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4 Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Travel Nursing Assignment

August 26, 2015 Posted by Remede in Blog

Travel nursing is a great opportunity to see the country while sharing your skills and talents with other health professionals. Unfortunately, nurses who don’t do their research may be in for a rude awakening upon arrival. Here are four questions every travel nurse should ask before accepting a position.

  1. Will I Be Required to Float?

Most travel nurses are required to do some degree of floating among different departments. However, nurses who lack experience in a particular area, like the ICU, may not feel comfortable floating to that area. According to The Joint Commission Standards, you can only be floated to areas where you are competent to perform.  If you are being asked to float outside of your area of skill and experience, you should discuss with management so as not to jeopardize patient safety. Asking about floating requirements upfront can help you feel more comfortable about a position while preventing unpleasant surprises upon arrival.

  1. What Benefits Are Available?

Like employees in other fields, travel nurses surely ask about their salaries before taking on new jobs. However, if you’re new to the career, you may not remember to ask about other compensation details including housing and other reimbursement details. To protect your budget, inquire about all possible benefits associated with the position, including transportation, housing, food and incidental allowances and health insurance.

  1. Are My Hours Guaranteed?

It’s not uncommon for nurses to be called off when patient counts are low. However, travel nurses may make the mistake of assuming their hours are guaranteed, since the hospital in question is short staffed. For best results, ask about hours and find out if you’ll still get paid on days when you don’t work.

  1. How Often Are Contracts Extended?

By definition, travel nurses take different jobs around the country. However, if you love your new position, you may want to stay a little longer, and it’s helpful to know if that’s a possibility upfront. Before accepting your new travel nursing gig, take the time to ask if the hospital in question ever extends employee contracts.

Let Remede Help with Your Nursing Job Search

Our travel nursing candidates are constantly thinking of others, and we try to return the favor by helping them secure great positions at hospitals and health centers nationwide. From finding you the best job opportunities to making sure you impress and ask the right questions during the interview, our team is there every step of the way. Get started today and view our travel nursing jobs online or call to speak to someone at our office.