Are you considering becoming an ICU travel nurse? Then you are aware that this position can offer several perks and benefits. For nurses who work in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), traveling is a great way to expand your skillset and travel the country.
ICU nurses care for patients who have experienced traumatic events such as heart attacks, strokes, or car accidents. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of ICU nurses in the United States, forcing hospitals and other healthcare facilities to depend on travel nurses to fill vacant positions. Independent medical staffing agencies like RTG Medical typically employ these travel nurses.
Here are the Top 5 benefits of being an ICU travel nurse:
#1 Travel Positions Pay More Than Staff Positions
ICU travel nurses can expect to receive a significantly higher salary than a staff ICU nurse. Along with base pay, travel nurses are provided with additional benefits. They are guaranteed a certain number of hours and may receive bonuses, stipends, and daily non-taxable per diems for other expenses. Overall, this makes ICU travel nursing an attractive and lucrative option.
#2 Expand Your Skills & Experience
ICU nurses who travel can learn new skills and acquire more experience to add to their resumes. They work in diverse settings, which exposes them to new places while providing opportunities to learn and excel. Even if they eventually choose a permanent job, they will better understand what work environments they prefer.
Traveling healthcare professionals must be adaptable and open to learning new things. They may find themselves working in a different or unfamiliar specialty, but this only adds to their skills and versatility. They become more capable of handling critical patient situations as they gain experience working in different and diverse scenarios.
Traveling ICU nurses also gain new skills, such as using new medical equipment or improving their bedside manner. They leave their assignments as better nurses than when they started, a valuable asset in the healthcare industry. Who would want to avoid developing their skills while seeing new places and meeting new people?
#3 Impact More Patients
ICU nurses traveling across the country to work with patients also bring them knowledge from working in different healthcare settings. This allows them to adapt quickly to new environments and situations to provide the best possible care for their patients on an assignment. In addition, the experience of working with diverse patient populations can also enhance their skills in managing complex medical conditions, improving patient outcomes, and reducing the risk of medical errors.
The emotional support that ICU nurses provide is critical to the well-being of patients and their families. These nurses are often the primary point of contact for families struggling to cope with the stress and anxiety of having a loved one in the ICU. By offering a compassionate ear and a shoulder to lean on, ICU nurses can help ease the emotional burden on patients and families.
#4 You Get to Travel
One of the most popular reasons to become a traveling healthcare professional is, well, the travel! As an ICU travel nurse, you can travel the country and choose new places to explore. With a constantly changing work environment and new places to discover, you’ll have the opportunity to start checking off boxes on your bucket list.
#5 Job Flexibility and Security
As an ICU travel nurse, you’ll always have a job available to you— in fact, you may have to turn down opportunities! The high demand for ICU travel nurses means that you can be selective about the hours you work, the facility you work at, and your pay. With this kind of flexibility and security, ICU travel nursing is a great career choice for those seeking a fulfilling career in healthcare.
If you have a passion for improving the lives of others and an adventurous spirit, becoming an ICU travel nurse may be the perfect job for you! Contact RTG Medical today to connect with a recruiter and find the ideal ICU travel nursing job for you!
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