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America's need for travelling nurses

This article examines travelling nurses in America. A travelling nurse is a nurse who is recruited through a travel nursing agency to temporarily fill in a permanent position in a specific location. America’s need for travelling nurses has been caused by a shortage in personnel. Not always due to an insufficient supply of trained nurses, but a combination of seasonal fluctuations, hospital expansions, understaffing, and holidays has contributed to the increasing need for experienced, temporary nurses. To become a travelling nurse, one must first complete an accredited college nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. The demand for travelling nurses in America is expected to rise as the older population continues to grow larger. By 2020, it is estimated that there will be 1.2 million nursing openings in the United States.

America's Need

Travelling nurses are very important in America. These nurses are important because they provide hospitals with a selection of experienced staff to fill in for a temporary amount of time. The Health Resources and Services Administration reported that about 30 states have shortages in registered nurses and that by 2020 there will be 44 states with shortages. Because there is a general demand everywhere, nurses can generally have their pick of locations. This gives certain cities more difficulty with keeping skilled nurses based on their locations. Unfortunately for the hospitals in rural areas, attracting a travelling nurse to their state and facility can become quite challenging. While all states are seeing a high demand across the country, there are some areas with an increased need. Certain areas of the country require more nurses simply because more people are living in those respective states. Cities in states such as California, Florida, Arizona, and Texas with higher populations have greater demands. The most common reason for hospitals hiring travelling nurses is seasonal demand, according to a 2011 study by KPMG. A lead cause for hiring travelling nurses cited by nearly half of hospitals surveyed was seasonal influx, especially in states like Arizona and Florida, which have a large winter retiree population. Recent projections suggest that 71.4 million people will be age 65 or older by the year 2029. The rising population of elderly people age 65 and older will make up about 20 percent of the U.S. population. With an aging population, the trend of nursing shortages in certain areas will probably continue, yielding higher demand for the travelling nurse in America.

Requirements & Prerequisites

To become a travelling nurse in America, one is required to first complete an accredited college nursing program. Once the necessary credentials are obtained the nursing student must pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and subsequently earn experience from one to one and a half years in a hospital setting of the specialty that is desired to be practiced. Although a Bachelor Degree in Nursing is not needed, all facilities require their nurses to have a minimum of an Associate of Science in Nursing Degree. Certain specialties also require additional certifications such as the ACLS, PALS, NIH stroke scale, and CCRN. While travelling between different states is common in this profession, unless the nurse is licensed and working in a state that is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, the nurse will need to obtain an RN license for the particular states they wish to work in. Before a nurse is able to begin their first assignment, most agencies will also require a current physical and specific immunizations. 

Travelling Assignments

Travelling nurses in America receive their assignments through travel nursing agencies, such as Travel Nurse across America. While conditions vary by company, the assignments typically last 13 weeks but can range from 4-20 weeks. Although these assignments are temporary, it is not uncommon for a facility to offer back to back contracts or sometimes even a full time position.