Nursing

Local Travel Nursing: Benefits and Definition

Written by: University of Tulsa • Sep 23, 2024

A travel nurse looking at a clipboard with another nurse in a medical facility.

Local Travel Nursing: Benefits and Definition

Registered nurses (RN) with at least two years of nursing experience who would like to vary their assignments and work environments may find that local travel nursing is a good career choice. Succeeding as a travel nurse requires the right combination of skills, education, and experience. One of the benefits of becoming a travel nurse is that it allows nurses to make a difference by helping to mitigate the effects of the ongoing nursing shortage, which is expected to continue in the next decade, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

Travel nurses fill in when nursing staff leave a facility, during seasons of high cyclical illnesses (i.e., flu), and when there’s an influx of patients in a specific location. Distance rules vary by state and can dictate where local travel nurses may seek employment, along with what benefits they’re entitled to.

Working in this specialty provides nurses with several benefits, as well as some challenges to consider. Earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing can position nurses to qualify for more job opportunities, higher pay, continuous learning, and personal growth.

What Is Local Travel Nursing?

Local travel nurses are licensed registered nurses who are either contracted through staffing agencies or hired as contractors by health care providers. Their assignments are generally short term and are limited to within a certain number of miles from where they live. Nurses using agencies are paired with jobs based on their criteria, education, and skills. In some instances, they can work in their permanent position while also accepting local contracts.

There is a difference between travel nursing and local travel nursing. As the name implies, local assignments are limited to facilities in the nurse’s geographic area in their own state or a neighboring state within the U.S. Travel nurses may fly across the country to fill employment gaps.

Responsibilities

Local travel nurses’ duties vary based on the needs of the facility and the nurse’s expertise. Common duties include the following:

Collecting and delivering patients’ tissue, blood, and urine samples
Ordering medical supplies
Assisting physicians with examinations
Collaborating with other medical staff on treatment plans
Administering therapies and medications
Recording and assessing patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and urine output
Using electronic medical records (EMR) systems to log patient data

Mileage Rules

Staffing agencies stipulate the mileage that the local travel nurses who work for them will travel from their home base for assignments. Many positions allow candidates to work close to home, so there’s no need for them to find hotel or rental accommodations. This mileage may be limited to 50 miles, but that figure can vary.

Assignment Lengths

Assignments generally last between four and 26 weeks. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), work assignments under 12 months are considered temporary. Beyond that time, the assignment is deemed a permanent change. This distinction is important because it changes how travel expenses can be deducted.

Fundamental Requirements

While state laws vary, travel nurses must be licensed RNs. Most employers seek candidates with at least two years of hospital and bedside care experience. Nurses with experience in these specialty areas are typically in high demand:

Labor and delivery
Emergency medicine
Trauma
Pediatrics
Critical care
Neonatal care
Operating room

Many travel assignments also require basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS), and pediatric advanced life support (PALS) certifications.

Skills

Aside from hands-on nursing experience, travel nursing requires some key skills and characteristics. Having a combination of soft and clinical skills allows nurses to deliver high-quality care.

Problem-solving skills
Adaptability
Commitment to patient safety
Patient interaction skills
Passion for learning
Ability to learn quickly
High ethical standards
Critical thinking skills

Pros and Cons of Local Travel Nursing

As with any potential new career, it’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of local travel nursing. Below are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros of being a local travel nurse include the following:

Close to friends and family
Local networking opportunities
No relocation costs
Familiarity with the working area
Paid living expenses
No additional nursing license (if located in a shared license state)
Flexible schedule
Competitive and often higher pay rates and benefits than staff nurses
Exposure to different patient populations

Cons of being a local travel nurse include the following:

Some job opportunities may have mileage limits
Lack of travel to long distance locations, compared to other travel nursing positions
Short orientation and training at the new facility
Taxes may not be withheld on stipends (i.e., for housing), though they are taxable as income
Possible tension with staff nurses
Lack of job security
Long commutes

How to Become Licensed to Work in Another State

Registered nurses must be licensed to practice in the state in which they work. For travel nurses who want to practice in another state, such as in a bordering state for local travel nurses, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) allows nurses to hold multistate licenses through a nationally recognized agreement called the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). As of 2024, 41 states and two U.S. territories are part of this program.

The NLC credential is issued to RNs, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs). Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are expected to hold licenses in each state in which they will practice. These licenses are only available to nurses who work in compact states, which are those that have legally agreed to allow their nurses to hold multistate licenses.

Multistate license applications can be submitted through the nurse’s home state’s board of nursing. Current nurses may check their license status and eligibility through Nursys, an online database for nurse license verification. A multistate license can save nurses time and money compared to obtaining multiple single-state licenses. If a nurse’s home state doesn’t participate in the NLC, they will need to apply for a single license in any other state where they want to practice.

Local Travel Nursing vs. International Travel Nursing

The primary difference between local travel nursing and international travel nursing is distance. As the name suggests, international travel nursing assignments are outside the country. Contracts can vary between a few weeks or months. The minimum requirements are earning a nursing degree, obtaining licensure, and gaining experience. Nurses who specialize in certain areas, like infection control, trauma, intensive care, oncology, or military nursing, may be better positioned for overseas opportunities.

Just as there are agencies for local travel nurses, there are international nursing staffing agencies that can negotiate nurses’ pay rates, benefits, and other specifics about their assignments. In some cases, their contracts may include the cost of flights and visa processing. Working abroad as a nurse requires a work visa, which can involve a medical examination, immunizations, language proficiency, and an employment offer.

Why Choose One Over the Other?

When choosing between international and local travel nursing, the decision depends on the individual nurse’s professional and personal goals. Both options offer nurses variety, flexibility, higher pay, and opportunities to expand their nursing skills. Working locally is less disruptive to a nurse’s daily work-life balance, the travel time is typically shorter, and they are more familiar with the local health care system.

With international travel nursing, professionals can enjoy more of a sense of adventure while applying their nursing knowledge. The stipends and benefits may be higher, and there are opportunities to engage with people from other cultures. Ultimately, individuals need to decide what’s best for them.

Importance of Local Travel Nursing in Health Care

Despite the fact that, as of 2022, approximately 3.2 million registered nurses were employed in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the country is facing a nursing shortage. On top of that, the BLS projects the number of jobs for registered nurses will grow 6% from 2022 to 2032. A November 2022 report from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) estimates the shortfall of full-time nurses will be 78,610 in 2025, and 63,720 in 2035.

The report also reveals that one of the biggest roadblocks in the progression of this field is the geographic distribution of nurses, particularly in nonmetropolitan regions. In fact, the report projects that these states will have the largest nurse shortfalls as of 2035: Washington, Georgia, California, Oregon, Michigan, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, and South Carolina.

Here are some key reasons why travel nurses are so important to the health care industry:

They fill staffing gaps during surges, absences, and seasonal upticks.
They reduce the need for overtime pay for staff nurses.
They require fewer benefits than staff nurses.
They provide specialized nursing care to rural and underserved communities.

Types of Local Travel Nurses

RNs and APRNs are qualified to work as local travel nurses. What sets these individuals apart from other nurses is their specialized knowledge and adaptability, as well as their strong clinical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Common Travel Nurse Specialties

Travel nurses are needed in a range of specialty areas. Following are some of the most common specialties for travel nurses:

Telemetry
Intensive care and critical care unit
Labor and delivery (L&D)
Pediatrics
Medical surgical
Progressive care unit
Operating room
Emergency medicine

Registered Nurses

Registered nurses are the most common type of travel nurses. According to the BLS, the top work environments for registered nurses in 2022 were hospitals (59%), ambulatory health care services (18%), nursing and residential care facilities (6%), government (5%), and educational services (3%). Working in such varied environments helps RNs develop and refine the clinical and soft skills that are needed in travel nursing.

For instance, skilled nurses are needed in health professional shortage areas, which are geographic areas that are underserved by medical professionals and often include Native American communities, immigrant communities, and communities with a large population of homeless individuals. Specializing in rural nursing , as it’s known, may be an alternative way for nurses to make a difference in these communities.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurses

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) work as nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists. They are licensed registered nurses who usually have an advanced degree, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and have passed a national board certification examination.

Part of what makes APRNs stand out is their ability to work without physician supervision, in certain states, diagnosing and treating diseases, ordering laboratory tests, and prescribing medication. They may specialize even further, for example, in neonatal care, adult gerontology, or pediatrics. These nurses can also fill important care gaps. They can also help mitigate the ongoing need for primary care — the American Association of Medical Colleges projects a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.

Travel Nursing Agencies to Consider

Choosing the right travel nursing agency is as critical as selecting the right assignment. This process can be overwhelming, but communicating with an experienced recruiter may ease the frustration. The top areas to consider when selecting an employment agency include the following:

Pay rate
Housing assistance
Schedule flexibility
Specialty assignments
Contract length
Agency customer service
Agency benefits
Cancellation policy
Sick pay
Paid time off
Discount/perks

Here are some travel nursing agencies to consider:

Travel Nursing Central
FlexCare Medical Staffing
Axis Medical Staffing
Triage Staffing
Aya Healthcare
Medical Solutions

Tips for Getting Started in Local Travel Nursing

Getting started as a local travel nurse typically begins with earning a nursing degree and then obtaining a nursing license. Prospective nurses will need an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and must pass the national nursing licensing examination in their state. According to Zippia’s 2024 traveling nurse demographics research report, approximately 47% of nurses in this sector have a bachelor’s degree.

Gain at Least Two Years of Nursing Experience

Working as an RN for at least two years and being exposed to a range of situations and types of patients helps produce well-rounded nurses who can successfully manage the care of patients, organize patient data, and communicate clearly with patients using their nursing knowledge.

Consider Professional Certification

What nurses can do with a BSN extends beyond traditional nursing roles. While pursuing a nursing certification is optional, these credentials are available for an array of nursing specialties, including ambulatory care, pediatrics, gerontology, and infection control. Since there isn’t a specific specialty for travel nurses, they may choose one that aligns with their interests.

Some of the benefits of earning a certification in preparation for becoming a travel nurse are access to more job opportunities, demonstration of expertise, potentially higher pay rates, and ability to provide a higher quality of care.

Remain Flexible

One of the keys to having a thriving local travel nurse career is being open to new experiences. Staffing agencies typically have a variety of assignments, but some of them may not fit every criterion that nurses seek. Being flexible and accepting jobs that are more challenging can enhance nurses’ knowledge and future opportunities.

Keep an Updated Resume

Along with remaining flexible, being prepared when a dream job presents itself can be rewarding. Prospective or current travel nurses should keep their resumes fresh and update them whenever they gain new skills, complete a certification program, or receive a promotion. In addition, having digital or print copies of any nursing credentials in a central location can make the job-hunting process more streamlined.

Network With Other Travel Nurses

Communicating with fellow travel nurses may help beginners navigate the intricacies of this role. Networking may also lead to employment opportunities and tips on how to handle complex issues like contract negotiations. Nurses may form connections through online forums, conferences, or other medical professionals.

Other Useful Tips

Nurses interested in traveling have professional resources at their disposal. Organizations like the American Travel Health Nurses Association and the National Association of Travel Healthcare Organizations offer educational events, national conferences, memberships, and the latest industry news.

Other tips for first-time travel nurses with local assignments include the following:

Learn as much as possible.
Be respectful of other medical staff.
Learn the policies and procedures of the facility or hospital.
Allow enough time to learn the area and floor plan of the facility.
Take advantage of emerging technologies.

Get Trained to Become a Local Travel Nurse at The University of Tulsa

Local travel nursing has its benefits, such as the potential for higher pay, schedule flexibility, increased job opportunities, professional growth, and making a difference in the local health care community. If you’re considering a nursing career or want to advance your current career, consider earning a bachelor’s degree to gain leadership skills to be able to work independently.

The University of Tulsa’s RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program is offered online, is accredited, and can be completed in as little as 12 months. The program includes courses in areas such as health assessment, population health, pharmacology, and nursing science. The curriculum equips prospective local travel nurses to provide personalized care, adapt to new environments, work with diverse patient groups, and apply their nursing skills.

Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in a nonnursing field may want to consider TU’s online Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program to become a registered nurse. This program can prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), which is required to become licensed and eligible for employment.

Find out how TU can prepare you to work as a travel nurse by earning a degree in nursing.

Recommended Readings

MSN vs. RN: Why Earn an Advanced Degree?

How Global Health Nursing Supports Population Health

Common Nurse Specialties to Choose From

Sources:

Advantis Medical, “Can You Make Good Money as a Local Travel Nurse?”

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet

American Association of Medical Colleges, “New AAMC Report Shows Continuing Projected Physician Shortage”

American Nurses Association, “How to Become a Travel Nurse”

AMN Healthcare, “Advice for First Time Travel Nurses”

AMN Healthcare, “What Types of Travel Nurses Are in Demand”