One thing’s for sure: COVID-19 has certainly left its mark on the medical field, and it doesn’t seem to be over yet. Due to the pandemic, jobs in travel nursing have been on the rise, and for good reasons. If you’re considering taking a job as a travel nurse, you’ll want a full picture of what to expect before you sign on the dotted line, and your Express Healthcare recruiter is here to get your questions answered. 

Don’t know what to ask? Before taking a travel nursing job, be sure you find out everything you can about the following 6 topics.

#1 Housing 

Will the agency or organization provide you with adequate housing or is that something you’ll need to do? How does the process of finding accommodations work? You may learn that your employer will have secured on your behalf (through a partnership or their ownership of a particular complex), but you’ll need to know this ahead of time so that you can make plans. 

#2 Travel Expenses

And what about your travel plans and expenses? Will you have a stipend? Or will a coordinator assist you? Either way, travel expenses can add up, so you’ll need to know what is covered and what isn’t so that you can evaluate whether this job will work for your budget.

#3 Securing Your Schedule

Be sure to ask about how your schedule will be dictated. In other words, will someone schedule your assignments for you? Will you have back-to-back assignments or is there no guarantee that you will have work beyond placement #1? Steady work is important, and knowing what to expect will allow you to focus on the job at hand instead of worrying about your future employment.

#4 The Benefits

It’s also vital to know what kind of benefits you will enjoy with a position as a traveling nurse. Will you have vacation days, paid time off, or sick days? Does the agency or organization offer medical insurance or will you need to secure your own from a third party? If you’re going to have to spend a lot of money out-of-pocket, you’d need to know before you make your decision.

#5 Tuition Assistance/Reimbursement

Some agencies will offer tuition assistance or reimbursement to draw top talent to their teams. Ask your recruiter what tuition benefits your agency offers so that you can make the most of your time with them. If you were already planning on continuing your education, tuition assistance can be great for your personal bottom line.

#6 Support from Leadership

Being away on the job can be difficult, so you need to know what kind of programs are in place to ensure that you feel supported by your leadership team. You’ll want to ask how their other traveling employees connect with teams and leadership as they travel. This will help you determine how the agency or organization develops its people.

Taking the Job

Before you accept a job offer as a traveling nurse, get the above questions answered. These important details can make or break your success in this new role. If you ask these questions and you like what you hear, then go for it! If not, let your Express recruiter find something that better fits your needs.