Types of Travel Nurses

There are different types of travel nurses, some of these nurses perform various kinds of clinical tasks and functions.

Becoming any of these types of travel nurses comes with a lot of benefits and advantages, it offers you the privilege and opportunity to take short-term assignments across different countries of the world. You will also be opportune to earn in different currencies.

Currently, Travel Nurses are highly needed to fill in the missing gap in the healthcare sector. This is because the demand for registered nurses has increased throughout the sector coupled with a lot of critical nursing shortages in some geographical locations and in high-demand specialization.

As a travel nurse, you will be versatile in the nursing profession and meant to complete a wide range of roles and responsibilities while working on short-time contracts that see you moving from one location to the other.

Also as a travel Nurse, you will be privileged to work in various healthcare settings such as Hospitals, Emergency rooms, urgent care facilities, Nursing homes and assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, Hospice, Community healthcare, and other healthcare organizations.

This content will give full details on the different types of travel nurses available in the healthcare sector. Make you read till the end.

Table of Contents

Type of Travel Nurses

Before deciding to take on the travel nursing career path, the first thing you need to do is to choose your area of specialty.

Travel Nurses specialize in different areas in the healthcare industry, here are the types of travel nurses available in the nursing profession.

Critical Care Nurses

Critical care travel nurses include those working in intensive care units (ICU) and the emergency departments (ED). They work with seriously ill patients who require constant monitoring and medical attention.

They are highly in demand and are considered the best of the best when it comes to nursing specialties because they work with patients who

Have been involved in accidents
Have had delicate or critical surgeries
May be dealing with life-threatening conditions

The average salary of Critical care Nurses is $85,205 per year.

Operating Room (OR) Nurses

Operating Room (OR) Nurses provide quality care to patients before, during, and after surgery. The primary responsibility is to take care of patients throughout the surgical operation process and perform a lot of tasks and operations.

Some of the types of patients cared for by Operating Room Nurses include:

Thoracic
Orthopedics
General
Neuro/Spine
Endoscopy
Genitourinary/Urology
Cardiovascular
Oral ENT
Plastics (reconstructive and cosmetic)
Transplant
GYN
Ophthalmology ENT
Podiatry

The average salary of an operating room travel Nurse is $101,132 per year.

Cardiac CATH lab Nurses

Cardiac catheterization laboratory Nurses are healthcare specialists who perform the responsibility of diagnosing and treating cardiovascular conditions and diseases. They also assist patients who require a catheter.

Cardiac catheterization lab Nurses examine patients to ensure they are in a proper health condition for surgery and during medical operations, they also monitor to ensure they are at a healthy level.

The average salary for cath lab nurses is $153,846 per year.

Lab and Delivery Nurses

Lab and Delivery Nurses take care of pregnant women and also access/ monitor the mother and baby and coach the pregnant woman through the labor and delivery process.

They also care for the mother and child after delivery to ensure they are safe checking their breathing, blood sugar, excessive bleeding, and pain.

Patients cared for by the lab and delivery Nurses are

Antepartum (before labor)
Intrapartum (during labor)
Postpartum (after delivery)
Newborns
High-risk OB
C-sections (pre-op and post-op)

The average salary of lab and delivery nurses in the United States of America is $2,216 per year.

Medical-Surgical Nurses

Medical-Surgical Nurses known as Med Surg handle a lot of medical tasks, it is known as the heart of the hospital.

Here are the roles and responsibilities of Med Surg Nurses

Give medications
Monitor vital signs
Admit and discharge patients
Run tests
Insert catheters and NG tubes
Start IVs
Change wound dressings

Patients cared for by Med Surge Nurses are

Post-surgical
Diabetes
Bariatric surgery
Ortho
Detox
Psych
Cancer
Asthma
Emphysema
Heart disease
Covid

The average Salary of Med Surg Nurses in the United States of America is $2,034 per year.

Telemetry Nurses

Telemetry Nurses provide constant monitoring and support for patients who are experiencing cardiac, respiratory, or renal issues and can act quickly when necessary and communicate well with healthcare staff.

Some of the types of patients cared for by Telemetry Nurses include

Post-surgical
Heart attack
CHF
GI bleeds
Renal failure
COPD
Chest pain
Diabetes
Advanced cancer
Irregular heart rhythm
Post CABG

The average salary of Telemetry Nurses in the United States of America is $87,048 per year.

Psychiatric Nurses

Psychiatric Nurses and Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are the second largest mental health providers in the United States of America. They work in the Mental Health profession to provide care and support to patients with mental illnesses.

Psychiatric Nurses require a wide range of nursing, psychosocial, and neurobiological expertise.

The major functions and responsibilities of Psychiatric Nurses include

Counseling patients and family members
Leading group Counseling Session
Patient Assessment and Evaluation, Questioning and Interviewing
Medication Administration
Assessing and supporting crisis intervention
Providing immediate response to emergencies
Case management
Coordinating care
Offering emotional support

The average salary of psychiatric Nurses in the U.S. is $259,497 per year.

Home Health Nurses

Home Health Nurses are healthcare professionals who visit patients in their homes, they are also referred to as visiting nurses or home care Nurses. They play a crucial role in the patient’s long-term treatment program.

Home care Nurses are specifically for patients who are unable to easily leave their homes for medical treatment and appointments in the hospital.

Some of the types of patients cared for by Home Care Nurses include

Elderly
Disabled
Terminally ill

The average salary of Home Health Nurses in the U.S. is approximately $101,717 per year.

Rehabilitation Nurses

Rehabilitation Nurses also known as Rehab Nurses help patients recover from injuries or surgeries, assisting them in regaining their physical strength and independence.

They do this by creating plans, helping educate and assist other caregivers, and coordinating care from other healthcare professionals like physical therapists, psychiatrists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists.

The average salary of Rehab Nurses is approximately $77,736 per year.

Oncology Nurses

Oncology Nurses specialize in the treatment of cancer patients of all ages. Oncology Nurses are also called hematology/Oncology or heme/onc Nurses.

Their scope of Nursing includes prevention and early detection to diagnosis, treatment, management of symptoms, and remission.

The average salary of Ontology nurses is approximately $91,094 per year.

Hospice Nurses

Hospice nurses take care of patients who have been diagnosed with limited time ( fewer than six months) to live and have chosen hospice care at the end of their life.

Some of the roles and responsibilities of hospital nurses include

Providing patient with personalized care to improve the quality of their life
Offer mental, emotional, and physical support to patients and their families as they handle the difficult process of end-of-life.
Accessing patient comfort levels and unique needs
Monitoring the patient’s breathing and vital signs
Reviewing the patient’s medical history and explaining the prognosis

The average salary of Hospice Nurses is approximately $87,186 per year.

Emergency Room Nurses

Emergency Room Travel Nurses treat patients in critical conditions who may have experienced trauma or fatal injuries.

Some of the patients cared for by emergency room nurses include

Trauma
Fractures
Auto accidents
Farming/industrial accidents
Chest pain
Heart attack
Stroke
COPD
Asthma
Mental illness
Withdraws
Overdose
Covid

The average salary of emergency room nurses is approximately $86,737 per year.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurses

The pediatric intensive care Unit Nurse provides medical care and support to kids up to 18 years old who are suffering from life-threatening or high acuity conditions.

These patients are medically unstable, critically ill, or have a complex post-surgical condition that requires constant monitoring and intervention.

Some of the patients cared for by PICU nurses include

Respiratory failure

Respiratory distress syndrome
Chest tubes
Nasal CPAP
Pulmonary edema
Covid
Invasive surgery
GI-Renal disorders
Cardiovascular
Disease/disorder
Neuro/spine injury
Congenital anomalies
Severe infection
Physical Trauma

The average salary of PICU Nurses is approximately $76,348 per year.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurses

NICU Nurses provide medical care and support for newborn babies that are given birth prematurely or with life-threatening issues.

There are different levels of NICU Nurses with each performing specific functions, they include the Level II, Level III, and Level IV NICU Nurses.

The average salary of NICU Nurses is approximately $127,391 per year.

Final Thought

Before choosing a travel Nurse career, you must find out the different types of travel nurses that are available and choose the one that matches your interest and passion.

Also, there are many factors you need to consider when choosing a travel nursing career, some of these factors include,their demand level, their salary, and where they are mostly needed.

You are to study each of the travel nursing careers listed above to make a wise decision about your nursing career path and choose your best area of specialty.