Two years experience, Neuro ICU, want to start traveling, lots of questions

Hey, I am a 24 year old nurse who's worked in a level-1 well respected teaching hospital for 2 years in our neruo ICU. I've started planning on traveling, probably at the end of the year, and I am super excited, but also a little overwhelmed and have a lot of questions and I don't know the best way to get the right answers, because there are SO MANY things out there about travel nursing, and lots of websites I don't really know if I can trust.

First big one is if you think I have enough experience to travel- clearly my experience is critical care, but neuro critical care is VERY different from other critical units, so thinking about working in another specialty, I know I'll have lots of questions, etc. My unit also has a neuro stepdown (which gets overflow from other teams a lot), so I don't know if it would be better to try to travel to that type of floor? I definitely don't want to end up in a situation where I feel unsafe, and I know I need to be able to hit the ground running wherever I go. I suppose some of that just comes from knowing I need to get back to the books and do some personal refreshers on some things before I take a new job. Would you recommend taking the CCRN? I haven't yet, but it's something I've thought about. However, I also know I don't want to be a critical care nurse forever...

Second big one is how does anyone ever pick a company to travel with? There are so many, and I just literally have no idea where to start and how to start sifting out the good ones from the masses. I don't have any friends or contacts that have travel nursed, so I don't have any good people to turn to who have past experience to give me advice here. This is kind of one of the biggest hold ups I have right now. I have a family friend who started recruiting with Soliant a year ago, so right now that's basically the only company I have any information or connection with.

Some smaller questions:

- I currently hold a TN multi-state license, and am a TN resident; my parents live in georgia, and i'm thinking about moving back home with them "officially" for less stress/headache on "permanent address front", but is it a better idea to try to keep my multi-state license? Wouldn't I need a permanent TN address to do this? All the legality of state residency kind of confuses me.

- At first I thought about trying to start in January, but then I thought starting in December would probably be easier/less competition for new travel jobs, since it'll be my first one. Is that a true/wise assessment?

- Haven't revamped my resume since I graduated college. Does anyone have an example resume/write up of hospital experience? I don't know how I'm supposed to phrase my experience or "common procedures" etc. and what is considered obvious, and what is considered note worthy, etc. Usually I turn to my dad for resume advice, because he's a business consultant, but I'm not sure how much advice he can have for the medical side of things that he doesn't understand.

- Any other advice, tips, links to good places to get those, etc? for a new travel nurse. I know there is tons of information already out there, but like I said, it can be a little overwhelming to even begin to discern which information is actually worth reading or listening to.

Overall, I am very excited to take this step and get to gain more experience and get to taste what other cities and hospitals, etc. are like. I am in general a very energetic, excited, proactive, thoughtful, and caring person. My favorite thing about nursing is the connections I can make with patients and families, and I know wherever I am I will be able to do that.

your experience is great but it will limit u to only a neuro floor or neuro ICU..Not too many jobs in that specific area as these are combined w ICU in general..also only big hospital have separate neuro and this will limit your travel options also.. So since u don't want to be a neuro icu forever, apply for a different position at your hospital to gain other experiences.. before u travel. Try ED, PACU etc. or surgical. just 1 year of a new floor will do. You will be too limited if you go now.

Also Erin check some travel websites and the available postings, this will give you an idea of areas and job opportunities. I don't see any postings under straight neuro. Try Cross Country trav corp and RN NETWORK websites.

Thanks for the reply. I'm wondering though, because I do have experience with stepdown, since we float to our 12-bed stepdown on a regular basis, and I also receive patients straight from the OR often, does this not already count as PACU or stepdown experience as well?

I definitely don't want to travel before I'm ready, but at the same time, I have the itch now. I'm not sure if I have the patience for another year where I am now! I'm really needing a change in my life. (Of course, a new job is obviously a change, too...) I am a fast learner.

Yes stepdown does give you the experience to apply to a step down and use your neuro skills, this makes u more marketable.
Recovering pt. s is a plus, not sure if that makes u eligible for a PACU job... But those are far and few between.
So you know tele/interpretation, and what type of stepdown,,, mixed is better, as in Surgical, DKA, Strokes. trauma,.ARDS, vents.
You must see that at a large hospital.
Let me know.. but think you should be ok with stepdown.. meanwhile check travel websites for stepdown or PCU jobs. and get ready to talk with a few recruiters...

Erin,

Welcome to fun world of Travel Nursing. You are not looking at all the experience that you have gained in Neuo ICU. I suggest that you real sit back and think about all the different problems you encountered and really kook at how good of a nurse you and all the skills you use in your daily work life.

I an just returning to travel nursing as I had to take care of my mom in here last 4 years of life. I really suggest that you do your home work on housing. I just completed an assignment in Odessa, TX. Incan say that the hospital was a very wonderful rewarding experience. housing SUCKED. I had to share a house with 5 guys who thought I was their mom and maid...NOT. There is no housing to be had in that town due to an oil boom. Basically do our homework.

I work for Travel Nurse Across America hand have nothing but praise about the company. My handler is Olivia Carper and she is alway on the ball and helps me with all the problems that I may have or she prevents them from occurring.

Good luck on being a Travel Nurse.