Travel Health Care is one of the answers to the long term shortage of the health care professionals around the country and the world. The Travel Health Care professionals travel around the country, mostly on contract basis (minimum of 13 weeks at one place) and serve the regions that are in need of health care professionals.
The travel health care professionals work for traveling health care professional agencies. Most of these companies employ health care professionals between the ages of 23 to 65 who possess a minimum work experience of one year in their respective health care professions.
The travel healthcare industry started flourishing about two decades ago when staffing companies first started to provide hospitals with short-term solutions. Travel healthcare gives the healthcare professionals, a chance to travel extensively. Due to shortage of workforce in this sector, travel healthcare jobs offer lucrative salaries, flexibility in working hours, opportunities for career enhancement, and of course, the incomparable thrill of the travel experience. The travel healthcare industry started flourishing about two decades ago and today it has grown into a way of life for many allied health professionals. Many healthcare facilities hire travel healthcare professionals as this is the best way to meet the need to have more staff on board.
Job responsibilities of a travel health care professional are many. They need to take good care of patients. For instance, a travel nurse is responsible for patient evaluations, monitoring and tracking vital signs, performing procedures etc. which is similar to what a staff nurse does. The responsibilities may differ based on the level of expertise. Head nurses monitor daily nursing duties to be performed by other nurses. They take care of work schedule and assign work to nursing staff. They sometimes also conduct training sessions. The team performance depends on how well the head nurse carries her duties.
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are responsible for providing the patient care. Nursing assistants are supposed to carry out daily routine tasks under the supervision senior medical professional. Answering the calls of patients, delivering messages, serving meals, making beds and helping patients bathe and eat are some of their duties.
The travel health care professional should possess an earned register license from an accredited health care professional program and at least one year of clinical experience in your particular specialty. A health care certification would be an added advantage.
You need to have a Bachelors of Science in Nursing or an Associate degree in order to be a nurse practitioner. Masters in Nursing will definitely be a great advantage. To be a registered nurse NCLED-RN degree is needed. Also work experience of about three years is required.
The travel health care professionals should be proficient in their respective clinical skills. They should be flexible and adaptable to new situations. Qualities like; being patient, well organized, good at communication skills and interpersonal skills are necessary to become a successful travel health care professional.
Proof of their citizenship, or even the eligibility to work in the United States
Health records, which comprise of recent physical tests like MMR, TB, Hepatitis B, etc.
Some of the current CE course certificates along with certifications and state licenses
Resume and past references
There are many reasons why a healthcare professional should choose to travel, and some are as follows:
- Earn high remunerations and salaries while also getting exceptional benefits
- Easier to save for retirement
- Live for free in private, quality housing
- Opt to get employed in the best teaching hospitals, the most renowned research facilities, the best rehabilitation facilities or even a small rural hospital if that is your choice
- Travel around the country and explore different regions; you can so this with your spouse
- Polish up your résumé by broadening your professional knowledge, skills and competencies
- Meet new people and work in different environments and situations
Travel expenses and housing are most often reimbursed to travel healthcare professions for the duration of their assignment. Furthermore, family and pets are accommodated for a travel healthcare professional. It is quite common for travel healthcare professionals who have friends traveling together.
The salary range is usually between $30,000 and $100,000, but varies depending upon qualifications, experience, and duration and location of the assignment.
For many healthcare facilities, hiring a travel healthcare professional is just right. Travel healthcare professionals can meet the seasonal demands for extra staff, or satisfy a temporary staffing need until a permanent position is filled.
Travel healthcare professionals are usually coordinated by a traveling healthcare agency, for which they have to sign up. The agency will then match the travel healthcare professional's qualifications, skills, and experience with the staffing requirements of different medical facilities all around the country and the world. Assignments specific to individual travel healthcare professionals generally last between eight and twenty six weeks, but fluctuate widely depending on the medical facility's needs.
When choosing a staffing company, travel healthcare professionals should look for the same qualities in a firm, like the following.
- If they are a member of the NATHO or National Association of Travel Healthcare Organizations
- Is the company associated with JCAHO or the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations certified?
- Do they have provision for professional liability and insurance for the professionals they place?
- If they pay their employees regularly
