Throughout The Pandemic, What’s The Finest Nursing Job?

COVID-19 has resulted in head-spinning census shifts, leading to nursing shortages in COVID “sizzling areas,” whereas different services have furloughed nurses in preparation for the anticipated rise in instances. America instantly discovered there have been inadequate nurses in locations severely hit by the virus.

To the Rescue: Journey Nurses

Journey nurses are a definite part of the nursing career. Whereas they account for lower than 1% of nurses, their numbers are increasing as extra nurse’s volunteer to help services in COVID-19 sizzling zones. In keeping with American Cell Healthcare, a journey nurse staffing enterprise, extra nurses will settle for journey assignments in 2020 than at any level in its 30-year historical past. This demonstrates the lengths to which our nation’s nurses will journey to help their fellow healthcare professionals and supply superior affected person care.

Why Ought to I Journey Nursing? Why Now?

There’s a excessive demand for journey nurses. Hospital employees is swamped with COVID-19 and different sufferers, and a few nurses have gotten contaminated, creating an pressing want for a versatile nursing workforce to deal with staffing gaps. Aya Healthcare, a journey nurse company acknowledged by Becker’s Healthcare as one of many prime 150 locations to work in 2019, now has over 12,000 nursing and allied healthcare positions listed on their web site.

Journey nursing is kind of profitable. Previous to the pandemic, journey nurses earned a mean of $1,673 per week. Journey nurse wage has elevated to virtually $4,000 per week (in some conditions), with a mean of roughly $3,500. Keep in mind that these “disaster pay” charges are being provided in response to the pandemic, and the utmost charges could also be accessible solely in areas with a excessive COVID-19 case depend.

Journey companies are rising their assist for passengers, together with 24-hour hotlines and instruments for psychological well being.

Is Journey Nursing Proper for You?

Journey nursing is a rewarding profession possibility, however it’s not for everybody. Journey nurses should be adaptable to totally different environment and possess a excessive stage of confidence of their nursing talents. Being a brand new nurse and being away from house for months at a time is perhaps disturbing.

Moreover, on account of the epidemic, journey nursing has developed. Regardless of the rise in wage, many skilled journey nurses are declining assignments attributable to worry of the virus or exhaustion from front-line work. Journey nurses these days should be dedicated to their sufferers and frequently ready to take care of a wide range of difficult situations. Nevertheless, should you’re a nurse who enjoys touring and thrives on new experiences, journey nursing stands out as the ideally suited profession for you.

The Significance of Selecting a Journey Nursing Company

When considering a journey nursing company, it’s essential for nurses to ask the suitable questions to make sure they’ve the entire info essential to make your best option for themselves. These inquiries might embrace the next:

• Is there a 24-hour hotline obtainable for scientific questions, in addition to debriefing and psychological well being help?
• Can an incoming nurse talk with an skilled nurse working in that area previous to accepting the project?
• How seemingly is the termination of a contract, and what does this signify for the worker?
• Will I nonetheless be compensated if I’m required to quarantine?
• What bills is the company accountable for?
• Can I accompany a good friend on an project?

Necessities for Licensing

The vast majority of journey nursing businesses require that you just maintain an energetic registered nurse (RN) license in your state of residence. Sure services completely rent nurses with a bachelor’s diploma. Sometimes, a journey nurse from a state that’s not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact should acquire a separate license in every state through which they need to function. Nurses with compact nursing licenses might follow in any compact state; nonetheless, they have to acquire a brand new license to follow in a non-compact state. Nevertheless, because of the pandemic’s skill to unfold quickly in various areas, states have relaxed their compact licensing requirements to permit out-of-state nurses to acquire assignments rapidly.

Expertise Is Crucial

The vast majority of businesses require at the very least one yr of expertise, and sure specialty areas are extra in demand than others. In keeping with executives at Cross Nation Healthcare staffing service, the group has witnessed a rise in demand for journey nurses in ICU, telemetry, med-surg, and ER, in addition to new alternatives in screener, contract tracer, and triage jobs.

Journey nurses will proceed to be in excessive demand so long as the nation continues to see outbreaks of the sickness. Even when hospitals resume regular operations, this may increasingly lead to a rise in elective surgical procedures and momentary staffing shortages.

In the event you’re an adventurous nurse seeking to make a distinction in sufferers’ lives, this can be your likelihood to shine as a journey nurse in a difficult but fulfilling profession.