Traveling Nurse Assistants

Many Certified Nursing Assistants begin their careers in healthcare for security, stability, and reliable employment. These qualities make the job of a CNA very valuable to many of the people that hold it, but there are lesser known benefits to being a qualified healthcare worker. CNAs are in demand everywhere, and many decide to take full advantage of this. The United States is a huge country, and each region embodies a different culture and history from the rest. By becoming a traveling nurse aide, you can spend up to a year in another state with paid travel expenses and the cost of living covered by your employers, with benefits to boot.

Travel nursing programs work differently depending on the employer offering them. For the most part, every travel contract extends at least 13 weeks. These contracts are designed to offer a compromise between employers and nurse aides, so employers can be assured that you will commit to the entire duration of your contract. Considering this contract length is a little over 3 months, it is not just a vacation.

This arrangement is great for nursing assistants that value their skills but aren’t sure where they want to take their career. Seeing a new place and experiencing a new culture can be a breath of fresh air, and gives new perspective on your life. Much like a vacation, working through a travel contract will give you the time to consider many ideas that may have been put on the back-burner. The time period is short enough that it does not allow for any permanent living situations, and this is an advantage for some.

There are some prerequisites to working in a new state, however, and traveling nurse aides must make extra efforts to become qualified in each place they work. If already certified, the process is simpler and training does not have to be repeated. CNAs can apply for reciprocity in another state to transfer their certification to the new location. Because each state has different policies on nursing assistants, traveling nurse aides must take the state’s certification test for their new location. It is possible to be certified in two states at once, but to remain certified in a state requires that a CNA work at least two hours per year. This is not as difficult with 13-week travel contracts, and nurse aides will be able to return home to maintain their work record and certification. There are many benefits to becoming a traveling nurse aide, and the adventurous side of it draws many people. But to gain access to those types of CNA programs require hard work and flexibility. Be realistic when making your plans, but also remember that job fulfillment takes effort to find.