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Travel Nurse Jobs in New Orleans

If you work as an RN and love traveling, then a career as a travel nurse might be right for you. This exciting job provides opportunities all over the country and helps in places that need it the most.

With that in mind, TravelNursing.io is here with a comprehensive guide on the travel nurse landscape in New Orleans, LA. As an experienced recruiter, we will cover all the job logistics for RN travelers. Read on to learn more, then speak with one of our recruitment specialists today!

What Is a Travel Nurse?

A travel nurse travels and works for short-term stints in facilities around the world. S/he is uniquely equipped to fill a vital role in the healthcare industry by covering positions whenever there are worker shortages.

Given the nursing shortages all over the country, many have decided to pursue travel nursing jobs to help regions that require the most assistance. During COVID-19, the delivery of reliable medical care is more important than ever.

Generally, travel nurses are employed by an independent staffing company rather than a hospital. The company acts as a recruiter and assigns jobs either close to home or in a completely different city or state.

Many are drawn to the job thanks to the flexibility and excitement. They get to experience different clinical settings, explore the world, and meet new people nearly every single day.

The best part of a travel nursing job is the perks. They receive competitive pay, excellent employment benefits, and, in some cases, complimentary housing when at their locations. So, if you are looking for a flexible new position with great benefits in a fast-paced field, then a travel nursing job might be good for you.

How to Become a Travel Nurse in New Orleans , LA

1. BSN Degree

The first step to becoming a travel nurse is to receive a BSN. Most BSN degree programs take four years, though there are accelerated programs for students who already have an ADN. To apply for a BSN, you must have a high-school diploma or GED.

2. NCLEX Exam

In the US, all prospective RNs must take and pass the appropriate National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN). The test includes sections on clinical practice, medical ethics, education, and theoretical knowledge.

3. Obtain Your License

Most states have their own nursing license requirements. Some states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so licenses have cross-state validity. If your state is a compact state, a license earned in another compact state is valid.

There are currently 39 compact states that have either full or partial implementation. You can receive a compact state license through the board of nursing in your state. Make sure you understand the parameters of your particular compact state.

4. Find a Job

Most travel nurse agencies require two years of experience. Candidates who have experience in a medical specialty such as OR, ER, ICU, or surgery tend to fare better in the job market.

5. Apply at a Travel Nursing Agency

Travel nurses find assignments through travel nurse agencies that match employees with opportunities. Recruiters find positions to fill in hospitals and other medical employers across the country. Agencies can match you with a position or company that fits your skills and expertise.

Click here for the full list of travel nurse jobs in Louisiana and our recommended 2022 staffing company .

How Does Travel Nursing Work?

Travel nursing jobs fill staff shortages at locations that need extra help. When you start, you will get various assignments you can accept. Each job can range in length from just a few weeks to several months.

When you start your assignment, you will move to the location and stay for the duration of the job. Once the job concludes, you move on to the next assignment.

Many travel nurses will work on assignments, then take a few weeks off. They enjoy the freedom to plan their schedules more or less however they want.

You can choose to take assignments far away from home or accept opportunities closest to where you live. The only difference is that you won’t be able to get a housing stipend.

Requirements to Becoming a New Orleans Traveling Nurse

Generally speaking, you must be a registered nurse with a license to qualify for travel nursing jobs. Company policy may dictate that you have at least two years of experience. Beyond that, there are no additional standardized requirements.

However, many states currently are waiving licensure requirements due to labor shortages during COVID-19. Depending on where you want to work, you may not have to meet traditional license requirements to land a job. Speak with your recruiter to get more details.

Travel Nursing Jobs

Travel nursing jobs are largely the same as staff RN jobs, aside from the traveling part. As a travel nurse, you will work in various medical facilities with various nursing duties, including but not limited to:

● Meeting and examining patients

● Discussing symptoms and medical histories with patients

● Delivering effective medical treatment

● Providing patient care

● Performing medical research

● Collaborating with doctors and other hospital staff

Travel nursing jobs are largely the same as travel nursing jobs can vary significantly depending on your experience and specialty. In-demand nursing specialties will increase your chances of finding a higher-paying job. These include:

● Case management

● Critical care

● Labor and delivery

● Obstetrics

● Psychiatric

● Medical Surgeries

Travel nursing jobs have increased in popularity thanks to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. More RNs are looking for a flexible career and have found they can make a lot more money working travel nursing jobs.

So, if you have any interest in a travel nursing job, speak with a recruiter near you today!

Travel Nursing Salary

Travel nurse positions have competitive salaries, and many start at more than $3,000 per week. They also often receive complimentary housing and accommodations when they are on assignment.

Recent nursing shortages across the country mean that travel nurses can command a superior rate. Some assignments may offer tens of thousands for a 13-week stint. With these kinds of rates, it is easily possible for a travel nurse to earn over $100,000 a year.

Additionally, travel nurses save a lot of money as many contracts include living expenses as a perk. So, not only do you start at a higher salary, but you also keep more of your take-home pay.

Staff Nurse Pay vs. Travel Nurse Pay

Travel nurse pay is different from staff nurse pay. Staff nurses normally receive a set salary per year, with incremental raises over the years.

Travel nurse pay can vary from assignment to assignment and might include benefits such as tax-free stipend amounts, travel reimbursement, or tax-free daily allowances.

If you plan to be a travel nurse, you can expect a higher hourly rate with several excellent benefits to speak of.

Factors That Affect Travel Nurse Salary

Location heavily affects pay as different locations have different costs of living in addition to regional trends. Generally speaking, southern states have lower living costs and lower-paid opportunities. In contrast, travel nursing jobs in “destination” states, such as Hawaii, may have lower pay.

Your nursing specialty affects nursing pay heavily. Non-specialty positions have lower pay, while specialties such as ER, ICU, ophthalmology, or family nurse practitioners will have higher pay.

Most agencies and recruiters will offer higher pay for night shifts and multi-shifts. If you want to earn as much money as possible right from the beginning, you need to be flexible with scheduling. Travel nurses may also work on team shifts.

Travel Nurse Housing

Since travel nurses are always moving from city to city and state to state, most assignments include some kind of housing allotment. Accommodations can include a monthly housing stipend or furnished dwellings. Some companies will reimburse you for a portion of living costs, such as food and other essentials. Some travel nursing jobs also include a daily allowance to cover living expenses.

Why You Should Work with a Travel Nursing Agency in New Orleans, Louisiana

As a travel nurse, you have a lot of flexibility over where, when, and how you work. Here are just some of the benefits of working with a nursing recruiter company.

Provided Assignments

The typical assignment is about 13 weeks though assignments can vary between eight to 26 weeks. If you do not work with a recruiter, then it might take some time to find a job in the area.

A travel nursing agency will provide your next assignment, so you don’t have to worry or plan to find a position to fill. You can set your schedule with an agency to include vacations, time off, and more.

Most RNs who travel solo are independent contractors, meaning that they do not receive health insurance from the hospitals and clinics where they work. Travel nursing agencies provide full-time staff with benefits such as:

● Health and dental insurance

● 401(k) w/match

● Employee assistance (e.g., counseling, legal resources, financial assistance, etc.)

● Disability insurance

● Paid vacation

● Travelers insurance

● Housing stipend

● Continuing education funding

● Hazard pay for dangerous jobs

Agencies can bring peace of mind with job security, stability, and excellent benefits.

Many travel nursing agencies offer sign-on bonuses, overtime bonuses, shifter differential bonuses, and seasonal bonuses, depending on the workload. Some agencies will even offer referral bonuses if you refer a nurse to a position. There are always opportunities to get paid more if you opt for seasonal shifts, extra shifts, and emergency shifts.

As a traveling nurse, you will work in a wide array of team and clinical environments. Travelers have a unique opportunity to learn on the job in a competitive field. You will be in a fast-paced position that requires you to quickly build expertise in your field. Moreover, a well-run agency will always have some jobs lined up for you, so you never have a lull in work.

Industry Connections

Working as a solo nurse, finding jobs can be very difficult. Agencies can help you have a steady supply of nursing jobs thanks to their industry connections. Agencies that have been around for a number of years will have several professional contacts to help you find jobs.

Additionally, a travel job will give you possibilities for future employment. Through a travel nursing agency, you will get the training and experience you need to push your career even further.

Exclusive Contracts

Many travel nursing agencies have jobs and exclusive contracts with clients, meaning that only they staff them. Established agencies that have exclusive contracts with healthcare facilities in the area are more able to offer the best jobs and assignments to the adventurous travelers out there.

Travel nurses work at various hospitals and team members, so there is always something new on their plate from week to week. Whether you’re part of a team or going solo, you will work in different hospitals in different positions, so being adaptable is key.

In addition to the variety of work is the variety of traveling itself. One week you could be on the east coast and the next on the west coast. Travel nursing jobs also give you a small taste of what working long-term in one location feels like.

Flexibility

One of the best aspects of working for a nursing recruiter is the flexibility of the job. You can work a job for 12 weeks, then take a few weeks off before heading to the next assignment. Travel nursing agencies allow you to choose your own schedule so you can work as little or as much as you want, in a large team or a smaller operation.

Why Choose TravelNursing.io?

TravelNursing.io provides a streamlined way for traveling nurses to find high-paying jobs. Using our platform, you can find the best-paid nursing jobs and browse thousands of assignments. We are created by trusted travel nurses, so you can be sure we understand the industry.

We work with the top recruiter agencies to match nurses with jobs that suit their skills, handling all the details, whether it is compact state licensure or travel accommodation arrangement. Simply fill out a form, and we can start matching you with jobs.

Our recruitment team works with partners in all 50 states, so no matter what city or state you’d like, we can find a position for you.

If you would like to learn more about travel nursing jobs and positions or have any questions about travel nursing, contact us online or give us a call today at 101 123 456 789 to speak to a representative! We are always interested to hear from prospective nurses.

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Advantage Medical Professionals: A Nurse Staffing Agency You Can Trust in New Orleans

Headquartered in the New Orleans area, Advantage Medical Professionals is the region’s leading nurse agency. We’ve been trusted partners in nursing job placement agencies for more than 35 years.

The premier partner for top healthcare facilities around the NOLA area, we have one of the region’s largest networks of hospital staffing agencies and nursing jobs.

We can fill a variety of needs for healthcare workers in a wide array of specialty fields including:

• Registered Nurses
• Licensed Practical Nurses/Licensed Vocational Nurses
• Certified Nursing Assistants
• Respiratory Therapists
• Operating Room Technicians
• Sterile Processing Technicians
• Medical Laboratory Technicians
• Medical Technologists

A leader in the healthcare staffing industry, we’re an award-winning nursing temp agency in the southern region. Trusted both by top healthcare facilities, nurses, and allied professionals alike, our dedication to providing excellent patient care is unmatched.

No matter the needs, we have proved to be a reliable nursing job placement agency in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Quality Staffing Solutions For Healthcare Facilities

Our wide range of facilities in more than 40 states ensure nurses and allied professionals get the experience they’re looking for from a nursing employment agency.

With a network of offices in the southern region, Nurses and allied healthcare professionals turn to us for travel , local , and per diem contracts in top-rated facilities.

We provide staffing solutions for the following:

• Correctional Facilities
• School Districts
• Acute Care Facilities
• And Many More!

Looking for an exciting new opportunity as an RN in New Orleans? Come join our team at Advantage Medical Professionals and experience why we’ve been recognized as a top workplace by the Times-Picayune . Apply as a travel nurse in New Orleans now, and take the first step towards a fulfilling career with us!

Testimonials

“My experience with Nancy has been refreshingly wonderful. She has renewed my confidence in working with Advantage and has proven to be the perfect recruiter thus far!”

“Jay Laine is an awesome person with great personality and perspective.”

“Chris always gets back to me fast on any questions I may have. He goes above and beyond and always is kind, knowledgeable and professional. I am thankful he is my recruiter. Great job Chris!”

“Erica McGary is supportive and always had my best interests in mind. I could not have asked for a better recruiter! She definitely made getting into travel nursing much easier and more comfortable for me.”

“Jay didn’t bother me with a lot of phone calls. He demonstrated a clear understanding of what my desires were for a travel assignment and came through in an outstanding manner! I can’t say enough good about Jay Laine. He’s professional, proactive and timely! All assets required in this industry.”

“Nancy Mumphrey is awesome. It’s always a pleasure reaching out to her because any problems I run across she responds fast and the issue is resolved. She reaches out weekly to make sure everything is going okay and shows a true concern. Keep up the great job Nancy!”

“I’ve been traveling for a few years now, and taken on assignments with several companies. Never have I had a recruiter like Aerin Alexander. Besides me reaching out just for a general question, Aerin always checked in with me to make sure things were going smooth while on my assignment. Aerin became more than just a recruiter, she’s a genuine friend asset to AMP, I can’t wait to cross paths with her again, and I pray God blesses her and grants her every wish – she’s a jewel!”

“Katrina Dunson is the best recruiter I’ve had. She goes above and beyond her call of duty. I even brag to my coworkers about her checking on me and how I gained a new family member. She is top tier.”

“This is my first time going on a travel assignment and I must say the process was a breeze thanks to Jay Laine. He was there every step of the way and answered all my questions promptly.”

“Chris always responds quickly during the week, weekend or even when he is on vacation, he’s always available. He is courteous, friendly, always looking to find the best package for me.”

“I originally spoke with Aerin but chose another agency for my first contract. Aerin still kept in contact with me while I was working with the other agency – I actually spoke with her more than my actual recruiter. When I finished that contract, I knew my next contract would be with Aerin. She is a wonderful person to work with and puts me at ease. I wish I had went with her from the beginning.”

“Erica is amazing! She always keeps in touch and checks on me no matter if I’m on assignment with her or not.”

“Roxanne is very sweet, patient, professional and polite! She made that assignment better for me after speaking with her/texting me after extremely crucial shifts!”

“Nancy is definitely the best recruiter I have had since I started. She is knowledgeable, understanding, sincere. She checks on me weekly and is truly genuine. So glad I’m with you!”

“AMP has been a phenomenal company to work for. Their service to their employees is top notch. My recruiter is exceptional and has always been there for any needs or questions I have.”

“Chris is very knowledgeable and helpful. He is the best recruiter I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He follows up quickly and thoroughly. I will continue to work with him as my recruiter in my agency nursing career.”

“Katrina listens to my needs and always finds the right assignments for me. Katrina’s easy to talk to and always available. Thank you Katrina for being my recruiter!”

“Nancy is a great recruiter! She answers questions in a timely manner, understands your needs and wants, and makes sure you are happy with your assignment. She is always a phone call away if you ever need anything. She loves her job and is very kind. I would recommend her to anyone looking to do travel.”

“I am very satisfied with my recruiter Jay. He kept me well informed about my assignment that has been ongoing and I would definitely recommend my nurse friends to him.”

“Working with Aerin is always a positive experience. She is upfront and honest. It feels like she has known me forever.”

“Rick is an awesome and amazing recruiter! He goes above and beyond for his recruits. I’m blessed to have him as my recruiter and look forward to working when him more in the future!”

“Crystal is very responsive! She has been very helpful from the beginning and throughout the duration. Definitely would refer her to my nursing colleagues.”

Travel Jobs

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Aya delivers:

• The most jobs in the industry. We have the largest and most reliable job database, which means the jobs you see are open, updated in real time and ready for you!
• Competitive advantage over other agencies. Front-of-the-line access through our direct facility relationships — many with quick (even same-day) offers, giving you the best chance of securing your ideal opportunity.
• Expedited licensing and streamlined compliance. An industry-leading on-time start rate and strong relationships with boards of nursing across the country to accelerate the process in all 50 states.
• Expert career guidance. A dedicated recruiter to help you achieve your dream career. Travel, per diem, permanent — we have the reach and access to get you the jobs you want, and the expertise to help you realize your long-term goals.
• A best-in-class support system and an exceptional experience. Enjoy accurate, weekly pay, and an entire team dedicated to your happiness on assignment, 24/7.

Plus, you get everything you expect from the largest healthcare staffing company in the industry:

• Exceptional benefits, including premium medical, dental, vision and life insurance beginning day one of your assignment. Want to take time off? Keep insurance coverage for up to 24 days between assignments.
• A generous 401(k) match.
• Paid company housing (we'll help you bring your pets along, too!) or a generous housing stipend.
• Paid sick time in accordance with all applicable state, federal, and local laws. Aya's general sick leave policy is that employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. However, to the extent any provisions of the statement above conflict with any applicable paid sick leave laws, the applicable paid sick leave laws are controlling.
• The industry's only clinical ladder program for RNs on assignment.
• Access to unlimited continuing education units online.
• Licensure, relocation and other reimbursements, when applicable.
• Pay listed above includes taxable wages and tax-free expense reimbursements.

For all employees and employee applicants, Aya is an Equal Employment Opportunity ("EEO") Employer, including Disability/Vets, and welcomes all to apply. Please click here for our EEO policy.

• Bi-weekly weekend travel home.
• A rental car and paid housing.

With Aya Locums you get:

• Access to top hospitals and healthcare systems in diverse care settings.
• Highly competitive, transparent locum tenens pay.
• Dedicated application and assignment support.
• In-house credentialing and licensing teams.
• Full coverage of licensing costs.
• Travel and lodging coverage.
• Easy timekeeping and streamlined management of documents.
• Malpractice coverage and risk management support.
• Premium medical, dental, vision and life insurance beginning day one of your assignment.
• Paid sick time. Aya provides paid sick leave in accordance with all applicable state, federal, and local laws. Aya's general sick leave policy is that employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. However, to the extent any provisions of the statement above conflict with any applicable paid sick leave laws, the applicable paid sick leave laws are controlling.
• Generous 401k match.
• Aya may provide other benefits where required by applicable law, including but not limited to reimbursements.
• Aya coordinates all travel and lodging accommodations.
• Travel information is received the evening prior to your scheduled departure.
• Airfare is covered and, if driving to the assignment, reimbursement is available.
• Once notice is received, communication from our team is sent via email and text to ensure you are kept in the loop as soon as information becomes available.
• Your safety is Aya's top priority. We work closely with the facility to ensure additional security measures are taken onsite so you can focus on what really matters: patient care.
• Licensure, relocation and other reimbursements.

Experience the Aya difference today

• A dedicated recruiter who advocates for you every step of the way.
• We'll ensure the hiring manager prioritizes your interest and schedules an interview quickly.
• A streamlined hiring process means offers are often presented within 24-48 hours after an interview with a hiring leader.
• Flexible start dates that work around your availability.
• We make it simple with one point of contact the entire time.
• University of Washington (UW) offers a wide range of benefits as part of your total compensation package. Choose from top medical and dental insurance programs; plan for your future with tax-deferred investing through the UW retirement options; enjoy generous vacation and sick leave policies; and protect yourself and your family with life and long-term disability insurance. For more information, follow the links shown below or explore the Benefits website at http://hr.uw.edu/benefits/

With Aya, you get:

• Higher compensation - we negotiate on your behalf.
• Work-life balance - contracts are up to 40 hours per week, with workdays ending mid-late afternoon and weekends off!
• An employee advocate - our team ensures you have the support needed to be successful in your role.
• Options post contract - extend, convert to a permanent employee or find a new job.
• Paid company housing (pets are welcome to tag along) or a generous housing stipend.
• If qualified, continued insurance coverage over the summer.
• A generous 401k match.
• A robust team to support you every step of the way.
• A credentialing specialist to streamline the entire compliance process.
• Freedom and flexibility around your current schedule.
• The easy-to-use Shifts app. Select shifts anytime, anywhere.
• Premium medical, dental, vision and life insurance.
• Front-of-the-line access to exclusive jobs at thousands of healthcare facilities nationwide.
• A robust team to support you every step of the way to ensure you start on time, have accurate payroll and an exceptional experience.
• Certification and other reimbursements, when applicable.

Spanish moss drips from Louisiana trees like Creole words drip from the tongue. Life’s pace runs a little slower here, and nowhere do they know how to enjoy themselves more than in the Big Easy. If one sound represents New Orleans it’s the bright music of the brass band. Dance your way down Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras (or any other day of the year!), and dine on sumptuous cuisine: mouthwatering beignets, spicy gumbo or a po’boy full of fresh seafood. Relax on the picturesque Mississippi River with the city’s signature drink, a Sazerac, and watch the steamboats go by as the sun sets behind them.

The state’s capital, Baton Rouge, bursts with Louisiana culture and history. Take a walk along the Mississippi River bank and make a pit stop at any of the surrounding restaurants, shops or entertainment venues. Nearby, the Old State Capital building tops a cliff with views of the Mississippi river. Visit this historic landmark to marvel at the gothic architecture and dive into the state’s complex history.

Louisiana isn’t all big cities. For those that seek peace and quite away from the bright lights, the Bayou State has a lot to offer. Biking, boating, camping, fishing, hiking and tours of the bayou landscape are enough to satisfy even the most intrepid outdoorsman or woman. The Louisiana wetlands are home to some of the U.S.’s tallest birds, including the great blue heron and the great egret, as well as armadillos and bears. You may even see two eyes of the American Alligator break the surface of the swampy water.

Privacy Overview

The Big Business Behind Travel Nursing

During the covid-19 pandemic, demand for nurses—already understaffed—surged to even higher levels, and travel nurses deployed to fill the gaps., alice herman december 22, 2021.

As the first wave of Covid- 19 hit the United States, Jen, a  53 -year-old nurse struggling to pay her bills, received an intriguing message. ​ “ THE TIME HAS COME TO DEPLOY AT INCREDIBLY HIGH RATES,” read the mass text from Krucial Staffing, sent to nurses nationwide in March 2020 and forwarded to Jen by a colleague.

Jen (a pseudonym used to protect her from retaliation from employers) could barely believe the wages promised by the Kansas-based healthcare staffing firm. As part of its massive recruitment drive during the first wave of Covid- 19 , Krucial was paying $ 10 , 000 a week to nurses willing to travel — or ​ “ deploy,” in the company’s lingo — to the frontlines in New York City.

“ FLEXIBILITY IS KEY,” it continued. ​ “ EMERGENCY STAFFING IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.” Travel nurses would have to be ready to deploy with a few days’ notice. Once on assignment, nurses would work 14 to 21  days straight in overwhelmed hospitals with the potential, but no guarantee, to renew their contracts.

Jen already worked 60 -hour weeks as a wound care nurse at a Maryland rehabilitation center. The pay there, at $ 38 an hour, wasn’t bad, but her expenses were overwhelming. Jen was the provider for her two teen nieces and had taken in her adult son, who was recovering from severe meningitis, all while trying to pay off her own medical debt.

So Jen put in her notice at the rehab center and called Krucial, hoping the company would send her to New York immediately. She called the company line repeatedly, and on March 28 , 2020 , a Krucial recruiter picked up and offered Jen an assignment in New Orleans. The job would pay $ 95 an hour — two-and-a-half times her previous rate.

“ It was like winning the lottery,” Jen says.

Drawn by high pay and the chance to help save lives, tens of thousands of healthcare professionals have served short-term stints as travel nurses during the pandemic, pouring into areas with Covid- 19 surges to shore up local hospital systems. Many, like Jen, left full-time jobs to work gigs with staffing firms like Krucial. 

While some travel nurses extol the freedom of the lifestyle, others caution that, while they’re paid far more than gig workers who pack boxes or deliver groceries, they face many of the same problems — including corporate employers who treat workers as expendable.

Arriving in New Orleans in March 2020 , just 24  hours after receiving her assignment, Jen steeled herself for long hours at a convention center functioning as a Covid- 19 field hospital. But she didn’t anticipate that she would end up being ​ “ demobilized” — another industry term — after complaining about sexual harassment she alleges was rampant at the hotel where the nurses were lodged. Jen alleges Krucial has since effectively blacklisted her, barring her from future work with the company. Other nurses told In These Times they were sent home early by Krucial after speaking up about poor accommodations or working conditions on assignments — a form of retaliation the nurses say is rampant across the travel nursing industry.

In interviews with In These Times , as well as in more than a dozen state and federal lawsuits filed during the pandemic, travel nurses have alleged workplace violations and retaliation by some of the industry’s fastest-growing private staffing agencies. Meanwhile, the staffing agencies that served as a stopgap in the early days of the pandemic now look like more permanent healthcare fixtures, as longterm understaffing in hospitals gives way to bidding wars for short-term help. 

The exceptional pay for travel nurses is possible, at least in part, because of federal relief dollars funneled to staffing agencies during the pandemic. Using funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) , states are paying out hundreds of millions to bring in additional medical personnel during Covid- 19 surges — a boon for companies like Krucial and SnapNurse, an Atlanta-based startup that boasted a more than 9 , 000 % growth in revenue in 2020 . Other healthcare staffing agencies have been recipients of federal Paycheck Protection Program loans intended for small businesses to keep employees on payroll.

Nurses’ advocates say this approach is unsustainable. In a September 2021 letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Nurses Association called for federal action to address the ​ “ national nurse staffing crisis” and offer additional pay and support to nurses toiling under untenable stress.

“ We are seeing examples throughout the country of nurses leaving their communities for the higher compensation offered by travel nurse agencies,” the letter reads . ​ “ This only serves to further local staffing strains, often in the most underserved communities.”

The traveling nurse profession is not new. Throughout the 20 th century, doctors and nurses with the U.S. Public Health Service have been dispatched to disease outbreaks and natural disasters. But the first private travel nurse agency wasn’t established until 1978 , the brainchild of a temp agency executive who saw an opportunity to meet seasonal demand for healthcare in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, according to the Professional Association of Nurse Travelers .

Healthcare staffing, a $ 24 billion industry that also includes temporary medical doctors, dentists and other specialists, has expanded during the past three decades in tandem with the overall growth of the temp industry. During the pandemic, the travel nurse sector expanded by 40 % , according to the trade group Staffing Industry Analysts.

One estimate, from healthcare staffing firm SimpliFi, suggests travel nurses now account for 8  –  10 % of the overall U.S. nursing workforce, up from 3  –  4 % before the pandemic. Travel nurses may often make twice as much as those on staff in hospitals, even when they perform the same work.

But the high-paying jobs come at the cost of job security and personal stability, as nurses leave their families behind to travel from hotspot to hotspot.

“ You’re constantly shifting your life around the entire country, not able to stay still or create a foundation,” says Tiffany (also a pseudonym), who has worked in 17 hospitals since 2020 . ​ “ I’ve been separated from the person I used to be.”

For Tiffany, a registered nurse of five years, travel nursing started out as an adventure. But it’s worn on her during the pandemic. Travel assignments can be unreliable, she says, with nurses showing up for a contract only to learn they are no longer needed.

In October 2021 , Tiffany traveled to New Orleans on an assignment with SnapNurse, whose virtual platform provides facilities with nurses on demand. When she arrived at the hotel where she was supposed to be ​ “ on-boarded,” the company’s representatives were nowhere to be found.

“ What is going [on] with SnapNurse in Louisiana right now?” Tiffany wrote to her SnapNurse recruiter in text messages shared with In These Times , adding that her rental car alone cost $ 230 a day.

“ I do not know why it has been so difficult to onboard and I wish I did,” the recruiter replied. ​ “ It is extremely frustrating for me as well.”

After two days of waiting, Tiffany says she left empty-handed. “[SnapNurse] just left me stranded with a bunch of other nurses,” she says. ​ “ Nobody makes a big deal out of it because we’re used to being abused.”

In August 2020 , NBC Miami reported on travel nurses who likewise said they had been recruited by SnapNurse to work in southern Florida, only to have their contracts canceled upon arrival and to return home without compensation.

SnapNurse started in 2017 to staff facilities that perform elective surgeries, according to a  profile in the Atlanta Business Chronicle . Such procedures were rare during the pandemic, but founder Cherie Kloss saw an opportunity to staff hospitals stretched to the breaking point. A former reality TV producer and contract anesthetist, Kloss told the Chronicle that she hopes to see her company become the ​ “ Amazon of health-care staffing.”

Meanwhile, SnapNurse and its parent company, SnapMedTech, are facing at least four separate class-action complaints — three in California and one in Georgia — from nurses who allege the company failed to properly compensate them for wages earned or expenses incurred on Covid- 19 travel assignments.

SnapNurse did not respond to requests for comment. The company has denied the claims in three of the pending suits and has yet to respond in the fourth.

In a LinkedIn message to In These Times , Kloss said that complaints from nurses were rare. ​ “ Our nurses have been able to change their financial lives and pay off debt, buy a house, send kids to college, and thank us all the time for the opportunities we give them,” she wrote.

In October 2021 , SnapNurse announced a deal to deploy hundreds of medical personnel to Alaska. The positions are publicly funded through FEMA, but the state awarded more than $ 100 million in contracts to private agencies to bring nurses in amidst a Covid- 19 surge.

So-called crisis contracts, funded through FEMA, are a major source of the premium pay on offer for travel nurses.

In March 2020 , the state of Louisiana awarded Texas-based BCFS Health and Human Services a $ 145 million contract to manage field hospitals set up for Covid- 19 patients, according to state records. Krucial subcontracts with BCFS, supplying some of the nurses on assignments like this one.

When Jen arrived in New Orleans in March 2020 , she was surprised to learn she and the rest of the nurses would report not to Krucial, which had recruited them, but to BCFS. The non-profit emergency management organization also operates a detention center for unaccompanied migrant children arriving on the U.S. – Mexico border.

BCSF staff onsite ​ “ controlled everything we did,” Jen says. ​ “ You were told what to do and when to do it, and that’s it.” When they weren’t working, nurses were to remain in their hotel rooms at all times, while managers came and went at will.

In the hotel, Jen says women in her cohort began to feel uncomfortable when male coworkers and BCFS managers cornered them for unwanted conversations and to solicit dates. In one instance, Jen alleges one colleague sent sexually explicit images to another nurse without the nurse’s consent.

“ We had very young nurses there,” Jen says. ​ “ It’s so unfair to put these women in this crazy situation.”

On June 2 , 2020 , Jen called her supervisor, a Krucial representative onsite in New Orleans, to report her concerns. She says she described the unwanted advances from managers, as well as a rumor that the men onsite had been placing bets on which women they could sleep with. She told the representative that she was worried that added stress in an already high-stakes situation could create an unsafe work environment for female nurses.

Jen had been perturbed by the atmosphere at the hotel, but she was even more shocked by what she says came next. In emails to Krucial and BCFS obtained by In These Times , Jen alleges the Krucial representative dismissed her concerns and told her to ​ “ just keep her legs closed.”

Then, later that night, Jen says a different Krucial representative called to tell her that her contract had been terminated early. When she confronted management at a team meeting the following morning, Jen says she was told she had violated company policy by taking an unpermitted smoke break outside the hotel. Regardless of the allegation, Jen says the rule was not enforced for anyone else; she had clearly been singled out. She left New Orleans.

A month later, in July 2020 , Krucial assigned Jen a new job —this time in Texas, where the agency was again providing staff through a state contract awarded to BCFS.

“ Five minutes after I give them all my information and I’m set and I’m in, I get an email,” Jen says. Sent from a Krucial representative and shared with In These Times, the email reads: ​ “ Because of things that happened in New Orleans, you are not allowed to go on assignments for Krucial Staffing. PLEASE DO NOT TRAVEL TO TEXAS.”

Jen says that email put her out of work for months, and that she did not secure a contract with another agency until the end of September  2020 .

On an assignment in Waco, Texas, in 2021 , registered nurse Ryan Speaker says he also experienced retaliation from Krucial. Speaker shared a video (which went viral) of healthcare workers confronting managers about their accommodations— which, according to the workers, were littered with needles and infested with rats and bedbugs.

Speaker says that, immediately afterward, his contract was cut short. According to Speaker, the nurses had originally been told they would be on assignment in Austin, Texas, but were transferred to Waco at the last minute, where they were moved into a budget motel.

“ Our jobs are hard,” Speaker tells In These Times . ​ “ You bring all that stress home with you, and then you still can’t relieve any of that stress, because you’re worried … you’re gonna take home bedbugs to your family, or you’re waking up with bites all over you.

Catherine Derenoncourt alleges she was barred from additional work with Krucial after pushing for improved contact tracing and testing on an assignment in early  2020 .

While working at a hospital in Texas, Derenoncourt says she was floated to a non-Covid- 19 floor where, to her shock, a patient with a fever had been admitted. She says she pushed for the patient to be tested for Covid- 19 , and when the test came back positive, asked to be swabbed herself. After a mandatory seven-day self-quarantine, Derenoncourt tested negative for Covid- 19 . Regardless, Derenoncourt says, ​ “ The hospital asked that I not return to the floor.”

After that assignment, Derenoncourt says she has been assigned Krucial contracts three times, each canceled at the last minute.

“ As soon as they give me the assignment, someone will call back and say, ​ ‘ Oh, no, you can no longer work for Krucial — you are ​ ‘ DNR’ [do not return] in our system,’” Derenoncourt says. ​ “ They don’t want you to create trouble for the contract. And I understand business, but it’s not always about the money… I have a human being in that bed.”

In a lawsuit filed April 2020 , three nurses who deployed to New York City with Krucial claim the company fired them after they complained about being asked to perform roles outside the bounds of their medical training. The suit, which is pending in federal district court, alleges that the company is ​ “ profiteering from the crisis.” Krucial has denied the claims in court.

Krucial did not respond to a request for comment and directed In These Times to contact BCFS. A BCFS spokesperson replied to say the company was unaware of the allegations and directed In These Times to contact Krucial.

“ The safety and well-being of deployed personnel during any emergency response is paramount,” the BCFS spokesperson noted in their email.

With no end to Covid- 19 and staffing shortages, states are continuing to turn to travel nurses to fill healthcare gaps. In September 2021 , Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced she would use $ 12 million of the state’s federal relief funding to hire more temporary healthcare workers.

That can have a demoralizing effect on nurses staffing local hospitals, who ​ “ are working next to a travel nurse who makes three times the money,” one Alabama nurse told WBRC News.

Hospitals are blaming the private agencies for exploiting the crisis and exacerbating understaffing. In a September 2021 letter to the state attorney general , the California Hospital Association, which represents more than 400 hospitals and healthcare systems in the state, called for an investigation into possible price-gouging by private healthcare staffing agencies.

But nursing researchers and unions are emphatic that understaffing was a problem long before the pandemic — and point to hospitals and healthcare facilities as the primary culprits.

While ​ “ hospitals are concerned with how much they’re spending on agency nurses,” according to Karen Lasater, an assistant professor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, ​ “ that wouldn’t need to be the case if [hospitals] were doing right by their core nursing staff.” In a  December 2019 survey of nurses in New York, Lasater found that about half reported burnout, and one in four said they planned to leave the profession within the year — even before the pandemic hit.

National Nurses United, which represents more than 175 , 000 members nationwide, argues that staffing shortages can be chalked up largely to poor working conditions — caused, in part, by intentional understaffing. To underscore the point, the union cites a  2017 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report showing that most states have plenty of qualified nurses —more than they have open nursing positions. In other words, they argue, the understaffing is largely a manufactured issue.

Throughout the pandemic, healthcare facilities have continued to lay off workers. Morning Consult, a data intelligence company, found that in addition to the 18 % of healthcare workers who quit during the pandemic, an additional 12 % had been laid off. At Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, Calif., workers protested when 35 nurses were laid off in June  2020 .

“ They could have helped treat the Covid patients,” says Nerissa Black, a nurse who works in the telemetry unit at Henry Mayo. ​ “ By the time winter came and we had the surge, we were so short-staffed. And we had been warning our administration.”

Before the pandemic, more than 10 % of frontline healthcare workers suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — figures that have likely jumped since 2020 . A study presented at the American Psychiatric Association that surveyed Turkish healthcare workers found that nearly half of non-physicians working in the healthcare setting during the pandemic had PTSD.

Derenoncourt, who has spent nearly two years in hospitals overwhelmed with Covid- 19 patients, knows she will be haunted by her work long after the pandemic. She recalls the scene of disarray that greeted her at a long-term care facility in New Jersey in early 2020 , where an outbreak of Covid- 19 was spreading among patients and staff.

“ Everyone on staff was out sick,” Derenoncourt says. One patient, who had tested positive for Covid- 19 , appeared to have been left unattended. ​ “ I washed her from head to toe … and she looked at me and said, ​ ‘ Can I please have a hug?’”

Derenoncourt didn’t have the heart to refuse.

The patient was dead by the next morning.

“ I cannot get that lady out of my head,” Derenoncourt says.

Over the pandemic, Derenoncourt has seen many more patients die. ​ “ We have to wrap them up ourselves, so I became an expert in removing all kinds of tubing and cleaning them before I can wrap them and put them in that bag,” she says. To limit the spread of Covid- 19 , hospitals rarely grant non-patients access to the facility — so after cleaning and wrapping their bodies, Derenoncourt wheels them outside to be collected by funerary services and family members.

Despite the challenges, Derenoncourt says she can’t afford to leave travel nursing. ​ “ To continue and to be able to provide for my kids and myself,” she explains, ​ “ I had to go back to the bedside.”

Between assignments, Derenoncourt stays with her son in Camilla, a small town in southern Georgia. She had planned to hang out there for a few months in late fall 2021  — a vacation that would span the holiday season.

But her break came to an abrupt end in mid-November. An agency reached out offering back-to-back assignments.

I hope you found this article important. Before you leave, I want to ask you to consider supporting our work with a donation. In These Times needs readers like you to help sustain our mission. We don’t depend on—or want—corporate advertising or deep-pocketed billionaires to fund our journalism. We’re supported by you, the reader, so we can focus on covering the issues that matter most to the progressive movement without fear or compromise.

Our work isn’t hidden behind a paywall because of people like you who support our journalism. We want to keep it that way. If you value the work we do and the movements we cover, please consider donating to In These Times.

Alice Herman is a journalist covering politics and labor in the Midwest. She is a contributing reporter at the Guardian US and a former investigative reporting fellow with In These Times .

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