The higher earning potential is one of the major reasons why thousands of candidates want to become travel nurses. Apart from higher earning opportunities, the profession involves extensive traveling across various states. Though travel nurses can make more than $100K annually, if you play your cards right, you can improve your earning potential to a great extent.
Knowing where to look is one of the major secrets to getting high-paying assignments. Many hospitals, healthcare facilities, and clinics often require travel nurse specialties more suitable for the job than regular nurses. If you have any specialty in your profession, you can earn more. If you want to expand your horizons earning-wise, here are four secret tips to make more money as a travel nurse.
Look for specialty assignments
If you are trained in a particular area of medical study, you can look for opportunities that require your unique expertise. Only a few nurses undergo training and courses to get those unique skill sets, so they are always in higher demand. The higher demand and limited supply can work in your favor if you know your strengths and how to use them.
There are numerous travel nurse specialties, such as Operating room nurses, Post-anesthesia care unit nurses, ICU nurses, Labor and delivery nurses, Neonatal intensive care unit nurses, and many others. These are a few of the top-paying specialties in travel nursing.
You can ask the nursing agency to assign you unique jobs that require special skills that you possess. Most regular TNs earn $50/hour, and if you have special training and skills that most TNs don’t have, then you can negotiate the wages from $60 to $70, based on the nature of the assignment and contract duration and required specialty. That way, you can be one step ahead of others and substantially improve your earnings.
Register for referral programs
Being a travel nurse involves a lot of traveling and meeting new people from the healthcare industry. You are more likely to get acquainted with other travel nurses looking for opportunities. If you know someone who is a qualified TN or can make a good travel nurse, you can refer them to your employer or supervisors.
Most agencies have referral programs that pay handsome amounts for referring a qualifying candidate to the agency. The nurse you referred also gets a joining amount from your referral—a win-win for both of you. Referral programs are a great way to develop strong work relationships and help you become a valued and respected member of the nursing community.
Work extra shift
Most of TN’s weekly schedule is always packed with assignments. But due to the rising demand and supply shortage of qualified TNs, many nurses get opportunities to work extra shifts that can pay a reasonable amount. If your schedule permits, you can work extra shifts and overtime to increase your earnings. You can also ask for shifts during festivals and holidays if you can work in that season. These shifts often pay more than your regular shifts.
Improve your skills
As mentioned earlier, specialty nurses often earn more than regular nurses as their specialty distinguishes them from the rest. If you observe more opportunities in a certain specialty and if your rescheduling allows you to get trained for that specialty, you should do it. Improving your skills for the specialty in high demand can push you ahead of others and help you improve your earnings.
Being a travel nurse is indeed a well-paying profession. If you already make a decent earning working a comfortable shift, pushing a little extra can give some extra cash for your hobbies, interests, and your personal projects. After all, it doesn’t hurt to have the extra money in hand to pay your bills or buy yourself an outfit you always wanted.