The Most Successful Travel Nurses Practice These 5 Habits

Nurses are increasingly shunning the routine-ness of a day-to-day staff job for the more exciting and the world of travel nursing. New graduates must slowly accumulate the healthcare-related experience needed before working as a nurse who travels.

With more and more nurses seeking the travel nurse life, the competition for these short-term, high-paying travel assignments is stiff. If you want to stand out, it's always wise to stay on your recruiter's radar.

And in case you're curious as to what you can do to set yourself apart, here are 5 tips worth considering.

1. They respond and reply

Establishing a good relationship with your recruiter is paramount, and successful nurses know that communication works both ways. These types of nurses answer their phones, reply to emails, and are generally quick to text back.

And that two-way street?

Yep. Nurses expect the same from their recruiter as well.

Much documentation will need to be exchanged with your recruiter. It's because of this that timely replies are essential. Especially if you're the nurse looking to snatch the better assignments, some slots fill quickly.

Think of it another way. When you're looking for car insurance and call around for quotes, who will you likely do business with. The agent who calls you back pretty quick and is kind? Or the one who takes days or weeks and seems very off-put?

These traits are the same ones you should give and expect from your recruiter.

2. Their profiles are complete and good to go quickly

Generally speaking, the travel nurse application process can be broken down into parts or phases. The first part is the Apply Now form, which may ask for your email. The second part of the application usually asks for your basic contact information: specialty, years of experience, and state licenses. When you complete the next phase of the application and likely sign some final documentation; this is what the recruiter needs to know that you're ready to rock and roll.

In other words, you, the nurse, hold much power here in this phase and control the speed at which you may be placed.

This final part is your Nurse Profile. This part can take the longest, especially for seasoned nurses who have lots of background and experience. It's also the most critical part, as it gives your recruiter the ammo they need to find the best assignment for you.

When you have this portion of the application filled out, your chances of getting on the road faster increase exponentially.

Getting this done in a timely and efficient manner is a great way to build any relationship.

3. They're super flexible and ready to learn

Whether seasoned or brand new, highly successful travel nurses exude both of these qualities. As a nurse myself, yes, I'm also a nurse, I know firsthand how remaining flexible has earned me many a top assignment.

As an example, you are flexible with the contract start date. Or, if you have the experience, flexibility in where you work can be essential.

It's not only key for you and the recruiter but also for the receiving facility as they'll know right away you're a team player. Who doesn't love working with a nurse that's easy to work with?

With this comes the trust that you'll build with your recruiter, so it's important to trust that they will do their best to place you in the proper role.

4. They carry multiple state RN licenses

Look, the more licenses you have, the more assignments that will be available to you—point-blank.

When this happens, your recruiter will be able to dig deeper into their Rolodex to find the right place for you. Not to mention some states pay much higher wages than others.

Of course, being licensed in a compact state is always a plus from the get-go.

5. Their time-off requests are minimal

Put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter or the facility. And be honest here. How would you feel if your new nurse had a slew of time-off requests, knowing the assignment was for approximately 13-weeks?

It's not to say you should not have time off; let me be clear.

But it does add some complexities to your potential and even current assignments if these get kind of out of hand.

The most successful travel nurses take their assignments because they are ready to hit the ground running in their new roles, new co-workers, and for their new patients. Simply put, they are prepared to work.

Of course, our recruiters will make every effort to work with the facility to provide reasonable accommodations, but applying for assignments that do not overlap long with personal absences will constantly strengthen your chances of landing the job.

The final word

Honing in on these habits will not only propel you to be a better travel nurse but also one of the first to get the call when choice assignments arise.

Want to be top of mind for your recruiter? Make sure your profile is complete and you're ready to roll!