How to Do Travel Nursing With Children

Travel nursing can be an exciting career. The industry took off in the 1980s and is still in high demand due to staffing issues. Travel nurses can work around the country, taking assignments where they're available. They can even choose to stay close to their hometown and commute to different locations. The length of the assignments will vary depending on the needs of the employer. Many travel nurses have children and are able to strike a balance between traveling and their children's schedules.

Things You'll Need

• Nursing degree

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Instructions

• 1

  Obtain your nursing degree. You will need to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Many colleges offer either a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor's degree in nursing that can prepare you to earn the RN credential.

• 2

  Pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) exam. The NCLEX-RN is a test provided by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) that will certify you as a nurse. You must answer 50% or more of the challenging questions correctly to pass. Study guides for the exam are available.

• 3

  Work for a year as nurse. Most companies require travel nurses to have a minimum of a year of on-the-job experience before they will consider hiring them.Travel nurses fill in based on need and all areas are sought, but there is an increase in demand for specialized areas. These include outpatient oncology, pre-/post-operation, hospice and endoscopy.

• 4

  Determine where you would like to work. If you are looking for positions close to where you live, you may not have to move. If you are going to be looking at positions that will require a move, you will need to start thinking about balancing your plans with your child's schedule.

• 5

  Apply for travel nursing jobs. There are companies that specialize in placing nurses in traveling positions. They will help to find positions that meet your requirements. You may also find a job through word of mouth or your current position.

• 6

  Plan educational goals for your child if he's going to be school-aged while you are a travel nurse. If you will be moving a lot, you may wish to consider home-schooling so that he doesn't have to switch schools frequently. If that isn't possible, consider positions that are closer to where you live or are more long-term. It's possible to do long-term positions for the school-year and short-term positions during summer break.

• 7

  Identify childcare options. Ask for recommendations about childcare from new coworkers or neighbors. Check out local classified ads for childcare. You can also obtain a list of licensed childcare providers from your local department of child welfare.

• 8

  Network with other parents. Consider getting your child involved with play groups or other activities, such as swimming. This is a great way for you to find other parents to network with, and for your child to meet new friends.