How to Become a Travel Nurse?

What if you could see new places, gain diverse experience, and earn great pay, while doing the job you love? That’s what travel nursing offers. The employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by 6% from 2023 to 2033. Thus, more nurses are considering travel nursing for its flexibility, higher pay, and a chance to work in new places. But what does it take to start this career?

Unlike permanent nursing roles, travel nurses take short-term assignments in different locations. They help fill staffing shortages in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Exposure to diverse clinical settings lets them explore new cities and earn higher-than-average salaries.

But travel nursing isn’t just about having a degree. You need the licenses, a solid staffing agency, and a clear understanding of the job’s demands. So, how do you get started? Let’s explore a step-by-step breakdown.

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What Are The Key Responsibilities of a Travel Nurse?

Every day as a travel nurse, brings a new challenge. One week, you might be caring for newborns in the NICU, and the next, you’re treating emergency cases in a fast-paced ER. The variety keeps things exciting, but it also means you adapt quickly, work well with different teams, and provide top-quality patient care, no matter where you are. The key responsibilities of a travel nurse include the following: 

• Collaborates with physicians to develop and implement patient care plans.

• Administers medications and monitors patient responses.

• Provides treatments and post-procedure care as per medical protocols.

• Educates patients and families on managing illnesses and recovery.

• Quickly adapts to new work environments and hospital procedures.

• Works with diverse healthcare teams to ensure seamless patient care.

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Steps to Becoming a Travel Nurse

When you choose to become a travel nurse, you open the door to adventure, higher pay, and career flexibility, while making a difference in patient care. With over 1.7 million travel nurse assignments filled each year in the U.S., now is the perfect time to start your journey! You follow the steps below to become a travel nurse:

1. Get the Right Education

To become a travel nurse, you must earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). While both pathways lead to licensure, nearly 65% of RNs now hold a BSN due to employer preferences and better job opportunities. A BSN provides more extensive training in public health, leadership, and research, making it a stronger foundation for travel nursing.

2. Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam

After completing your nursing degree, passing the NCLEX-RN is mandatory. This national licensing exam tests your ability to provide safe, effective care. It covers patient safety, health promotion, and critical nursing concepts.

3. Obtain RN Licensure

Once you pass the NCLEX-RN, you must apply for a nursing license in the state where you plan to practice. Each state has its own Board of Nursing regulations, requiring background checks, education verification, and application fees. Many travel nurses benefit from obtaining a multistate license under the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows them to work across multiple participating states without needing additional credentials.

4. Gain Clinical Experience

Most travel nursing agencies require at least one to two years of experience in an acute care setting. This ensures that nurses adapt quickly to new environments and handle high-pressure situations. Specializing in ICU, ER, or OR increases job opportunities and salary potential. Additional certifications, such as Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), make a nurse more marketable.

5. Complete Background Checks and Keep Certifications Updated

Healthcare facilities conduct background checks to ensure the safety of both patients and staff. Nurses must stay up to date with vaccinations and maintain the required certifications. Continuous education, often through accredited online nursing continuing education units (CEUs), helps nurses renew their licenses and stay up-to-date with industry changes.

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Where Do Travel Nurses Earn the Most in 2025?

If you're thinking of becoming a travel nurse, one of the biggest factors to consider is location. Travel nurse salaries can vary widely by state, with some offering significantly higher pay than others. According to 2025 data from ZipRecruiter, states like Washington, D.C., and New York top the list with some of the highest annual and hourly wages in the country. The given table lists the top 10 highest-paying states for travel nurses in 2025:

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What Makes Travel Nursing the Fastest-Growing Healthcare Career?

More than 1.7 million travel nursing assignments are recorded annually in the U.S., according to data from Zippia (2023). This surge reflects the growing demand for skilled nurses who can fill short-term gaps in hospitals and care facilities across the country. Below are the reasons why travel nursing can be a great career option for you: 

High Demand and Competitive Pay

Hospitals and healthcare facilities across the U.S. depend on travel nurses to cover staffing shortages. As these roles are often in high demand, employers offer higher pay than many full-time positions, along with sign-on bonuses, housing stipends, and travel reimbursements, to attract qualified professionals.

Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

Travel nurses choose their assignments, locations, and contract lengths. This flexibility allows for better work-life balance, giving nurses time to explore new cities or take breaks between contracts without being tied to a full-time job.

Career Growth and Specialization

Working in different hospitals helps nurses expand their clinical knowledge and expertise in specialized areas, such as the intensive care unit (ICU), emergency room (ER), or pediatrics. This experience boosts their resume and opens doors to leadership or advanced practice roles.

Beyond professional growth, travel nursing offers an exciting lifestyle. Nurses can explore new cities, cultures, and cuisines while earning a salary. Many assignments also provide housing, making relocation a seamless and hassle-free process.

Starting a career in travel nursing involves strategic decision-making and planning. With this pointer on how to become a travel nurse, find resources to search for opportunities.

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What Qualities Help Travel Nurses Succeed?

Travel nursing is more than just a job. It's a mix of learning, caring, and adapting to new places quickly. To do well, travel nurses need a few key skills that help them work smoothly wherever they go, some of which include: 

• Flexibility and Adaptability: Travel nurses should be able to adapt rapidly to new settings and procedures. Patient care becomes seamless and effective in differing environments.

• High Clinical Skills and Critical Thinking Ability: Strong knowledge of clinical skills and the ability to make effective, timely decisions on different types of medical issues.

• Good Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Sound working with multigenerational groups and effective patient communication for efficient outcomes.

• Independence to Work: Travel nurses tend to work with less supervision. They work without supervision, requiring a certain level of freedom and trust in their nursing skills.

• Cultural Competency: Culturally aware and sensitive healthcare providers promote stronger patient relationships and higher-quality care.

These attributes of a travel nurse help to achieve productivity and personal satisfaction. 

Your Travel Nursing Future Starts Here!

Travel nursing offers flexibility, better compensation, and the chance to experience diverse clinical settings. From earning an ADN or BSN degree to passing the NCLEX-RN exam, obtaining licensure, and gaining hands-on experience, all these steps are important to achieving success. 

Learning to deal with professional agencies, understanding employment contracts, and keeping certifications up to date can help ensure a stress-free career transition. Travel nursing demands flexibility, excellent clinical proficiency, and independence. Now that you know how to become a travel nurse, start your nurse practitioner courses today. Find fulfilling travel nursing assignments throughout the country!

References:

• https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/Nursing-Workforce-Projections-Factsheet.pdf

• https://bhw.hrsa.gov/data-research/projecting-health-workforce-supply-demand/technical-documentation/nursing?

• https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/data-research/nssrn-education-training-report.pdf?