Seasonal shortages were what originally gave rise to contract nurses and health professionals.Parts of the US that had a seasonal spike in population (warmer climates during traditional vacation times) needed extra staff to handle the inevitable increase in health care related services. This eventually lead to travel nursing industry we have today. Now there are many more facilities around the country using temporary staffing in the form of travel nurses than ever before.

Temporary staffing is an efficient way for hospitals to staff themselves without taking on long-term overhead. Today there is a shortage of nurses as well as many other health care specialists almost everywhere in the United States. Often times this short staffing can mean a loss of revenue and more likely a stressed out permanent staff. Contract help in the form of traveling nurses is generally more expensive in the short term but it does meet the short term need of health care providers.

It is expected that the nursing shortage will continue to grow as the baby boom generation starts to pressure an already overburdened health care system. There will, most likely be a need for travelers for the next 20 or 30 years, even if the shortage is reduced. There will still be seasonal needs, and many regions of the country will always have temporary needs.

Health care staffing agencies act as the intermediary between a traveler and the health care service provider. They bill the hospital (or another vendor) for the contracted rates, and pay the traveling nurse as an agency employee.

To provide a little industry jargon: the term often used for a traveling, contract health professional is ‘traveler’. This term may apply to a respiratory therapist, surgical technologist, or RN.

Per diem nurses are different from traveling, contract nurses. Per diem nurses are employees of the hospital where they work. Per diem nurses are often paid a higher hourly rate, but often are not offered employment benefits that traveling nurses under contract to an agency are offered. Benefits for a contract nurse are often the same as those offered to a full time nurse in a health care facility. (Benefits like health, and dental insurance, and 401K plans). Contract durations vary as do the shifts assigned to the contract nurse. In addition contract traveling nurses (or “travelers”) often have expenses such as housing, travel, license, parking, car rental, and certain other costs.

If you decide to pursue opportunities as a travel health care professional you should seek a health care staffing agency that fits your goals and that you feel you could have a good relationship with for an extended period of time. After a successful interview and verbal agreement to contract, details between the agency and the candidate will be established. If you do not have a license for the state where a proposed assignment is you will need to get one first. Often the agency will help you accomplish this. The state where the assignment is may have some specific CEU requirements before licensure. You will probably have to do some mandatory testing with the agency, such as OSHA, HIPAA, fire and safety, and age related competencies.

Travel nursing is an exciting possibility for experienced nurses. It takes a certain type of personality to enjoy the possibilities of travel nursing. You must be able to embrace change on a consistent basis, enjoy variety in management and environment. The benefits can also extend to opportunities to participate in other nursing specialties, exploring new locations, and changing environments.