As a veteran travel nurse, I’ve experienced the highs and lows of both traveling with a full-support agency vs with little to no support. Reflecting on my journey, the value of having a dedicated agency behind me cannot be overstated. Here’s why full-support agencies make all the difference in the success of your travel nursing assignment.
Finding the Perfect Assignment
One of the biggest challenges in travel nursing is landing assignments that align with your goals and lifestyle. A good recruiter and agency work tirelessly to understand your preferences and career aspirations, finding assignments that not only pay well but also fit your desired location and work-life balance. The constant communication between you and your recruiter is essential for your success as a travel nurse. Early in the process you communicate your preferences, deal breakers and must haves when it comes to finding the perfect travel assignment that aligns with your goals and your recruiter goes to work while keeping your best interest at heart. An agency that uses a bot or automated system cannot adequately understand or know your real life preferences. Most often, your full support agency recruiter sees jobs on their end before they ever get posted to a website or job board so they can submit you to jobs in “real time” so your profile is more likely to be the first one on that hiring manager’s desk. This streamlined job search process is so important because time is of the essence when it comes to travel nursing and it is a highly competitive field. Agencies with strong industry relationships often have access to exclusive job opportunities. They can secure positions in top-tier hospitals that might be difficult to get on your own. This efficiency is crucial in the fast-paced world of travel nursing and the personal touch is something I’ve come to rely on, ensuring that each assignment is a step forward in my career.
Navigating Pay, Benefits, and Housing
Negotiating pay and benefits can be daunting and downright overwhelming. With a full-support agency, you have experts advocating for you, ensuring you receive competitive compensation packages. Recruiters have a deep understanding of industry standards and can negotiate better pay and benefits on your behalf. Your recruiter serves as your advocate and I encourage you to always negotiate your pay packages, if you don’t ask then the answer is always no. My agency recommendation offers day one comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, credentialing, licensure support, and even mental health resources—benefits I wouldn’t have access to if I were navigating this journey solo and a benefit that sets them apart from others. Additionally, housing support is a game-changer. Instead of spending hours searching for safe and reliable accommodation, your agency can handle it all, providing peace of mind and freeing up time to focus on my assignment and time off.
Licensing, Credentialing, and Administrative Support
Travel nursing involves a lot of paperwork—licensing, credentialing, and various administrative tasks. When I was on my own, these tasks were a time-consuming hassle. Another huge perk of going with an agency with full support is you are assigned a designated QA specialist to help get your documents and tasks finished quickly and efficiently. This is a daunting task nonetheless and they not only work very closely with you but also the facility that you will be traveling to. If all of your QA tasks are not completed in a timely manner, your start date could be delayed. My agency now takes care of these details, allowing me to concentrate on patient care. They also cover quality assurance costs, saving me both time and money.
Dedicated Support
Having a dedicated support team is invaluable, especially when things don’t go as planned. Whether it’s resolving workplace issues or providing career guidance, knowing you have a reliable recruiter that can connect you with a clinical team of nurses that are available 24/7 makes a huge difference. They are a team that you often don’t know you need until you do. I have had issues arise unexpectedly while on assignment that I have utilized this dedicated team for and the outcome may not have ended well without their guidance and support. My recruiter knows me personally and is always just a phone call away—no bots, no generic responses, just real, personalized support.
More Time for Adventure
As a travel nurse, exploring new places and having adventures is what it’s all about for most of us. Working with a full-support agency has made all the difference. They handle all the logistical headaches, giving you more time to enjoy your surroundings and less time worrying about time-consuming administrative tasks. This balance will allow you to fully embrace the travel nurse lifestyle!
Traveling with a full-support agency has transformed my career and personal life. The peace of mind, comprehensive support, and enhanced job opportunities are just a few reasons why I choose to work with a dedicated agency. If you’re considering travel nursing, I highly recommend opting for an agency that offers full support—you’ll not only advance your career but also enrich your travel experiences.