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Can Travel Nurses Collect Unemployment

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How To Avoid Underemployment And Maximize Your Income As A Travel Nurse

Travel nurses who left staff jobs reflect on newfound freedom

Due to the temporary nature of travel nursing jobs, and the instability they sometimes exhibit, travel nurses are often at risk for underemployment. In fact, avoiding underemployment can prove to be a very difficult task. And frequent bouts of underemployment can have a serious negative impact on a travel nurses annual income. In this blog post, well discuss underemployment as it relates to travel nursing and offer some recommendations for avoiding it and thereby maximizing your income.

Work With More Travel Nursing Agencies

There are several steps that you can take to overcome the fallout of frictional unemployment in the travel nursing job market. First, you can increase the number of agencies you work with. More agencies means access to more hospitals. This will ensure that you have more consistent and complete information on the job market.

Dealing With The Time Between Travel Assignments

Being a travel nurse can be great: visiting new locales, making friends and contacts, gaining diverse experience and growing professionally for handsome pay. But even the most seasoned travel pro might find themselves with extra downtime during assignmentsat times a little more then theyd like. So what can you do when R& R lingers and stretches your budget?

Per DiemIt may be the most obvious choice but given the seemingly endless shortage of nurses and other medical staff in our nations hospitals, theres a good chance youll be able to find per diem work at local hospitals. Also, depending on your specialty, you might consider organizations a bit off the beaten path that are in need of an extra hand, including retirement, assisted living, and mental health facilities. Broadening your skills and experience cant hurt. Also: if you already have a new travel assignment lined up, be sure to check in that area, too.

Continuing EducationAlthough it may not bring you any immediate income gains, enrolling in Continuing Education courses might prove a fruitful way to spend your downtime between travel assignmentsand it will pay off in the long run. Not only can these courses allow you to maintain licensure they can help you build your skill and land the best new assignments.

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The Benefits Of Working In A Travel Nurse Setting

There are a variety of benefits to working as a travel nurse. First, the job affords you the opportunity to explore new places and new cultures. Second, you get to meet and work with some of the most brilliant physicians and health care professionals in the world. Finally, you get to see the world from a different perspective and give back to humankind, a profession that you believe in.

What Nurses Need To Know About Unemployment

For those who care more

As a per diem emergency room nurse, I submit my availability to my scheduler at work, andI usually get 80-100% of my requested shifts. When I received the approved April schedule, I onlyreceived 30% of my requested shifts I realized two things.

One, this is completely unprecedented. Historically, I have never received so few shifts. Although it was unusual and unexpected, Iâm very thankful to not be stressed because we have many financial safeguards in place just in case of an emergency like this.

Two, I learnedthat nurses nationwide are experiencing similar issues: per diem nurses not getting their usual amount of hours, full-time and part-time nurses are being sent home due to low census, nurses are being furloughed, and some nurses are being floated to departments they have never previously worked in.

Many nurses are collectively experiencing a financial crisis, wondering how they will pay their bills.

If your income has decreased because of the current pandemic, then itâs important to start exploring different means of increasing your income. Itâs also important to use this time to getorganized with your finances in order to be able to withstand another pandemic or financial emergency that could affect your employment. â

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What Is A Travel Nurse

Travel nurses are employed by an independent nursing staffing agency instead of a single hospital. This means they can travel as far as a different country, or they can work at local hospitals that are in need of temporary nurses.

Many nurses opt to go into travel nursing for the many perks, like the chance to explore new places, experience diverse practice environments, and make new friends. Competitive pay, great benefits, and free housing are also major benefits of the job.

Travel nurse pay is typically not influenced by experience level or education. In fact, a traveling registered nurse with 2 years of experience has the potential to earn the same amount as a traveling registered nurse with 15 years of experience. Which makes it an EXCELLENT opportunity for newer nurses who want to make more money and help pay off some of the cost of their nursing education.

Communicate With Your Recruiter

Recruiters are the connection between you and the highest paying travel nursing assignments. Its important to communicate with them about your compensation needs. Looking for a high-paying assignment? Ask. Need a sign-on or completion bonus? Ask. Cant live happily with an income below a certain amount? Tell them. Remember, a closed mouth doesnt get fed.

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Add This Infographic To Your Site

< p style="clear:both margin-bottom:20px "> < a href="https://online.maryville.edu/blog/a-career-in-travel-nursing/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"> < img src="https://s3-us-east-2.amazonaws.com/maryville/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/20165126/MVU-2019-Q3-5-Helping-Patients-Across-the-Country-A-Look-at-a-Career-in-Travel-Nursing_final.png" alt="How becoming a travel nurse can lead to an exciting profession with unique benefits." style="max-width:100% " /> < /a> < /p> < p style="clear:both margin-bottom:20px "> < a href="https://online.maryville.edu" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"> Maryville University < /a> < /p> 

The Benefits Of Travel Nursing

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Travel nursing does much more than expand your knowledge of different cultures and hospitals it offers unique benefits not available to nurses in permanent positions. For instance, having increased flexibility, travel opportunities, reduced living expenses, competitive salary, career growth opportunities, and having the possibility of finding your nursing niche.

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Maintain Multiple State Licenses

Did you know that many hospitals will not even look at your professional profile if you are not licensed in their state? Its true. Youll increase your chances of continuously landing high-paying jobs by maintaining active licenses in multiple states.

For example, rates in northern states usually increase during the winter months â so, a license in Massachusetts is a must! If you want to work in a certain state, you need to have a license. Period.

If you dont have a license in that state, and you want to travel there soon, apply now! Some states have quick licensure turn around of just 48 hours. Other states, like California, can take up to 6 months to process licensure paperwork. Some agencies do assist or reimburse, for licensing fees.

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How Your Travel Nurse Agency Can Help

Now more than ever its crucial to stack the deck in your favor. From your agencys benefits to the support they offer, youll want to feel confident that your team will work tirelessly to find your next assignment.

While we believe our recruiters are superstars, you must take ownership of your career. Do your research now on locations, trends, and facilities. At TNAA, we never blind submit when a job opens, your recruiter will need the go-ahead from you. Needing to look up hospital info or stats can mean time lost.

Connect with us on our or to learn more about any of our programs, find resources, and to interact with your fellow travelers.

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Travel Nurse Tax Tips

Smith advises travel nurses keep a receipt book to help them make tax preparation a little easier by having all of their paperwork in one place. Although digital receipts may be more convenient or modern for younger nurses, keeping paper copies as well is always preferable. Your receipts can include things like:

  • Housing and lodging expenses while traveling
  • Uniform and scrub expenses
  • Work-related expenses, such as continuing education courses or certifications you must maintain to keep your position

The new tax reform laws did away with job expenses at the federal level, which Smith explains on his website, but a handful of states still allow job expense deductions, such as New York, California, Alabama, Hawaii, and Arkansas, so there may be additional tax deductions you can make if youve worked in a qualifying state.

Smith also adds to be careful when filling out residency on your tax return, as he sees many travel nurses make the mistake that working a travel assignment means they have moved however, working a temporary travel nursing position does not qualify as a move of your permanent residence instead, they are just away from home temporarily and thats an important distinction to make come tax-time.

Work With More Recruiters

For those who care more

Working with more recruiters is probably the single best way to avoid underemployment as a travel nurse. The more recruiters you work with, the more exposure you have to the travel nursing job market. This is because no one agency works with every hospital in any given area.

You can use BluePipes to help you manage the increased paperwork and communication required to work with a larger number of recruiters. BluePipes allows you to control your own job application, resume, and skills checklist. These are all the documents that agencies need to get you submitted for an open assignment. Watch the video above to see how. BluePipes also provides a professional networking platform that allows you to connect and communicate with recruiters as well as display your availability on your profile. The best part is that this is all free for healthcare professionals!

Please let us know if you have any experiences or recommendations to share on this topic by posting in the comments section below.

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What Is The Highest Paid Travel Nurse

The highest-paid travel nurse is a telemetry nurse. They earn approximately $130,870 annually. When broken down, it equals $62.92 hourly, $2,517 weekly, or $10,910 monthly.

Telemetry nursing is a specialized area of nursing that enables monitoring and maintaining patients who cannot move about themselves. This includes those requiring special care, for example, central nervous system injuries due to stroke or trauma.

It may also include patients being monitored in intensive care units , medical wards, and other hospital settings.

Credentials Required For Travel Nurses

The educational credentials required for travel nursing positions vary according to the employer and job requirements. A BSN is a minimum requirement for many positions, but some facilities may require an ADN or an associates degree. Other credentials may benefit a particular role, such as a certification in advanced cardiac life support or pediatrics. Travel nurses are also required to pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Additionally, they must complete continuing education units and complete minimum contact hours.

A Real ID is also required for some travel nurse positions, including a state-issued photo ID and a passport. A passport provides greater flexibility to travel abroad and serves as a backup ID. Lastly, having your credentials in order before starting a new position is beneficial. These credentials will prove helpful at orientation and onboarding and will also come in handy when applying for travel nurse jobs in the future.

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What To Do After Your Assignment Is Canceled

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the hospital census has dropped too low for the facility to justify keeping you. Its not a situation that anyone wants to be in. Maybe its a string of canceled shifts, but when you get the news, its never easy. While we hope you get enough notice to figure out your next step, we know it doesnt always happen that way. Our incredible Benefits team pulled the following tips and resources to help you land on your feet.

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Working Abroad And In The Uk

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There are advantages to working abroad, whether in a developed country like the UK or in a developing country. As an expat nurse, you will be able to gain invaluable experience and make new connections. One of the great things about the UK is that it is a hub for expats, with many expats choosing to live and work abroad due to the opportunities that exist. If you want to explore living and working abroad, check out our special overseas nursing jobs listings and make your application today!

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Travel Nursing: An Insider Look At Being A Travel Nurse

As of July 2021, the unemployment rate in the United States has increased to 5.9 percent as millions of workers are struggling to find the jobs they want. Additionally, the latest trends in employment reveal that people are looking for more flexibility in their career that gives them more control over when, and sometimes even where, they work.

Moreover, nurses are seeing an even lower unemployment rate of just 1.2 percent, according to U.S. News and World Report. As the most trusted professionals in America, nurses are in high demand and will be for years to come. This means hospitals in smaller U.S. cities are fighting to fill nursing positions so they can offer patients the quality care they need. Nurses looking for flexible work are in luck, as the exciting field of travel nursing is primed to help meet the employment shortages in hospitals across the country.

According to Patrick Dotts, a managing director at Soliant, the company has absolutely seen the demand for travel healthcare professionals soar over the last few years. Its become very beneficial for healthcare professionals to enter the travel staffing niche due to advantages such as higher compensation, greater flexibility, increased energy and renewed mindset, along with the ability to focus on short-term goals that have visible benefits on the facility.

Cancelled Shifts For Travel Nurses

Finally, travelers are always at risk of having their shifts cancelled. Despite agency advertisements about guaranteed hours, it is very rare for 100% of the contracted hours to be guaranteed. Standard contract clauses maintain that the nurse can be called off up to 3 times during a 13 week periodsometimes less, sometimes more. Weve previously discussed guaranteed hours and provided our tips on the subject.

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Work Extra Shifts When You Can

Working extra shifts when you can is a great way to earn additional income which can make up for unwanted gaps in employment later. You can work some extra shifts with the hospital youre contracted with, or pick them up with a PRN agency. However, if you decide to work the extra shifts with your contracted hospital, be certain that your agency has some method of paying for your extra hours that makes it worth your while.

What About State Taxes

Unemployment for the Travel Nurse

Travel nurses should plan on filing their taxes by the April 15th deadline, just like everyone else in the United States, although there may be a little wiggle room for extensions due to the nature of being a multi-state professional as a travel nurse, according to Smith. Nursingexplains that every state has different laws for filing taxes, but travel nurses must file a non-resident tax return in every state they have worked in, as well as the state thats your permanent tax home.

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A New Era For Nursing

It has been an exciting time to be a nurse in the last few decades, with many advancements taking place across the globe. Even in the UK, which was one of the last countries to introduce registration, nurses now work in a variety of settings and gain valuable experience that is transferable to their practice in the UK. In the coming years, even more changes are forecast, with a shift to more of a team approach and a greater emphasis on individualised care.

At the same time, nursing will continue to evolve and grow, as more people than ever before are seeking the services of the qualified and experienced professional, no matter where they are located.

Do You Qualify For Covid

Yes. The most recent decision was made to allow this to anyone on unemployment. I dont necessarily agree with this one because I think it depletes funds that our country doesnt necessarily have.

So whether or not your unemployment status is due to the pandemic, you will qualify for this extra financial assistance.

Hopefully I helped to answer some questions you may have. For any further information on unemployment benefits in general, hop on over to WorkingMother.com for her answers on commonly asked unemployment questions.

Please comment below if you have any questions or added information on the topic.

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Do Travel Nurses Pay Taxes

Travel nurses do pay taxes. However, because their payment is different from that of regular nurses, the tax they pay is different. Travel nurses earn by the hour, which is taxable, and a non-taxable weekly travel stipend.

Both the hourly rate payment and the weekly travel stipend are part of their total pay as agreed in the contract.

Under certain circumstances, however, travel nurses can avoid paying federal income tax on their travel expenses if they meet at least one of the following requirements:

Is Travel Nursing Good For Career Advancement

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Traveling as a nurse increases your skill level and makes you a more eligible candidate for future nursing jobs. Why?

  • It exposes you to different regional nursing procedures and patient populations.
  • You may have the opportunity to work in a wider variety of specialities.
  • You have experience learning a new clinical environment quickly.
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