Test Your Knowledge of Travel Nursing

You’re ready for a change of pace and are considering travel nursing — but do you know what these opportunities can really offer you?

Test your knowledge of travel nursing by taking our short quiz below; then scroll down to see the answers and find out how you scored.

1. You must have many years of nursing experience before you can become a travel nurse.

• True
• False

2. Most travel nurses work in rural areas that are hard to staff.

• True
• False

3. Your staffing agency pays for your housing.

• True
• False

4. Travel nursing jobs require a 13-week commitment.

• True
• False

5. You must take a travel nursing job far from your home.

• True
• False

6. You can’t bring your family and pets on a travel nursing assignment.

• True
• False

7. Nurse travelers must get their own health insurance.

• True
• False

8. You can’t apply for jobs in other states unless you have licenses there.

• True
• False

9. Travel nurses get the shifts no one else wants.

• True
• False

10. Travel nursing assignments look good on a resume.

• True
• False

Answers:

1. False. RNnetwork requires just one year of clinical nursing experience and recommends one year of experience in your specialty before you become a travel nurse. While tenured nurses with years of practice are welcomed, new nurses who are just beginning their careers bring a fresh perspective to facilities as well.

2. False. Travel nurses can take jobs in all of the 50 states, in both rural and urban areas, and at both large and small facilities. Nursing assignments are available in underserved areas and can be very rewarding, but you have a variety of settings — and places — to choose from when working as a travel nurse.

3. True. Your staffing agency will provide free, private, semi-furnished housing for you while you’re on assignment. If you’d like to find your own apartment, you can take the housing stipend instead. Make sure to tell your recruiter if you have any problems with your housing or if you need specific accommodations. To see what’s included in our housing, read “What to Bring on Your Travel Nursing Assignment.”

4. False. The industry standard for travel nursing jobs is 13 weeks, but assignments range from four weeks to (occasionally) 52 weeks. Talk to your recruiter to see if longer or shorter assignments are available.

5. False. In order to be eligible for tax benefits, you must take a travel nursing assignment that isn’t within commuting distance of your home (about 100 miles in rural areas). However, you can take assignments just a few hours from your hometown, sometimes in the same state, or in a neighboring state if you prefer to work closer to home. Moving across the country for a temporary assignment isn’t required (though it’s one of the reasons some nurses enjoy travel nursing).

6. False. Many of our nurses travel with another nurse or bring their spouse, partner and children along — and pets are welcome, too! If you do plan to travel with someone else or bring a dog or cat along, just let your recruiter know so he or she can make sure your housing accommodates everyone.

7. False. One of the biggest perks of working as a travel nurse is that you receive health, vision and dental insurance through your staffing agency. RNnetwork provides these benefits your first day on the job, as well as a 401(k) plan, employee assistance program and continuing education courses.

8. False. You do need a state nursing license for every state in which you take travel nursing assignments, but you can apply for those jobs while waiting for your license to process. RNnetwork’s licensing team will help you get state licenses as well and reimburse you for the cost.

9. False. You can work with your recruiter to determine your schedule, including the number of hours you’ll work each week and the shifts you’ll cover. It doesn’t hurt to volunteer for difficult-to-fill shifts while you’re on assignment if you can manage them, because you’ll quickly gain rapport with other staff members, but you can be upfront about your schedule when you sign a contract.

10. True. Despite what you may think, having varied work experience on your resume, even if it means taking short assignments and moving every few months, can be an asset. You’ll learn to work in lots of different facilities and with many types of patients, and your experience in either rural or urban healthcare centers will be invaluable.

How did you score? Learn more about this career option by reading “Five Reasons to Try Travel Nursing,” and check out our open travel nurse jobs.