It's no surprise you have a knack for helping those around you. It's likely why you got into nursing in the first place! You’re all about listening to your patients, but are you ready to listen to that inner voice telling you to travel? Travel nursing has its perks. You get to do a job you love, feel fulfilled at each day's end, explore new cities and spaces, and of course, make some pretty great cash. Travel nursing is a job for the kind-hearted, adventure seekers out there who live to care for others around the clock because people do not fall ill on a schedule, as much as that would make things easier.
Live and work in the location of your dreams and get paid to do it. As a travel nurse, you choose your specialty and your next adventure. It's not science (for once).
Interested in traveling as an ICU RN? Browse travel ICU nurse jobs at outstanding facilities across the country and find your fit.
ICU nurses possess extensive knowledge and critical care skills to ensure patient safety and enhance outcomes. The education and experience required from ICU RNs is extensive, as they are expected to adeptly handle various life-threatening conditions such as respiratory failure, shock, cardiac arrest, and cardiac dysrhythmias.
You can find ICU travel nursing jobs in a variety of healthcare facilities including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and home healthcare. Working in an intensive care unit requires critical care nurses to be knowledgeable and proficient in the most advanced medical technologies and treatments. They also have to be able to work seamlessly with other healthcare team members and be proficient in high-level care and emotional support to critically ill patients.
Provide intensive care to patients in intensive care units, including monitoring vital signs, performing routine medical treatments, administering medication, and responding to emergency situations
Perform assessments and develop individualized care plans for each patient
Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure proper care of patients
Keep accurate patient medical records and document patient progress
Educate patients and their families about healthcare management and treatments
Communicate changes in patient condition to physicians
Participate in research activities to improve patient care outcomes
With opportunities for travelers all over the country, we’ve selected areas with the most popular medical traveling jobs to help you find your best fit.
Travel nurses are the backbone of medical traveling. Pay transparency means you can see what you'll actually get paid before you even apply.
Level-up, ICU nurse. Get your state licenses and travel nurse requirements reimbursed.
Travel nurses qualify for a weekly, tax-free per diem that can help you cover the cost of moving, like your transportation, meals, and other expenses.
See new spaces. See new faces. Grow and learn in your nursing career as you grow and learn in various cities all over the country.
Being an ICU travel nurse is a great way to grow your experience and learn on the job. What if your dream travel assignment is asking for certifications you don’t have? Don’t sweat. You’ll get training in nursing and financial assistance for the cost of licensing and certifications!
Keeping up with the world of licensing and certification can be intimidating. Degrees and certifications depend on your modality and specialty but getting compliant for your home state and others through the nurse licensure compact makes it easier to travel as a medical professional. Compliance experts work with your recruiter and the facility to ensure that you have all the relevant credentials required for any and all travel jobs.
Some of your compliance requirements are the same across the board, but there are others that will depend on your specialty in nursing.
The three parts of compliance
Occupational health records: Required immunizations and health examinations
Documentation: Tax forms, insurance paperwork, and licenses
Testing: Certifications, online training, and workplace safety exams
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median average salary for RNs in the U.S. is around $77,600 per year. However, the average ICU travel nurse salary can be higher, depending on the nurse's level of experience, geographic location, and medical facility.
Experienced ICU nurses with two years of hospital-based RN experience in the intensive care unit can apply for ICU travel nurse jobs. Depending on the specialty or the specific requirements of the facility, the required job experience could be longer.
A critical care nurse is a registered nurse who provides care and monitoring for acute or critically ill patients in specialized units, such as intensive care units. An ICU nurse has a similar role, but their focus is on the provision of comprehensive and continuous care to severely ill patients. Ultimately, the difference between critical care nurses and ICU RNs lies in their level of training and experience in providing specialized treatment and care to patients most in need.
Yes! As an ICU nurse, you may choose to pursue certifications in nursing specialties to enhance your knowledge and professional development. The most commonly required certifications are Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN), Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN), and Basic Life Support (BLS).
While not usually required by healthcare employers for intensive care unit positions, registered nurses can pursue additional certifications such as Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC)., Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
Typically, the most in-demand travel nursing jobs are those that require highly specialized training, knowledge, and experience. This includes positions in the Cardiac Cath Lab, ICUs, Emergency Rooms, and Operating Rooms. Fusion Medical Staffing provides weekly pay estimates for most travel nursing jobs we have available which include the combined hourly pay and available stipend amounts for housing, travel, and per diem.
Fusion offers a comprehensive benefits package with three Medical plans to choose from, one PPO plan and two High Deductible Plans, as well as Dental, Vision, Basic Life, and Short-Term Disability. If traveling to the state of Hawaii, Hawaii has its own mandated coverage and you will be offered that coverage at that time. If you were previously on the BCBS Nebraska Medical coverage and/or the Ameritas Dental and Vision, this coverage will be terminated when moving to Hawaii for an assignment.
Taking ICU travel nursing jobs is beneficial because it exposes you to different regional nursing procedures and patient populations, provide the opportunity to explore new specialties, and gain experience learning a new clinical environment quickly.
