaining licensure and paying taxes are also some major drawbacks in this profession.
A travelling E.R. nurse with this kind of profession would have the chance to meet new people. She would even have the chance to grow personally and professionally since exposure to different working conditions is inevitable. This opportunity provides a venue for E.R. nurses to experience different facilities and enhance their medical knowledge at the same travel around the country, even the world! It is the best of both worlds.