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Aya has the most travel nursing assignments in the country.

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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.

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Please sign-in using the links below. The job portal provides access to applications. The clinician portal is for clinicians currently on assignment.

One career, endless choices

About next move healthcare, clinician first., clinician powered..

Next Move Healthcare is a healthcare staffing agency committed to finding RN's and Allied Healthcare professionals of all specialties the most fulfilling and rewarding travel contracts. As a nurse-owned and operated travel nurse agency, we are afforded the unique ability to relate to our clinicians on a deeper level, both personally and professionally, while also being able to provide valuable insight into the world of travel nursing.

The Next Move Healthcare Difference

Unparalleled service.

We understand that speed is key to getting you placed in a competitive market, which is why our team works quickly and diligently to get to know you, your wants, and your needs to find you your perfect assignment.

From exclusive contracts at elite healthcare institutions, to presenting you with multiple offers, to assisting you with the credentialing process: finding your next travel nursing job just got a whole lot easier.

Next Move is the future of travel nursing.

-charlie b., next move was fantastic in every way and made my first ever travel assignment easy and worry free., my first time traveling and the entire company has made the process very easy and got me exactly what i need and want., everyone i have worked with at next move is friendly, easy to work with, and always willing to help, -michael n., i’ve spoken with other recruiters and other agencies - none compare. i definitely feel the support and appreciate the timely responses and guidance of the whole next move team., st. louis, mo.

per week gross

Sioux city, ia, springfield, mo, med/surg - tele rn, mount vernon, il, cath lab rad tech, interventional radiology rad tech, indianapolis, in, wound care/ostomy rn, mri rad tech, saint charles, mo, ultrasound rad tech, great bend, ks, cape girardeau, mo, oklahoma city, ok, kansas city, mo, home health rn, ct scan rad tech, fort smith, ar, stepdown rn, lee's summit, mo, mcalester, ok, hannibal, mo, med/surg rn, marshall, al.

The Latest in Travel

August 23, 2023, nurses estimated to be 38% more likely to have suicidal thoughts, july 31, 2023, travel nursing contracts: tips & tricks, july 25, 2023, next move, inc. named a top rated staffing firm: first half 2023.

Your Dream Career Begins Here

We staff the top prn, allied health, & travel rn, lpn, & cna jobs.

MSS, LLC is now a TotalMed company. As a top ten travel nursing and healthcare staffing agency, our ability to place expert travel nurses and specialty clinicians in short-staffed healthcare facilities leads to more compassionate, effective care — and that’s good for everyone. Get started today!

TRAVEL RN/CNA/LPN JOBS    |    PRN JOBS    |    GOVERNMENT JOBS

We were built by nurses for healthcare professionals, so we understand what matters. We offer travel nursing jobs and local jobs in all specialties.

Have you found your purpose? We staff across the nation, so no matter where you live or where you desire to travel, your purpose awaits.

Our shared expertise allows you to soar to your highest potential and focus on what matters most—your growth, patient wellbeing, and better healthcare.

Ready to Travel?

We take the confusion out of travel healthcare. Wether you’re looking for travel nursing jobs, allied jobs, or local assignments, simply fill out our short application and we’ll pair you up with an expert recruiter. Your recruiter will help you find the perfect assignment based on your skills and qualifications, and you’ll be well on your way to finding your purpose.

Apply Online

Find a Match

Find Your Purpose

Destination spotlights.

We can send you anywhere in the United States. Here are some of our favorite destinations. Apply today and find your purpose in travel nursing!

North Carolina

Travel Nurse Stories

Check out these testimonials from two amazing travel nurses making waves in Maui. Lillian and Lori found their purpose travel nursing with MSS, LLC, a TotalMed company.

LILLIAN’S STORY

LORI’S STORY

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Your source for clinician stories, tips and tricks, travel nursing destinations, and life at Medical Staffing Solutions, LLC. Join in on the fun!

Medical Staffing Solutions Makes Highway Hypodermics Top Ten List 5 Years in a Row

January 26, 2021. Medical Staffing Solutions announced Top Ten Status with Highway Hypodermics 2021 Top Ten Travel Companies Award.

Tell Us Your COVID-19 Story: Jessica

To support our brave healthcare warriors serving on the front lines of the nationwide pandemic, we are shining the spotlight of our very own

Tell Us Your COVID-19 Story: Stephen

Tell us your covid-19 story: bianca, tell us your covid-19 story: kim, standing for diversity & inclusion.

Diversity and inclusion continues to be top of mind across the nation. This applies to the healthcare industry and to Medical Staffing Solut

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Create the work/life opportunity you’ve been longing for .

Epic travel staffing is your ticket to the travel nursing and allied healthcare jobs you’ll love..

Epic Travel Staffing: The clear choice amongst travel nurse agencies & allied services.

Get on the road and live your dream life . seriously ., travel nursing and allied health opportunities are waiting., your search for travel nurse agencies and allied jobs ends today. welcome home..

New travelers and experienced travelers alike face a sea of travel nurse agencies to choose from, many of which offer the same jobs with the same pay and the same promises. So what makes for the best travel nursing agency ?

A veteran travel nurse or allied healthcare traveler knows the ins and outs of how to be a travel nurse – whether it’s searching for traveling nurse housing , negotiating travel nurse salary , or having a polished ability to hit the ground running at every travel nurse assignment . 

If you’ve never been a traveling nurse or searched for allied health travel jobs , then you’re not just looking for a travel nursing company or allied health travel agency , but a partner you can trust to guide you every step of the way.

As an Epic Travel Staffing travel nurse or allied clinician, you’re treated with respect, kindness, honesty and integrity by a travel nurse recruiter who takes your livelihood seriously, and is invested in your success.

Are you an RN or allied health clinician? We have an opportunity for you .

What’s your specialty where do you want to go tell us, and your epic travel staffing recruiter will take it from there., living the epic travel staffing lifestyle..

Get on the road and live your dream life as a traveling nurse.

Connect with epic travel staffing on social media.

Epic Travel Staffing Engage – Referral Transparency & No More Contact Forms

Epic Travel Staffing utilizes top-of-the-line technology to empower job seekers with the ability to search our open positions, and easily express interest in multiple jobs without the hassle of filling out a contact form for every. single. one. Download and register on our app, Epic Travel Staffing Engage , and your recruiter will be instantly notified when you submit your interest in one of our open jobs.

You can also use Epic Travel Staffing Engage to refer your friends to Epic Travel Staffing and track your travel nurse referral bonus like never before – the Epic Travel Staffing Engage app will keep you posted throughout your referral’s travel journey, from completing an application, starting their assignment, and your expected pay day. Cha-ching!

What experienced Epic Travel Staffing travelers say…

Evelyn A., RN

Epic Travel Staffing always makes me a priority. They answer my questions right away and tend to any needs I have with my contracts.

Savanah H., RN

My Epic Travel Staffing recruiter has been amazing. She worked closely with me through the application process and helped me find assignments that fit my needs perfectly. She advocated for me, relentlessly, until I got the job I was looking for.

Katrina C., RN

Embarking on this journey in travel nursing is a new experience for me. My recruiter is always one step ahead, and there when I need him. With Epic Travel Staffing, you'll be supported, heard, and given the opportunity of a lifetime.

Rose P., RN

I love my recruiter! He calls when my hours are questionable, and is very knowledgable about the facilities and what his nurses need. It's because of his good work that I've stayed with Epic Travel Staffing, and he helps make the company great. It starts with the people.

We’re not like all the other travel nurse agencies: The Epic Travel Staffing Difference

Epic Travel Staffing places high quality clinicians in travel nurse jobs across the U.S. We’re not a one-size-fits-all travel nursing agency . We’re in the business of helping travelers live out their unique “why”. That is, their own personal reasons for taking the road less traveled in healthcare (well, more traveled in this case!).

• Adventure seeker? We have open travel nursing jobs all over the country, many offered exclusively by Epic Travel Staffing. 
• Climbing the career ladder? Our clients include Level 1 Trauma facilities, teaching hospitals and charge nurse opportunities. 
• Building a nest egg? If you’re flexible on location, we’ve got jobs that offer some of the highest traveling nurse salary packages in the country.. 
• Ready to get on the road yesterday? Our concierge-level travel nurse license program gets you on the fast-track to a new state without the headaches – we do the legwork for you. 
• Feeling called to go where you’re needed most? We’re in the know, offering rapid response jobs for COVID-19 hotspots to get you on the ground.

At Epic Travel Staffing, we don’t just say we’re a great travel nurse agency , we’ll show you. 

Allied Healthcare Travel Jobs & Interim Placement

Our dedicated services for allied staffing and interim nursing leadership positions serve allied clinicians seeking travel ultrasound tech jobs , travel CT tech jobs and other travel allied health jobs .

Allied health recruiters at Epic Travel Staffing focus on helping clinicians land in travel physical therapy jobs , travel occupational therapist jobs , travel OR tech positions and many other allied modalities. 

Our interim healthcare and executive search division places experienced clinicians in interim healthcare leadership positions, with services and jobs catered to each unique candidate.

We’re not everybody’s recruiter. We’re your recruiter.

Epic Travel Staffing has the accessibility of a small company with the resources of a major healthcare staffing group , including benefits like day one travel nurse health insurance , 401(k) match, weekly direct deposit, and exclusive job openings that are found only at Epic Travel Staffing.

Not only is your recruiter just a phone call or text away, but Epic Travel Staffing travelers can be directly in touch with our payroll team, employee integration specialists, managers, or even our president (!).

Your recruiter at Epic Travel Staffing sees every traveler as a person, not a payday. There is only one you, and if you trust us to be your travel nurse company , you’ll be valued as the individual that you are.

A Leader in Per Diem Nursing Jobs , Travel Nursing Jobs , Allied Healthcare Jobs , and Surgical Services .

• Travel Nursing

With over 20 years of travel healthcare experience, Elite Nursing Services is the leading partner for clinicians who crave travel, adventure, and the opportunity to diversify their careers. Elite Nursing Services specializes in local and nationwide travel, offering assignments in acute care, long-term care, and allied health settings. At Elite Nursing Services, our clinicians and our clients are our #1 priority. Our expert travel recruiters focus on our clinicians’ needs and desires when matching them to the PERFECT assignment.

Although our travel focus is in the acute setting, offering travel specialty RNs in ICU, ER, Stepdown/Telemetry, L&D, NICU, Post-Partum/OB, Pediatrics, and more; we do offer travel staffing solutions for allied healthcare, long-term acute care, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and school districts.

• Top Industry Pay
• Private Housing/Tax Free Stipends *
• Travel Reimbursement *
• Discount Vehicle Relocation *
• Health Benefits *
• Professional Liability and Workers Compensation Insurance
• Weekly Direct Deposit
• Referral Bonus Program
• Holiday Pay *
• 24-hour priority service
• And much more…

*Benefits vary based on assignment and location. Please contact any of our experienced recruiters or staffing managers for details.

Call Now 1 (844) 526-5679

" Elite staffs all my favorite hospitals in Orange County. "

" I enjoy working for Elite Nursing! "

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Toll Free: 1 (844) 526-5679

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21 Best Travel Nursing Agencies Ranked [Updated For 2024]

• Kimberly Hennerfeind
• Last Updated: April 17, 2024

Looking to start your journey as a travel nurse and want to explore all of the best travel nursing agencies? Then we’ve got you covered!

While there are an overwhelming number to choose from, we aggregated data from Indeed and Glassdoor in order to determine the top-rated travel nursing agencies for 2023/2024. Best of all, the ratings on these sites come from real travel nurses who have actually worked with these companies.

So, in this post, you’ll see the top-rated travel nursing agencies and learn a little more about each one. If you want to explore an agency further, just follow the links to read our full, in-depth reviews.

We’ll also start with some recommendations based on our research to help you find companies with the best benefits, support, and more.

By the end, you’ll have a good idea of what each company offers, so you can choose the right travel nursing agency for your career goals.

Table of contents

What is the best travel nursing agency, best travel nursing agency for support, best travel nursing agency for benefits, biggest travel nursing agency, 1. axis medical staffing, 3. triage staffing, 4. fusion medical staffing, 5. travel nurses inc., 7. prime time healthcare, 8. medical solutions, 10. onestaff medical, 11. aya healthcare, 12. fastaff travel nursing, 15. travel nurse across america, 20. trustaff, what is the highest-paying travel nursing agency, start working with the best travel nursing agencies.

Axis Medical Staffing is the best travel nursing agency based on ratings from travel nurses on Indeed and Glassdoor.

However, always remember that while one agency may be a perfect fit for one travel nurse, it may be a different story for someone else.

For example, while one travel nurse may value a close relationship with their recruiter, another might be more concerned with salary or benefits.

Host Healthcare is the best travel nursing agency for those looking for robust support from recruiters. As soon as you start working with this company, you’ll have access to 24/7 support.

So, anytime you have a question or concern, you can call, text, or DM to get a quick answer. This makes it a great option for those who are new to travel nursing and might need a little extra guidance.

Of course, whether you’re a new travel nurse or a seasoned pro, there will always be times when you need to get in touch with your agency quickly.

Additionally, Host gives you access to jobs in all 50 states. All you need to do is select your desired contract location, and the company will help you find placements.

If you’re looking for a travel nurse agency with great benefits, you should check out RNNetwork . The company offers Day One benefits, meaning you’ll have access to them on the first day of your contract.

They offer a host of benefits including:

• Zero-Premium Health Insurance: Fully paid by RNnetwork, with dependant and life partner coverage.
• Prescription Pay: No-deductible for medications.
• Dental Plan: 100% coverage for preventive services and children’s orthodontic coverage.
• Vision Benefits: Coverage for lenses, glasses, frames, and exams nationwide.
• Continuing Education: Access to free, unlimited courses and licensure assistance.
• Credentialing Assistance: Full support and substantial cost coverage for licensing and certifications.
• Employee Assistance Program: Access to expert advice for financial, mental, behavioral, and legal issues.
• Life and AD&D Insurance: $50,000 coverage without requiring enrollment in a medical plan.
• Teladoc: 24/7 physician consultation services over the phone.
• Sanvello: Free access to a mindfulness app for stress, anxiety, and depression relief.
• Talkspace: 24/7 access to licensed therapists online.

We discuss some of the other reasons to choose RNNetwork later on in the complete rankings.

The largest travel nursing agency is AMN Healthcare . In fact, they owned nearly 20% of the entire market share of the industry according to a report from a few years ago.

Working with the largest agency comes with a number of advantages, like the number and diversity of available job opportunities. Additionally, you’ll receive robust support and comprehensive benefits, like free housing, 401(k), and life insurance.

Given that AMN is such a big company that’s been around since 1985, you also know they have an established reputation. The company even has exclusive deals with healthcare facilities, giving you access to even more jobs.

Overall, AMN healthcare is a option for those looking for a large travel nursing agency with access to lots of resources.

21 Best Travel Nursing Agencies Ranked

Below we ranked the best travel nursing agencies based on reviews left on Indeed and Glassdoor. In instances where there was insufficient data on these sites, we substituted Facebook reviews.

Axis Medical Staffing earned the title of best travel nursing agency for 2023 based on our aggregated data from ratings by travel nurses.

This agency was founded in 2004 and boasts lots of benefits, including:

• Assignment opportunities in every state
• A “personal touch” unrivaled by other agencies
• A nice payment structure

Though it’s a highly-rated company and travelers are eligible for healthcare benefits the first of the month following their date of hire but it is something to be aware of as there is a month wait. If this is key in your decision, there are other options that offer day-one benefits.

However, if you’re in it for the adventure, this is a great agency to work with.

2. Host Healthcare

We mentioned earlier that Host Healthcare is one of the best travel nursing agencies when it comes to support. You can contact them with questions 24/7, and their recruiters will try to find your ideal placement.

However, Host offers a number of other great benefits too. For example, the company provides access to thousands of exclusive contract positions all across the country. Some other amazing benefits they provide include:

• Day one medical coverage that lasts up to 30 days between assignments
• 401(k) matching
• Travel reimbursements
• A dedicated housing support team

Overall, because Host Healthcare offers such comprehensive support, it’s a great option for those who are new to travel nursing. However, experienced travel nurses can also benefit from working with them.

Triage Staffing operates by the motto of “real and ready.” There are tons of great reviews from their employees, and they emphasize clear and open communication.

If you’re looking to build long-term relationships and communicate with your recruiter regularly, this may be a perfect option.

Just keep in mind that they do promote a more fun and casual culture, which may not be suitable for everyone.

Also, you’ll need two years of experience if you want to work with them. However, if you don’t have the experience yet, they still encourage you to get in touch and build a relationship while you gain that experience.

Fusion Medical Staffing is the next company on our list of best travel nursing agencies.

It began as a small business in 2009, but since then has grown rapidly. They’ve even won awards for being one of the fastest-growing companies and having an excellent workplace culture.

Some of the reasons to choose Fusion include:

• They accept new graduates and provide a mentorship program
• An emphasis on social responsibility and volunteering
• An inclusive culture; for example, participating in LGBTQ+ pride events, disability fundraisers, and more

While the company does hire new graduates, the information on their website isn’t all that thorough. This can be a little scary for new travel nurses, so make sure you ask the right questions so you can decide if Fusion meets all of your needs.

Travel Nurses Inc. has been in business for over 30 years and features 24/7 clinical support. They also won the ClearlyRated Best of Staffing in both 2021 and 2022.

The agency has a robust job board, and even features a “Furnished Finder” tool that allows you to book housing options right on their website.

They provide day-one healthcare coverage and make contract transparency a priority. Your recruiter will schedule a review of your contract before you begin an assignment, ensuring all your needs are met.

While the ratings for this company on Indeed and Glassdoor are a bit sparse, this agency has lots of glowing reviews on Facebook and Google that are worth checking out.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you will need one year of experience to work TNI.

6. Atlas MedStaff

Atlas MedStaff is next in our rankings of the best travel nursing agencies, and has been around for over three decades. They place a focus on working closely with travel nurses and tailoring their contracts to fit their needs.

For example, each contract includes an “ Atlas Adventure ,” which is a unique experience that could include anything from skiing to going to see your favorite professional sports team.

Other reasons to work with this agency include:

• Great insurance and benefits options
• Paid private housing options
• Transparent and long-term relationships

Just make sure you get set up with and develop a good relationship with your recruiter. As with many other of the best travel nursing agencies, this could make or break your experience.

Prime Time Healthcare has been recruiting healthcare professionals for over 15 years.

If salary is a top priority, this may be a good agency to work with. Their travel nurse salary tends to go above average and offer great secondary perks, like:

• An excellent range of benefits
• Referral bonuses
• Paid travel

Keep in mind that Prime Time tends to work with elite-level healthcare professionals.

Also, this agency doesn’t only find placements for travel nurses. They also fill positions for per diem nursing and permanent positions.

If you want an agency solely focused on travel nursing, you may want to look somewhere else. However, if you want to build a long-term relationship with a company and eventually move out of travel nursing, this could be a perfect fit.

Medical Solutions is an agency that focuses on custom-tailored contracts for their travel nurses.

In fact, before a nurse agrees to a contract, a consultant from the agency will speak with them about what is most important to them.

While each contract will be different depending on the needs of each nurse, you can expect:

• An excellent 401(k) plan
• Loyalty bonuses
• Health benefits
• Employee assistance program

While the contract flexibility and customization can be great for travel nurses who know exactly what they want, all the options could be overwhelming if you’re not sure.

If you’re new to travel nursing, it may be better idea to go with an agency offering standard contracts that have been tried and tested by lots of nurses before you.

9. RNnetwork

RNnetwork ranks number four on our list of best travel nursing agencies.

This agency gives you the best of both worlds. While they have a personal and friendly approach to working with travel nurses, they also have the resources of a huge staffing company. This is because they are owned by a parent company called CHG Healthcare Services.

Other benefits of working with RNnetwork are that they:

• Only focus on travel nursing
• Provide great compensation and benefits
• Have an easy-to-use job search platform

Just be wary of the fact that your experience may vary depending on the recruiter you are matched with. The wrong recruiter could leave you with a subpar experience.

OneStaff Medical boasts experienced recruiters and dedication to the nurses they work with.

If you choose this agency, you’ll be able to contact a representative 24/7, 365 days a year. This way, if any problems come up, you can start finding solutions immediately.

They also provide communication on assistance with career goals and help in meeting your travel expectations.

Like most of the agencies on this list, you’ll have access to standard benefits and plenty of housing options.

However, OneStaff tends to work with travel nurses with at least two years of experience.

There have also been complaints of lack of cooperation between the agencies’ departments. Though they may be isolated instances, it’s a good idea to be wary.

Aya Healthcare is one of the biggest and best-known travel nursing agencies in the United States.

Due to their size and reputation, they feature a huge selection of assignments to choose from.

Other advantages of working with this agency include:

• Day-one benefits
• Credentialing and paperwork support
• Scholarships and education assistance

If you want to work with an agency with lots of resources, you should definitely consider Aya.

However, just remember that their size may mean you can’t build the same type of relationship you could with a smaller agency.

If having a “personal touch” is important to you, this may not be the best option.

Fastaff Travel Nursing specializes in “Rapid Response” healthcare staffing. This means they staff facilities in desperate need of nurses during times of crisis, like environmental disasters or extreme staffing shortages.

This agency offers some of the highest pay rates to travel nurses. However, this is largely because the assignments tend to be more difficult given their “Rapid Response” specialization.

If salary is top priority, this may be just the agency for you.

However, keep in mind that you’ll likely need to be ready to start working within 48 hours of accepting a position.

These more difficult assignments also tend be a better fit for more experienced nurses. Their culture is more professional and less friendly because of the urgent nature of most of their placements.

We mentioned earlier in this article that AMN is the largest travel nursing agency, giving you access to a bigger pool of exclusive jobs and resources.

However, there are lots of other great things about this travel nursing agency too. For example, they offer a host of benefits, like:

• Free and high-quality private housing
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) and flex spending accounts
• Life insurance
• Free continuing education courses
• Discounts on things like computers, cell phones, hotels, car rentals, gym memberships, and more

Perhaps most noteworthy is their mobile app. With the AMN Passport app, you can receive personalized job alerts, view time and pay details, and organize your credentials.

Overall, AMN is likely best for travel nurses with a bit of experience under their belt. However, if you’re looking for an agency with robust resources and great benefits, this could be the right fit.

14. Aureus Medical

Aureus Medical has been around for over 35 years, and they promote a highly-personalized approach to travel nursing.

Every nurse has a dedicated recruiter. However, if the recruiter is unavailable, there is always someone to offer support 24/7.

The agency also boasts:

• Long-standing relationships with healthcare facilities
• A dedicated housing and travel department
• Robust benefits

One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the agency is rather large. So, despite having a dedicated recruiter, you may have to deal with a number of different staff members.

Unfortunately, this means information can sometimes slip through the cracks, meaning you may have to repeat yourself if your information isn’t passed along by their staff members.

Travel Nurse Across America has been around since 1999. They’ve often been featured in top ten lists for travel nursing agencies, and they’re considered one of the most reputable in the nation.

The agency boasts great relationships with its client facilities and a clear and transparent company culture.

One of the best things about TNAA is their benefits. They send an Assignment Benefit Summary before each assignment begins.

If you’re looking to put in some extra hours, you may also be able to take advantage of “TNAA Boost Pay.” This is a special rate you receive if you work an extra shift.

The agency also features other typical benefits, and even pay protection if one of your shifts gets cancelled.

While the company does boast a robust job board, it doesn’t publish pay rates on third-party sites when promoting job opportunities. This could be frustrating when looking for a position that fits your compensation needs.

16. Krucial Staffing

Krucial Staffing specializes in staffing healthcare facilities in urgent need of nurses.

This means the assignments tend to be in more high-risk, emergency areas. It also means you’ll typically need to be ready to start working within 48 hours.

While these assignments are certainly more challenging, you’ll also be compensated for that extra difficulty.

Additionally, you’ll receive:

• Extra benefits through Krucial’s partnerships
• Excellent housing options

If you’re up for a challenge and want access to a wide variety of assignments that tend to be shorter in length, this may be the right option for you.

NuWest has been around for about 25 years and prides itself on the quick deployment of travel nurses. In fact, they typically send nurses to an assignment within 72 hours.

This agency has a smaller feel and a more personal touch. It also offers competitive pay rates and all the benefits you’d expect from a travel nursing company.

The downside is that they have a smaller number of available assignments compared to some other agencies. They mainly staff facilities in:

However, if you’re a travel nurse looking to work in one of these states and you’re prepared for quick deployment, NuWest may be a good fit.

18. TotalMed

TotalMed Staffing provides healthcare facilities travel nurses and helps nurses find local jobs.

If you’re a travel nurse looking to cover all your basics, this agency may be a good option. They have a large network and robust online job board, meaning you’ll have lots of assignments to choose from.

The company also provides:

• Day one benefits
• Credentialing and paperwork assistance
• Educational and professional support

One thing to be wary of is that some nurses have complained about a long onboarding process. However, for most nurses, the process has not been a problem.

Maxim Healthcare Staffing has been around for over three decades. In addition to travel nurses, they also staff for home healthcare and wellness services. The company employs more than 65,000 healthcare professionals in the United States.

The agency offers competitive pay rates and placements at some of the best facilities in the country.

Like some of the other travel nursing agencies on this list, a lot of the travel nursing assignments tend to be in high-stress, high-volume areas.

While this will earn you a higher paycheck, it may not be the best fit for newer nurses.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the agency has been a bit slow to resolve paycheck issues in the past. While the problems were always resolved, it could add more stress to an already stressful placement.

Trustaff has been matching travel nurses with hospitals for over two decades.

One thing that makes this agency stand out is their superb communication and helpful staff. They have an active support line with people ready to help you out.

They offer everything you’d expect from a travel nursing company, including:

• Health insurance
• Start and completion bonuses

However, assignment length can be inconsistent when working with Trustaff. Most assignments last 13 weeks, but they could end up being shorter or longer.

If you need a more consistent schedule, this may not be the best fit.

Nomad boasts one of the best and most streamlined digital marketplaces for finding travel nursing assignments. Also, their pay packages tend to be on the higher end of the spectrum.

A few other upsides to working with this agency include:

• Licensure reimbursement
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits

However, some travel nurses that worked with the company reported that there was poor communication. This could be a huge problem, especially if you’re new to travel nursing.

Nomad Travel Nursing is part of the broader Nomad Health platform, so it may be easy to get lost in the shuffle of such a big company.

It’s worth noting that there are plenty of both 5 and 1 star ratings, so it may just depend on the recruiter you end up working with.

There is no single travel nursing agency that pays the most. In fact, all the agencies on this list provide competitive rates.

If you’re looking to make as much money as possible from your contract, you should focus on factors like location and the type of contract.

For example, travel nurses have a much higher earning potential in states like California or New York compared to states like Arkansas or Kentucky. Just keep in mind that the cost of living is also greater in the former states than the latter.

Additionally, a more specialized nursing role will typically pay more than a general RN role. So, if you want to make more money, consider earning certifications or getting an advanced degree.

Whichever agency you choose, travel nursing salaries are much higher than resident registered nursing salaries. The average annual salary for a travel nurse is $106,030 per year, compared to resident RN salaries at $82,750 per year.

While Axis Medical Staffing is the top-rated travel nursing agency in 2023, the company that’s right for you will depend on your priorities.

Don’t be afraid to explore multiple options before making your final decision. This will ensure you secure the best contract possible.

If you’re reading to start working as a travel nurse, then start traveling now !

Kimberly Hennerfeind is a freelance writer and registered nurse with expertise in health, medical and legal content at Nursing Notes, LLC. Her almost 30 years of nursing include neonatal/pediatric critical care, and legal nurse consulting. She spent several years as a travel nurse in Tennessee and Texas in large children’s hospitals. She lives near Nashville, TN with her family and beloved dogs.

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Comparing Travel Nursing Agencies: How to Find the Best Company

Table of Contents

Are you considering starting a travel healthcare career as a nurse, but don't know where to get started? Maybe you're having trouble comparing traveling nurse agencies. Below, we review how travel nursing agencies can help you with travel nursing placement and explore what to look for when comparing travel nurse agencies.

How Travel Nurse Agencies Help You

Traveling nurse agencies help you search and land travel nursing placement assignments . Whether you are first starting your search or looking for your next travel nursing placement, your travel nurse recruiter is there to guide you every step of the way. Your traveling nursing agency is the liaison between you and the healthcare facility where you are looking to land your travel healthcare job. Besides searching for travel nursing jobs, they will also help you find travel nurse housing, and advocate for a higher base rate, or average base salary.

Importance of Travel Nurse Agencies Today

As we mentioned before, your travel nursing agency is the link between you and the healthcare facility regarding your travel nursing placement. Travel nurses are a vital part of the healthcare system, as many times they help fill gaps in patient care. When hospitals experience a high influx of patients or higher acuity in patients, this is where travel nurses are able to help. They help hospitals decrease nurse-to-patient ratios, which leads to a better quality of care and patient satisfaction. It also helps staff nurses combat burnout with the demands of higher patient acuity or assignments.

What to Look for in a Travel Nurse Agency

There are several things you should look for in a traveling nursing agency.

First, your traveling nursing agency should offer exceptional customer service right from the start. As a rule of thumb, if you apply or show interest in any travel nursing assignments, a recruiter should contact you within 24 hours (as long as it doesn't fall over a weekend). With tons of top travel nursing opportunities out there, travel nurse companies are there to help you land your next travel healthcare job.

Next, look for a traveling nursing agency that has a robust job board that offers lots of travel nursing jobs. You want to have plenty to choose from! Their job board should be transparent with job descriptions, travel nursing pay, and the hourly wage paid weekly. This way, you can compare which travel nurse agency offers competitive pay rates or has a higher base rate or lower base rate. If their site lacks information, then you will need to get as many details as possible when you speak to a recruiter .

Also, make sure the agency you are interested in has assignments throughout the country. You don't want to be limited on assignment choices! If you decide you want to go with a smaller agency, keep in mind that you may have to switch companies for future assignments if they don't have many available.

Travel nursing companies oftentimes have great benefits to offer their travel nurses. Before receiving and signing your contract, your travel nurse recruiter should be reviewing these with you and what their travel nurse agency has to offer. Many travel nurse companies also offer 24 hour customer support, an employee assistance program, hourly wage paid weekly, and other benefits.

About Health Carousel Travel Nursing

When it comes to travel nurse agencies, Health Carousel stands head and shoulders above the competition. But don't just take our word for it.

Kelli, one of our more seasoned travelers, was gracious enough to take the time to score 45 different travel nursing companies. With over eight years of experience in domestic and international nursing, Kelli has a clear understanding of what factors are in a nurse’s best interest. Kelli started working with her recruiter, Cindi Greene, in April of 2014, and we were thrilled when Cindi informed us that we made the top 5!

Kelli began her research by accessing the 300 plus rated travel nursing agencies on Highway Hypodermics and Travel Nursing Central. From that point, she reviewed about 113 different rated travel nursing agencies to ultimately compile her list of 45. This list was based on the following criteria:

1. Benefits Provided by the Agency

2. The Agency’s Website Design and Navigability

3. The Number of Job Posting

4. Job Descriptions (Average Travel Nursing Salary/Dollar Range)

The scoring system is based on a 20 possible-point scale. One of the largest healthcare staffing companies, Health Carousel Travel Nursing (HCTN) was able to earn 16 out of 20 points. The highlights that contributed to our score include our ability to provide first-day insurance coverage, weekly direct deposit, vacation pay, 401k match, industry experience, and much more!

After providing this information to Cindi, Kelly stated, “It gives you the recruiter a perspective from a traveler as we look at comparing and contrasting different agencies in our quest to find the best!” We could not agree more with this statement, and we welcome such honest feedback from our travelers. Our team is constantly striving to provide our travelers with the best possible experience and gaining this valuable insight will further propel us toward that goal.

Besides the great benefits and nationwide travel assignments, HCTN offers competitive pay rates, exceptional customer service, an employee assistance program, and 24 hour customer support. They also have resources for travel nurses, such as their travel nursing blog and the full circle of support page. The full circle of support offers education on using their resources to further their careers and maximize their benefits.

Are you interested in pursuing a travel healthcare career? HCTN, a top-rated travel nursing agency, has a robust job board with plenty of top travel nursing opportunities to choose from. With our new On Demand app, you can easily search, compare, and apply for nationwide travel assignments. You can even upload your licenses and documents!

Frequently Asked Questions

Now let's review some frequently asked questions of travel nurses.

How do I compare travel nursing companies?

As we mentioned before, take into consideration what is important to you for your future assignment. Keeping in mind that your priorities can change with each different travel nursing placement. For example, maybe the location you are traveling to is one you've really wanted to mark off your bucket list, so you are willing to accept a lower average base pay.

Which travel nursing agency pays the most?

There is no one or many travel nurse agency that pays the most or has a higher base rate than others. When comparing travel assignments, you need to weigh factors, such as average base pay, overtime and guaranteed hours, and meal and housing stipends. Remember, just because a travel nurse agency offers a lower base rate, you can make up for this with higher stipends or travel reimbursements.

Why are travel nurses getting cancelled?

This is a myth, and top travel nursing companies are not routinely canceling travel nursing assignments. If the census is low or demand has changed for a particular healthcare facility, then they will cancel as a last resort. Typically, your recruiter and healthcare facility will work to resolve this issue before it arises. But, it is important to ask before signing your travel nursing contract to see if there is a cancellation clause and the details.

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The Best Traveling Nurse Services to Work for in 2024

The travel nursing agencies we recommend for your next short-term post

Traveling nurses often find working in different parts of the country, or even the world, exhilarating and fulfilling. Many agencies focus on matching registered nurses (RNs) with short-term working opportunities in a variety of healthcare specialties and settings across the United States and internationally. Healthcare facilities in the U.S. rely on travel nurses to meet the demand for nurses, which is expected to soar by 275,000 between 2020 and 2030.

"Being able to explore other healthcare systems and connect with other providers can help give a travel nurse new experiences and perspectives," says Rachel Norton , BSN, RN, a clinician support manager at Vivian Health , a national travel nurse hiring marketplace.  We reviewed more than 20 agencies and studied hundreds of reviews to create this list of the best travel nursing agencies. We considered factors such as company quality, customer service scores, company reputation, wage ranges, housing options, and benefits.

• Best Overall: Triage Staffing
• Best for Sick Pay: Aya Healthcare
• Best for Education: Travel Nurse Across America
• Best Customer Service: Axis Medical Staffing
• Best Track Record: FlexCare Medical Staffing
• Best Newcomer: Advantis Medical
• Best for Benefits: RN Network
• Best Recruiters: Host Healthcare
• Best for Recent Graduates: Fusion Medical Staff
• Best Job Board: TotalMed
• Our Top Picks

Triage Staffing

Aya Healthcare

Travel Nurse Across America

Axis Medical Staffing

FlexCare Medical Staffing

Advantis Medical

Host Healthcare

• Fusion Medical Staff
• See More (7)

Final Verdict

• Compare Providers
• Guide to Choosing

Best Overall : Triage Staffing

• Pay: Hourly wage paid weekly, overtime, bonuses, per diem
• Housing: Tax-free stipend or company-secured housing for 13 weeks
• Benefits: Health coverage, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) with company match, vacation, education reimbursement
• Contracts nationwide: Yes

Triage Staffing tops our list because it provides a higher hourly wage and more frequent bonuses than its competitors. Additionally, the agency offers extensive perks, like tuition reimbursement and 401(k) on the first day.

Contracts available in all 50 states

Insurance available on first day

Paid by direct deposit each week

Dedicated support team available 24/7

Reports of poor weekend support for billing issues

Must have 2 years experience for most positions

Triage Staffing , founded in 2006, is considered by industry professionals as one of the most well-rounded travel nurse agencies among the companies listed here and in general. The company was recognized in 2023 by Inc. Magazine and Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA).

The company, which currently has about 1,500 employees, is based in Omaha, Nebraska, and has an impressive rating on Glassdoor .

Triage Staffing specializes in helping nurses and healthcare professionals find 13-week assignments across the U.S. The company strives for transparency and "to build relationships deeper than simple business transactions." Those who are hired are paid weekly (based on an hourly wage) via direct deposit.

The benefits package includes a wage, overtime, bonuses, per diems, and a housing stipend. Triage will also help its travel nurses find housing, if that's their preference. Health insurance is provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield, and those hired get dental insurance, vacation time, and a 401(k) plan.

Best for Sick Pay : Aya Healthcare

• Pay: Hourly wage, overtime, bonuses, per diem, stipends when called off
• Housing: Tax-free stipend or company-secured housing
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage; life insurance; 401(k) with company match; sick pay; wellness and fitness programs; employee assistance programs; tuition reimbursement; loan forgiveness options

Of the many benefits Aya Healthcare offers, one makes it stand out from other agencies: providing sick pay should you become ill during an assignment. You can rest assured knowing if you get sick, Aya will support you through recovery.

Benefits include sick pay (after 90 days)

Offers local and nationwide travel assignments

Requires only 1 year of experience

Insurance coverage for you and your dependents from day 1

Complaints about communication during recruitment

Large agency size might be challenging

401k eligibility begins after 4 consecutive months of work or 1 year after hiring

Aya Healthcare is one of the most talked-about travel nursing agencies around, literally. A 2017 independent study analyzed the frequency of top travel nursing companies mentioned by users on social media sites. The study concluded Aya Healthcare is the most frequently referenced in user comments.

Aya Healthcare is also one of the only travel nursing agencies that have sick pay, which begins accruing on the first day of an assignment. Nurses can earn one hour for every 30 hours worked, but it can't be used until after at least 90 days after their start date.

In addition to its rare sick pay policy, the company boasts comprehensive benefits. Travel nurses working for Aya Healthcare can start contributing to a company-matched 401k plan after four consecutive months of work for the agency, or one year after their hiring date. It also promises to cover or reimburse nurses for the cost of licensure and help them navigate and expedite the process in the states where they are assigned. Aya Healthcare offers discounts, wellness, and nutrition plans in addition to its medical, vision, and dental benefits, which are available to nurses (and their spouses and children) from their first day with the company.

Aya Healthcare has a strong online presence, including a blog and active social media accounts on nearly every contemporary platform. Its website proudly displays several company awards and accolades, including the Joint Commission's Golden Seal of Approval. The agency has placed thousands of travel nurses and allied workers nationwide and offers a program for  travel nursing from Canada .

Best for Education : Travel Nurse Across America

• Pay: Hourly wage paid weekly, overtime, bonuses, per diem (guaranteed)
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage; liability insurance; 401(k) with company match; sick pay; travel reimbursement; free continuing education; mental health resources; employee assistance program; chaplain assistance program

Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA) offers comprehensive benefits; however, its continuing education programs are what really sets the agency apart. Thanks to a partnership with Aspen University, the agency helps you earn your BSN with tuition reimbursement upon completion.

RN to BSN tuition reimbursement

RN specialty exam/recertification reimbursements

Insurance coverage available on first day

Offers free mental health resources

Per diem guarantee

Unable to see pay rates on the site

Large agency size might feel less supportive

Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA) had the highest average score when analyzing the top 10 travel nurse agency lists across several well-known sites.

Founded in 1999 in North Little Rock, Arkansas, this company was present on three "Top 10" lists in 2019, a notable feat that speaks to its history of satisfaction. According to BluePipes, TNAA was among the top 10 travel nursing agencies, one of the biggest (in terms of company size) on its 2022 list.  

TNAA uses a full-team approach to assist travelers, with specialty staff equipped to handle a variety of needs, including housing experts and clinical leadership, This agency also offers a wide array of benefits, such as low census pay, tuition reimbursement, and paid licensure fees prior to travel. Overtime is included in the payment for any extra hours worked and in every state, paid sick leave starts to accrue from day one.

TNAA also partnered with Aspen University, so individuals can get their Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 12 months. Upon completion, TNAA will even reimburse tuition expenses. It also offers reimbursements for recertification fees to certain eligible nurses.

Best Customer Service : Axis Medical Staffing

• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage; 401(k) with company match; state license reimbursement; transportation stipends; continuing education

With around-the-clock support 365 days a year, Axis Medical Staffing has one of the best customer service reputations in the industry. It offers a wide array of benefits, including healthcare coverage and company-matched 401(k) plans.

Dedicated support team available 24/7/365

Wide variety of specialty contracts

Offers company matching 401(k) with immediate vesting

Can submit questions to real travel nurses

Provides quick email responses

Pays for housing and assists in securing it

Not transparent about pay rates

Doesn't include paid sick leave in benefits

User reviews for Axis remain the highest on this list. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 2004, Axis provides several coveted benefits, including payment of paid personalized housing options (with pet deposit costs covered by the agency), as well as immediate vesting in its company-matched 401(k) plan.

This agency regularly features a new  Traveler of the Month nurse on its blog. Additionally, the Axis website has a page dedicated to Ask an Axis Travel Nurse , which features an easy submission form where a nurse can answer all your questions.

This encouraging way of connecting can provide novice or even seasoned travelers with a trusted source in the form of a nursing peer who has traveled with this specific agency several times, instead of hosting an impersonal message board. Axis also offers a live chat feature that's easily accessible on the homepage. These features earned Axis the top spot on BluePipes Best Travel Nursing Companies list in 2022.

Axis promises reimbursements and benefits similar to other companies, but it is not immediately clear from the company's website whether it offers paid sick leave.

Best Track Record : FlexCare Medical Staffing

• Benefits: Health coverage, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, state license reimbursement, transportation stipends, meals and incidentals stipend, rental car, travel reimbursement, continuing education, license reimbursement

Boasting more than 50 industry awards, including BluePipes’s 2022 Best Travel Nursing Companies list, FlexCare Medical Staffing has a track record of exceeding expectations and fulfilling its promises to traveling nurses.

Award-winning, highly reputable agency

Single point of contact for all your needs

Outstanding benefits

Features a referral program

Have to make an account to view wages

BluePipes refers to FlexCare Medical Staffing as the "most decorated travel nursing agency of all time," with more than 1,727 reviews reported. This agency obtained a gold finish on Travel Nursing Central’s 2019 list of top travel nursing companies and has consistently placed since 2014. FlexCare has also been on the Highway Hypodermics list since 2011.

FlexCare’s website touts its  Premier Traveler Access program, offering prospective travel nurses the opportunity to unlock and view pay ranges for a wide variety of open jobs, in addition to personalized alerts via text and email. This agency explains its mission to support travelers by providing a single recruiter who is able to meet every need (termed “S1NGLEPOINT” on the website) and help simplify the entire process.

This one point of contact can advocate for the traveler, assist in searching for jobs and housing, provide a transparent and competitive salary rate, as well as ensure timely payment.

Best Newcomer : Advantis Medical

• Benefits: Health coverage, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) without company match, transportation stipends, partial license reimbursement

Advantis Medical has a nurse care team available to help you every step of the way—from setting up your profile and walking you through the onboarding process to helping you find your next assignment—making it an excellent choice for those just starting out.

Excellent reviews from its travel clinicians

Quick response times from trained care team

Has a great reputation in the industry

Site offers several communication methods

Site lacks information on benefits package

No company match for 401(k)

Founded in 2018 as a subsidiary of Advantis Global, Advantis Medical's user reviews are limited in number but are glowing regarding people's experiences with the company.

Advantis Medical recruits travel nurses and places them in top institutions across the United States. The agency offers client connections with hospitals, outpatient clinics, same-day ambulatory surgical centers, as well as skilled nursing facilities.

Advantis Medical’s specialization opportunities include placements in divisions like medical-surgical (M/S), emergency department (ED), intensive care unit (ICU), labor & delivery (L&D), and more. Its benefits include highly competitive compensation packages, direct deposit available from day one, assistance with housing options, health insurance (medical, dental, vision), and a 401(k) option.

The agency also has payment incentives for referrals. To make the process as seamless as possible, Advantis Medical has a one-minute application form which could not be any easier, especially for a traveling nurse who is always on the go.

Best for Benefits : RN Network

• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage; life insurance; employee assistance program; Sanvello membership; Talkspace membership; Teladoc access; credentialing assistance; continuing education; traditional and Roth 401(k); travel reimbursement; loyalty program

RN Network provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes day-one health insurance and 401(k) options, plus additional perks like access to virtual therapy and medical care.

24/7 clinical support

Transparent about pay rate

Provides access to virtual therapy and medical care

Weekly pay via direct deposit

Completion, extension, and referral bonuses

No paid time off

Complaints of lower-paying contracts

Founded in 1998, RN Network has over two decades of experience in the travel nursing industry. Its experience shows in the company's user reviews, many of which highlight its great communication, support, and benefits.

The agency provides an impressive benefits package that includes day-one health insurance with a zero-premium option, as well as a 401(k) with company match, both traditional and Roth options. RN Network also offers access to Talkspace, Teladoc, and Sanvello's mental health app—ensuring its healthcare professionals have the mental health resources they need while on assignment.

Available contracts and pay rates are transparent on their user-friendly website, which can be a rarity in the industry. The company hires RNs, LPNs/LVNs, PCTs, and surgical techs for a variety of specialties throughout the country. Only one year of clinical experience is required, and the company offers a comprehensive onboarding program to help simplify the transition.

Best Recruiters : Host Healthcare

• Pay: Hourly wage paid weekly, plus overtime, bonuses, per diem, COVID quarantine pay
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance; 401(k) with company match; travel reimbursement

Host Healthcare recruiters are some of the best in the business, according to clinician reviews. With exceptional customer service , the company strives to make the job hunt and placement process as smooth as possible for its candidates.

Excellent customer service

Straightforward job hunt and placement process

Offers a variety of housing options, including pet-friendly

24/7 support via multiple channels

COVID-19 quarantine pay available

Can’t view facility or pay without an account

Site lacks information on reimbursement offers

Founded in 2012, Host Healthcare is a travel healthcare staffing agency that works with some of the nation's top facilities. The company has earned multiple awards over the years, including being named one of the Top Travel Nursing Companies by BluePipes.

What sets Host Healthcare apart from other agencies are its recruiters, who are consistently praised by clinicians for their exceptional customer service. In reviews, nurses rave about their recruiters being responsive, receptive, and thorough in their onboarding and placement processes. The company also offers a variety of housing options, including pet-friendly ones, to ensure you have a comfortable place to call home while on assignment.

In addition to its comprehensive benefits package, which includes health insurance, dental, and vision coverage, Host Healthcare also offers a 401(k) with company match and COVID-19 quarantine pay. If your facility quarantines you due to possible COVID-19 exposure, the company will compensate you for the duration of your time off work.

One drawback is that the company requires users to sign up for an account before viewing facilities and estimated weekly pay . However, it hires across multiple specialties and licensure types, including nursing professionals, therapy professionals, and other allied health professionals.

Best for Recent Graduates : Fusion Medical Staff

• Pay: Hourly wage paid weekly, plus overtime, per diem, and bonuses
• Benefits: Health coverage, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) with company match, short-term disability, travel and transportation per diem

Fusion Medical offers competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and transparent information about opportunities, and welcomes new graduates to sign up.

Transparent information for each job posting

Nationwide network

Attentive recruiters

Competitive pay and benefits

Open to new graduates

Per diem reimbursements may be less convenient for expenses like travel

Past complaints from LGBTQIA employees

Fusion Medical Staffing urges applicants to "choose your own adventure." With thousands of travel nursing positions across the U.S. available on its website, Fusion will definitely give you a lot to choose from.

Founded in 2009 in Omaha, Nebraska, Fusion doubled its size by 2016. The company racked up awards from Inc., People, and Staffing Industry Analysts for being among the best places to work and is rated 4.7 out of 5 on Indeed.com .

Assignments through Fusion Medical typically run 13 to 26 weeks and are available across a broad spectrum of nursing specialties. We particularly like how transparent the pay, terms, and benefits for each opportunity are on Fusion's website.

But what really makes the company stand out is its recruitment. Fusion offers 24/7 support and many of its travel nurses rave about their attentive recruiters. Fusion has a new graduate traveling medical job program recruiting nurses who have just finished training. Most travel nursing agencies require at least two years of experience, so Fusion may be a great choice if you're about to finish school and eager to see the country or aren't sure of where you want to call home yet.

Of note: Some LGBTQIA+ travelers and employees have complained of inclusivity issues and unsupportive leadership. In 2021, the company published a blog post about forming an oversight group dedicated to LGBTQIA+ inclusivity and support and alluded to its efforts to "grow" and "learn."

Best Job Board : TotalMed

• Pay: Hourly wage paid weekly, plus overtime, bonuses, and guaranteed hours
• Housing: Company-provided housing or stipend
• Benefits: Health insurance, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, 401(k) with company match, short-term disability up to 12 weeks plus up to 60% of monthly earnings

TotalMed is one of the biggest agencies in the business and has the job board to match. The company is known for making it easy for travel nurses to quickly find a new post in any state.

Large, well-connected agency with huge job board

Solid day-one benefits

Flexible housing options

Pay guaranteed

Generous short-term disability policy

Some nurses complain of long onboarding process

Pay is competitive, but perhaps not the highest of any agency

Focus on placing nurses in areas of urgent need

Few travel nursing agencies have a job board as full as TotalMed 's. The company leverages its wide network of partner hospital systems to offer nurses a plethora of assignments to choose from.

TotalMed prides itself on placing nurses and other medical workers in new postings quickly and prioritizes assigning workers to places urgently in need of additional staff. It offers a standard array of benefits, plus a pay guarantee and a generous short-term disability policy that covers up to 12 weeks of injury or illness with up to 60% of your pay.

Some travel nurses have complained of a protracted onboarding process, but once the initial paperwork is out of the way, most seem very happy with the company's efficiency and the quality of its recruiters. Its pay may not always be the highest of any agency, but travel nurses working with TotalMed still enjoy the benefit of payment guarantees and the confidence that a new job will almost always be available, and fast. TotalMed also goes a long way to smooth out the transition process by organizing and covering the cost of any licensing and certifications its travel nurses may need, as well as offering reimbursement for pesky costs like new scrubs.

Even though some agencies on our list require account registration to access pay rates, each one offers competitive benefits and wages. Triage Staffing is our choice for best overall travel nursing agency because of its positive reviews, superior customer service, and competitive wages. Day one 401(k) and tuition reimbursement are just a few ways it provides long-term support for travelers. 

Compare the Best Travel Nursing Agencies

Guide to choosing the best travel nursing agencies.

Travel nursing agencies are  staffing agencies  that place registered nurses and healthcare professionals in hospitals and clinics with short-term staffing needs. They often send individuals to national or international locations where there are nursing shortages.

Here are a few tips for choosing the best travel nursing agency to meet your needs.

Is a Travel Nursing Agency Right for You?

There are many advantages to working with a travel nursing agency in addition to the obvious benefit of being able to travel and explore new places. Some of the other advantages of working with a travel nursing agency include:

• Competitive pay: Travel nursing agencies offer competitive pay rates that are often higher than what you would make as a staff nurse and recruiters can help you find lucrative positions.
• Benefits : Health insurance, retirement plans, and other benefits are typically included in a travel nursing agency's compensation package.
• Housing: Travel nursing agencies often provide housing or help nurses find housing in their assignment location.
• Specialty assignments based on nursing field: Agencies can help place you in an assignment that matches your specialty, interests, and skills . Some facilities accept travelers into new specialties or a float pool that covers multiple units, as long as they have prior travel nursing experience. This is an added bonus for those who wish to explore new areas of nursing.
• Flexibility: Agencies offer a variety of assignment lengths and locations, so you can choose an assignment that fits your lifestyle.
• Perks and discounts : Free or reduced-cost continuing education courses, travel expenses, gym memberships, completion bonuses, and other perks are often available through travel nursing agencies.

How to Choose a Travel Nurse Agency

Consider the following when choosing a travel nursing agency:

• Average pay rates: Pay rate varies by agency, location, and assignment. Travel nurses often work with multiple agencies at the same time to find the best assignments and pay rates.
• Benefits package: Make sure the agency's benefits are comprehensive and meet your needs. Benefits may include health coverage , dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, 401K, vacation time, and education reimbursement.
• Housing options: Determine if the agency provides housing or assists with finding housing. Some nurses prefer to find their own housing, while others prefer the convenience of having the agency secure housing for them.
• Reputation: Check out online reviews and ratings to get an idea of the agency's reputation. Talking to other travel nurses who have worked with the agency is also a good way to get first-hand information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which travel nurses are most in demand.

Staffing agencies report that demand is high for critical care and medical-surgical nurses. Emergency room staff and labor and delivery staff are also in great demand.

Do Travel Nursing Agencies Pay for Housing?

Your agency will either have housing available for you or will reimburse you for your housing expenses. If you choose to secure your own housing, most agencies will give you a stipend to help offset the cost of rent and utilities. Talk with your agency recruiter about your housing options and what will work best for you.

How Long Are Travel Nursing Assignments?

Some travel nursing opportunities can be as short as eight weeks, while others can last for up to six months at a time. There are often options and offers to extend assignments, too.

What Experience Do You Need to Be Recruited by a Travel Nursing Agency?

Most agencies require new travelers to have recent experience as a nurse—meaning you can't become a travel nurse right out of nursing school. A year or two of experience is commonly required. A qualified nurse may also need more experience to work in the intensive care unit (ICU) or another specialty area.

Can Travel Nurses Choose Where They Work?

Yes, and that's generally a benefit of the job. Some agencies work to assign candidates throughout the United States, while others place travel nurses internationally. Before deciding to work with an agency, it makes sense to find out where they place travel nurses if you have a specific placement location in mind.

Methodology

We reviewed more than 20 agencies and studied hundreds of reviews from travel nurses around the country to identify the best travel nursing agencies. We then analyzed company quality and customer service scores across multiple sources to determine which companies are most reputable. Wages, housing options, and benefits were also a top priority. We reviewed the range of assignments, as well as the quantity and quality of each agency's listings in all 50 states.

VERYWELL Health / Design by Amelia Manley

U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor announces $80M funding opportunity to help train, expand, diversify nursing workforce, address shortage of nurses .

Healthcare Research & Analytics. Social listening: Evaluation of travel nurse companies: Analysis of travel nurse sentiment towards travel nurse companies .

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We specialize in supporting travel nurses of all disciplines and specialties. Our travel nursing agency works quickly to place travel nurses in their preferred travel assignment destination at one of our partner healthcare facilities across the U.S. Our travel nurses get access to a highly-responsive support team to help with everything from day-1 benefits and housing to retirement planning. At Host Healthcare, we provided registered nurses and healthcare professionals the opportunity to see new places and work in new hospitals while supporting their career goals.

Premium Benefits that’ll put your mind at ease

A travel nursing assignment is more than a career change, it’s a lifestyle change. We give you a built-in travel nursing support system to make sure your needs are met from the moment you start. If you want to take some time between your travel nurse assignments, we’ve got your back!

Exclusive Access to High-Paying Nursing Jobs

Access to tens of thousands of nursing positions across the U.S.. We only work with fully-vetted, top healthcare facilities and we personalize your job matches based on what you want.

Dedicated Housing Assistance

We’ll help you find and secure housing that makes you, your family, and your furry friends feel at home. Pet-friendly accommodations available.

Responsive 24-hour support

You’re never alone, even on your first night in a brand new city. Reach us via text, live chat, phone call, or even DM us on Facebook or Instagram and we’ll be more than happy to listen and help.

Day-1 Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits

Your health and well-being are our top priority, which is why you get full health benefits on day one.

Insurance Coverage Between Assignments

Keep your medical, dental, and vision benefits for up to 30 days between assignments for stress-free time off.

401K Matching

We’re helping you plan for your future beyond your time with us by offering a competitive 401K investment plan with company matching.

Recruiters You’ll Love

Humble brag alert: Our recruiters have the best reviews in the business. Don’t believe us? See for yourself.

The #1 .cls-1{fill:#9ce7a7;stroke-width:0px;} Rated Travel Nursing Agency

Check out these reviews from real host healthcare travelers..

Host Healthcare is amazing! Best travel co out there! Amanda is the recruiter I have & she is wonderful. She is there from the beginning. From searching for the perfect assignment throughout completion of a contract - Amanda is there for me! Host Healthcare treats their nurses so well

Amanda Goad is the most amazing recruiter I have worked with. She is the most responsive and go-getter. She is in constant contact with you or hospitals to get you offers and/or advocating for you. She is super motivated and helpful. If you have the opportunity to use her, you will not regret it.

Needed to move across country to be next to my partner, but blindly jumping into a full time job for a hospital system I was not familiar with was out of the question. Host Healthcare (Natalie G specifically) stood by me and helped me fulfill my absurdly specific requests. I was a first time time traveler and I couldn't have made it without the support I received!

Just finished my first contract with Host Healthcare (fifth overall) and they were amazing! Specifically my recruiter Jenny Berroth. Jenny was so helpful and easy to communicate with. I had a couple issues come up and Jenny was all over them and took care of everything so I could just concentrate on being a nurse, while she handled the rest. I can’t recommend Host and Jenny enough! You have to give Host and Jenny a try, you’ll be glad you did!

Where do you want to go? Your perfect travel therapy job is a few clicks away

You pick the city, we help you get there. It’s really that easy to take the next step in your travel healthcare career.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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The Best Travel Nursing Companies 2021

The best travel nursing companies for 2021 are here! This year, we evaluated over 350 companies by aggregating 91,240 reviews from 6 of the most reputable review sources. The result is this objective list of 20 amazing travel nursing agencies.

Every company on our list has an average review score higher than those of companies on GlassDoor’s list of “Best Places to Work” . That’s why you should consider all 20 of them. We’re certain you’ll find numerous great matches if you do.

This our fifth year compiling company reviews this way. We do this because we know it’s extremely difficult and important for travel nurses to find the right agencies to work with.

Please Note: This article was written in 2021. While it is still very useful, we highly recommend reviewing our newer articles below:

The Best Travel Nursing Companies 2023 The Best Travel Nursing Companies 2022

It’s Difficult to Find the Best Travel Nursing Agencies

Part of the reason it’s so difficult to find the best travel nursing companies is that there are SO many. Meanwhile, the vast majority of travel nurses work for the 50 largest companies. The 5 largest companies have over 35% of the travel nurses.

Find your next travel healthcare job on BluePipes!

This all means that the vast majority of travel nursing companies have relatively few travelers working for them. Therefore, it can be difficult for them to receive a meaningful number of reviews.

To top it all off, there are tons of review resources. Therefore, the reviews are spread thin. Therefore, no single review source has a meaningful number of reviews for every agency.

Watch Out For Bad Information

We spend a ton of time researching travel nursing agency reviews in the process of aggregating the scores. We often come across shady and duplicitous information related to the topic. We like to share that information with you so you know what to watch out for.

Last year, we found several websites that engaged in “review seeding”. When a website launches a new review feature, they will naturally have no reviews. “Review seeding” is when they add a ton of fake reviews to get the ball rolling.

The idea is that visitors are more likely to leave reviews if the site already has reviews. Unfortunately, you can’t trust fake reviews!

This year, we found that a bunch of click-bait “content farm” websites had published articles on “the best travel nursing companies.” These are websites that publish massive numbers of articles on a wide range of topics with one goal in mind, to generate traffic by ranking high on Google’s search results.

These websites often hire inexpensive overseas writers with no knowledge of the topics that the website tells them to write about. Why is this a problem?

Well, we found one article that listed companies that haven’t existed in over 3 years. We found another article that listed several companies that have absolutely horrible reviews. And we found several articles that had flat out copied the work of others. In fact, we successfully filed two DMCA takedown requests against websites that had copied our work.

The saddest thing about this is that Google falls for it. As a result, these articles often sit atop Google’s search results.

We urge you to seek out reputable resources to ensure that you aren’t being led astray.

Our Process for Determining the Best Travel Nursing Companies for 2021

This is why we compile review scores for every company we can find on 6 reputable review websites. We enter the scores into a spreadsheet. We’ve done this annually since 2017. Here are the review sources we used this year:

Rating Services We Aggregate

• Highway Hypodermics
• Travel Nursing Central

The spreadsheet calculates the aggregate average score for each company. Then, we compare the scores for the current year to the scores for the previous year. We award bonuses for score increases and penalties for score decreases.

This way, we recognize great companies that had a great year. We strongly encourage you to review our lists from prior years. Nearly every company on those lists continues to have amazing scores.

Our scoring system is much more complex than we’ve described here. We like to be as transparent as possible. Therefore, we provide a highly detailed scoring example at the end of the article.

2021 Insights from Travel Nursing Company Reviews and Ratings

This year, we collected all the scores between May 23 and May 29, 2021. Each year, we like to share interesting stats and tidbits of information we recognized while compiling the numbers. Here are some from this year:

Quick Observations

• Our 2019 article on the “Best Travel Nursing Companies” has been viewed more than 131,000 times! It’s our 10h most viewed article of all time.
• Our 2020 “Best Travel Nursing Companies” article has been viewed more than 68,000 times.
• We aggregated 91.240 reviews for 356 travel nursing companies this year! That’s an increase of 11,569 reviews and 32 companies from 2020.
• The aggregate average score for all agencies was 79.12 in 2021. That’s up from 78.19 in 2020. That’s amazing given that the period we measured includes the peak of the pandemic’s challenges. Moreover, healthcare staffing agencies continue to outshine employers in other industries.

We tallied 3,122 total reviews on Highway Hypodermics this year . The aggregate average score for all companies on HH was 17.70. That’s an increase from 17.54 the year before.

That’s equivalent to an average score of 88.5 out of 100! This indicates that healthcare staffing agencies are providing travel nurses with excellent service.

We counted 11,173 scores on Travel Nursing Central for 2021. That’s an increase of 806 reviews from last year.

The aggregate average review score on TNC was 86.04 out of 100. That’s an increase of .65 points. Again, this indicates that travel nursing companies performed exceptionally well in 2021.

We counted 6,616 total reviews on Facebook this year. That’s a decrease of 723 from the previous year. That’s not a typo. The number of reviews on Facebook decreased last year as well.

Use the original Universal Job Application and Credential Management for travelers.

This year, we had to manually count scores for several agencies. That’s because Facebook was showing that some companies had no reviews even though Facebook displayed the reviews right next to the count.

We also saw some companies with a negative number of reviews. How is that even possible? Facebook’s review tracking is so bad that we’re certain it had an impact our rankings this year. We chose to press ahead and count the reviews.

Facebook is a mess. We wouldn’t even use them if weren’t for the fact that the travel nursing industry is highly active on Facebook.

We counted 20,250 reviews on Indeed this year. That means employees added 2,292 new reviews for healthcare staffing agencies this year.

The aggregate average score for all companies on Indeed was 3.75 out of 5 this year. That’s equivalent to 75 on a 100-point scale. That’s unchanged from last year.

The total number of reviews on GlassDoor was 20,756 this year. That’s an increase of 4,704 reviews from the previous year.

The aggregate average score for all travel nursing companies was 3.81 this year. That’s in increase from 3.66 the previous year. Moreover, it’s much higher than the average company rating on GlassDoor which is 3.3 .

We counted 6,926 reviews on Google this year. That’s an increase of 2,239 reviews from the previous year.

The aggregate average score for all travel nursing companies was 4.46 on Google this year. That’s an increase from 4.42 the previous year. It’s equivalent to 89.2 on a 100-point scale.

Why You Should Consider All 20 Companies

As we do every year, we included 20 companies on our list of the best travel nursing agencies of 2021. Many people think the list is too long. We actually think it’s too small and here’s why.

First, every company on this list has amazing review scores. As I mentioned above, every one of them has review scores high enough to be in GlassDoor’s annual list of the best companies to work for.

Second, travel healthcare professionals MUST work with multiple companies in order to gain maximum exposure to the job market. That’s because different companies work with different hospitals. No single company has access to every job.

Free eBook: How To Negotiate Travel Nursing Pay

We urge you to consider every company on our list. If you do, we’re certain you’ll find 3 to 5 that can cover all the bases that are important to you.

Contact the Best Travel Nursing Agencies on BluePipes

We know this sounds like a lot of work. However, BluePipes can help you simplify the process. 19 of the 20 companies on this list have an active company page on BluePipes. That means you can join and communicate with them via our messaging system. Nine of the companies on the list publish jobs on our website.

Discover why travel nurses call BluePipes, “their secret weapon”. It’s free and easy!

BluePipes Best Travel Nursing Companies 2021

Here are the best travel nursing agencies of 2021:

About the Best Travel Nursing Agencies 2021

Below we provide some basic information about each company on our list.

1. Advantis Medical

Advantis Medical continues to shine like a superstar. They’ve been on our annual list of the best travel nursing agencies since their inception in 2018.

According to the reviews, travel healthcare professionals absolutely love Advantis Medical for all the right reasons. Advantis’s reviews have several recurring themes. They are quick to respond to traveler inquiries. They provide thoughtful and thorough information. They work tirelessly to land assignments travelers want. They offer highly competitive pay and benefits.

The result is that Advantis has the highest aggregate average score of all the companies on our list at 97.72592593 out of a possible 100. That is an increase of over 1.2 from last year’s remarkable average score.

Please don’t let their relative newness fool you. Advantis was founded by a highly experienced team of staffing industry experts. Their parent company, Advantis Global, is one of the nation’s leading IT staffing agencies. They have world-class leadership and they’re doing an excellent job at hiring an amazing team.

Advantis Medical places nurses and allied healthcare professionals in travel assignments nationwide. They also provide some help with permanent placements. Be sure to contact them to discuss your next career move.

2. TotalMed Staffing

TotalMed had an exceptionally strong year in reviews. Their scores increased year-over-year on 4 of the six review sources we measure. Their average aggregate score increased from 86.18 to 88.82. These increases resulted in over 10 bonus points under our scoring system which catapulted them to number 2 on our list. The fact that TotalMed was able to accomplish this during the pandemic, with all its challenges, is extra impressive.

TotalMed is no stranger to annual lists of the best travel nursing companies. Travel Nursing Central listed TotalMed as one of the top companies every year from 2015 to 2020. They made it on Highway Hypodermics’ list in 2014-2017 and 2021.

TotalMed was founded in 2005. They staff Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide. They have access to a high volume of jobs via direct relationships, VMS contracts and by virtue of their own MSP service.

3. Triage Staffing

Triage Staffing has been in the top 5 on our annual list every year since 2017. No other company can say that.

Triage comes in at number 3 this year with an aggregate average score of 96.49. That is up from 95.83 last year. That’s amazing given that Triage has over 1,200 total reviews!

This past year, Triage acquired another highly reputable healthcare staffing company, Talemed. This makes Triage one of the largest healthcare staffing companies in the nation. That’s a great thing for travel healthcare professionals because it means Triage has access to high volume of jobs and also provides exceptional service that is well documented in their reviews.

To top it off, GlassDoor named Triage’s CEO , John Maaske, a top 20 CEO in the Small and Medium Sized Business category. Triage Staffing places Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

4. Stability Healthcare

Stability Healthcare comes in at number 4 on our list of the best travel nursing agencies with an aggregate average score of 94.96 on 102 total reviews. They received 62 new reviews in the last year.

Stability Healthcare is an industry trailblazer. They were among the first, if not the first, to build web-based software that we could truly refer to as “recruiterless travel nursing”.

However, don’t let the term “recruiterles” fool you. Stability Healthcare does provide human support. And, according to Stability’s reviews, that support is world-class.

Instead, Stability’s software provides healthcare professionals with detailed job information, including pay. It also provides a user-friendly profile builder and credentialing features. Essentially, the software provides nearly everything healthcare professionals need to submit themselves for a job.

Stability offers PTO, day 1 health coverage, extra-shift bonuses, guaranteed stipends and 401K benefits. Staffing Industry Analysts recognized Stability as one if the fastest growing healthcare staffing agencies in 2018. They have access to a high volume of jobs and place travel nurses nationwide.

5. Axis Medical Staffing

Axis Medical Staffing has been on our list of the best travel nursing agencies every year since 2017. They ranked number 2 on our list last year. They routinely make the lists of both Highway Hypodermics and Travel Nursing Central. Axis is on all three lists for 2021!

Axis’s aggregate average score this year is 95.63. That’s an increase from last year’s 94.97. Axis’s scores increased on TNC and Google during the past year.

Travel healthcare professionals absolutely love working with Axis Medical Staffing. The reviews describe Axis as accessible, honest, knowledgeable and transparent.

Axis Medical Staffing is based in Seattle, Washington. They staff Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

6. AHS Staffing

AHS Staffing debuts on our annual list of the best travel healthcare agencies at number 6! They made Highway Hypodermics’ list in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

AHS Staffing operates four divisions, NurseStat, RenalStat, PharmStat and MedStat. We actually aggregated the scores for all their divisions. The result was 423 total reviews with an aggregate average of 91.02.

The NurseStat division had an exceptionally strong year with score increases on 3 of the six platforms we measure. They also increased their aggregate average score from 85.49 to 90.94. We aggregated their total scores as well.

AHS Staffing is based in Edmond, Oklahoma and was founded in 2009. They place Nursing and Allied professionals in travel healthcare jobs nationwide.

7. Core Medical

Core Medical is number 7 on our list for the second straight year. They had another exceptional year in reviews.

Core Medical’s score increased on 3 of the 6 platforms we measure. Their aggregate average score increased nearly 3 points. Core Medical has a total of 419 reviews and 69 new reviews in the last year. Therefore, they had a large percentage of very strong reviews in the last year.

Core Medical started in 1989. They staff both contract and permanent positions for healthcare professionals of all types.

8. Atlas MedStaff

We’re excited to see Atlas MedStaff back on our list this year! Their aggregate average score came in at 91.23. Their scores increased this year on Highway Hypodermics, Indeed, Facebook and Google. Atlas was on our list in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Atlas MedStaff is highly regarded as a fun-loving, honest, transparent and inspiring organization. They have a huge presence on social media. Their YouTube channel has over 1,600 videos!

Atlas MedStaff was founded in 2011 and grew quickly under expert leadership. They staff both Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide. They have access to a very high volume of jobs.

9. Medical Solutions

Medical Solutions is one of the largest healthcare staffing companies in the nation. We say that because it’s extremely difficult to scale the type of world-class service that traveling healthcare professionals deserve. Yet Medical Solutions has accomplished just that.

This is Medical Solutions’ second year in a row on our list. They have an average aggregate score of 92.21 on nearly 1,500 reviews.

Medical Solutions is truly delivering exceptional service at scale. They have tons of jobs and a beautiful website to help you find them!

10. Host Healthcare

Host Healthcare has become a fixture on annual lists of the best travel nursing companies. They were number 1 on our list last year. They’ve been on our list every year since 2017.

They were number 1 on Highway Hypodermics list for 2021. They’ve been on HH’s list every year since 2017.

Host Healthcare has outstanding leadership. Their CEO, Adam Francis, has a 99% approval with 46 ratings on Glassdoor. They do an excellent job at hiring and have amazing recruiters as a result.

Host Healthcare staffs both Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

11. LiquidAgents Healthcare

LiquidAgents Healthcare has over 1.200 reviews across the six services we track. They have an aggregate average score of 93.61. That’s an increase from last year’s 92.12. LiquidAgents staffs Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

12. Emerald Health Services

Emerald Health Services comes in at number 12 on our list of the best travel nursing agencies for 2021. Their aggregate average score came in at 90.48, an increase of over 5 points from last year. Their scores increased from last year on Glassdoor and Google.

Emerald was one of the founding members of NATHO, an organization that seeks to set service standards in the travel healthcare industry. That commitment to service shines in Emerald’s reviews where travelers gush about their recruiters’ responsiveness, thoroughness and friendliness.

Emerald Health Services was founded in 2002. They staff Allied and Nursing professionals nationwide.

13. Hamilton Staffing Solutions

Hamilton Staffing Solutions debuts on our list at number 13. A Registered Nurse founded the agency in 2015, so they’re relatively new. That’s why they just reached our minimum threshold of 50 reviews this year.

Those reviews are absolutely glowing. They describe a team that is patient, responsive, honest and forthright.

Hamilton Staffing Solutions’ aggregate average score was 94.65 on 57 reviews. 47 of those reviews came in the last year. That was during the pandemic which shows that Hamilton is capable of delivering great service during peak times. Hamilton staffs Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

14. FlexCare Medical Staffing

We’ve referred to FlexCare Medical Staffing as, “the most decorated company in the history of travel nursing.” They make it on all three industry lists nearly every year.  They’ve been in the top Gold Tier every year since 2014 on Travel Nursing Central. They’ve been on our list every year we’ve done it.

There’s a lot for travel healthcare professionals to love about FlexCare. They’re a larger company, so you get access to tons of jobs. At the same time, your recruiter is your single point of contact for everything which maintains service continuity. They offer their best pay rates all the time as a matter of company policy.

FlexCare was founded in 2006. They staff Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

15. Tailored Healthcare Staffing

Tailored Healthcare Staffing has been on our list every year since 2017. This year, they came in with a total of 650 reviews with an aggregate average score of 92.56. That was an increase of 1.51 from last year.

Based in Cincinnati, OH, Tailored Healthcare was founded in 2004. They refer to travel nurses as “Super Nurses” and strive take care of them as such. They staff Nurses nationwide.

16. Republic Health Resources

We tallied 464 reviews with an aggregate average score of 90.36 for Republic Health Resources. That’s an increase of 2.36 from last year. Their average score increased on Glassdoor which gave them a bonus in our scoring system.

Republic Health Resources is based in Irving, Texas. They staff travel nurses at over 1,500 facilities nationwide.

17. Travel Nurse Across America

Travel Nurse Across America, also known as TNAA, is a regular on lists of the best travel nursing agencies. They were number 4 on our list in 2018. They were also on our list in 2019. TNAA has been on Travel Nursing Central’s list every year since 2014!

TNAA has lots of unique options for travel nurses. For example, they offer paid sick leave in every state which begins accruing from day 1. You’re able to use it after day 90. They also offer a guaranteed pay option that ensures you get paid if the hospital cancels a shift.

TNAA has an excellent website that is very user friendly. They publish jobs with estimated pay quotes on their website.

TNAA is a larger sized company so they have access to a high volume of jobs. They staff RNs, Techs and Respiratory Therapists nationwide.

18. Fusion Medical Staffing

Fusion Medical Staffing is another highly decorated and larger sized healthcare staffing company. They were number 3 on our list in 2017 and number 7 in 2018. They’ve been on Highway Hypodermics’ and TNC’s lists numerous times.

Fusion has a top-tier website that makes it easy to search for and apply to jobs. They also publish jobs with pay quotes.

Fusion has a very high volume of jobs. They staff Nursing and Allied professionals of all types nationwide.

19. Chesapeake Medical Staffing

This is Chesapeake Medical Staffing’s second appearance on our annual list of the top travel nursing agencies. They were number 10 in 2018.

A Registered Nurse founded Chesapeake in 2001. They focused primarily on PRN staffing in the early years. They’ve been providing travel nursing services roughly a decade. They now staff Nursing and Allied professionals nationwide.

20. Gifted Healthcare

Gifted Healthcare returns to our with a aggregate average score of 91.76 on 405 total reviews. Gifted was number 3 on our list last year and is routinely recognized on other lists.

An RN founded Gifted in 2006. Nearly all of their entire top management team are RNs.

Gifted staffs travel nurses nationwide and has a high volume of jobs. They also staff a lot of PRN in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Background Info on Best Travel Nursing Companies List

Now that you’ve perused the list of best travel nursing companies, let’s take a detailed look at how we scored it.

Our scoring system is more tedious than it is complicated. Nonetheless, we’re big fans of transparency so we’re going to share exactly how the system works.

Review Sources and Score Collection

First, we use scores from 6 trusted review sources. We find every travel nursing agency we can on these websites and enter their scores into a spreadsheet. The websites we use are listed below:

Internal Staff and Travel Nursing Reviews

Highway Hypodermics and Travel Nursing Central accept reviews from travel healthcare professionals only. The other review sources accept reviews from both internal employees and travelers.

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We have several reasons for counting reviews from the both travelers and internal employees. First, the other sources get much more traffic than niche websites. Therefore, more people see them and they have more reviews. By counting them, we get a much clearer picture of how people perceive travel nursing agencies.

Perhaps more importantly, we strongly believe that happy internal employees are good for travel nurses. Happy employees have lower turnover which means a more cohesive and experienced team for travel nurses.

Fake Reviews and Review Solicitation

Everyone knows that fake reviews exist. That includes us. We check the reviews of every company that qualifies for our list. We look for fake reviews during that process. Over the years, we’ve discovered fake reviews for several companies. We disqualify those companies as a result.

We also know that “review solicitation” exists. We do not think this is a problem unless the company is paying for reviews. We believe it’s normal for companies to ask customers and staff to leave them reviews. If we see that companies pay for reviews, then we disqualify them.

Sample Size and Minimum Requirements

We also have minimum requirements for companies to make it on the list and receive bonuses or penalties. These requirements help solve problems related to sample size.

First, we require a minimum of 50 reviews to make it on the list. We also require a minimum of 15 reviews from healthcare professionals within the last year. We have similar requirements for bonuses and penalties.

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We do this to ensure that we have adequate sample sizes. For example, if a company has ten 5-star reviews, then they would have a score of 100 which is really high. However, ten is a very small sample size so it doesn’t necessarily tell us that the company provides 5-star service to their travelers.

Sample Breakdown of our Best Travel Nursing Agency Scoring System

Let’s take a look at a sample score. We’ll use Atlas MedStaff’s scores. Atlas is number 8 on our list this year.

Meeting the Minimum Requirements

First, we collect the number of reviews and review scores from the 6 review services and enter them into our spreadsheet. We add the number of scores together. This gives us the total number of scores. At this point, our minimum requirements are as follows:

Minimum Requirements for Best Travel Nursing Companies

• A company must have a minimum of 50 total reviews across all platforms. That’s not 50 for each platform, but 50 for all platforms combined.
• A company must have a minimum of 15 new reviews from healthcare professionals in the last year.

Again, these requirements ensure that we have an adequate sample size.

Atlas MedStaff has 369 total reviews. Therefore, they meet our minimum requirement of 50.

They had 65 new reviews in the last year. They had 42 new reviews on Highway Hypodermics in the last year. They meet our minimum requirement of 15 reviews in the past year from travel nurses because Highway Hypodermics only accepts reviews from healthcare professionals.

Calculating the Aggregate Average Score

After we enter the scores for each review source into the spreadsheet, we’re ready to calculate the aggregate average score.

In doing so, we must convert all the scores to a common scoring scale. That’s because the review sources use three different scales between them. TNC uses a 100-point scale. HH uses a 20-point scale. The others use a 5-point scale. We convert them all to a 100-point scale.

Here are the scores we collected for Atlas MedStaff this year:

Next, we add the number of reviews to arrive at the total number of reviews.

Next, we calculate the weighted total for each review source. This is also where we convert all the scores to a 100-point scale. To do so, we multiply the scores by 20 for the rating services that use 5-point scales. We multiply by 5 for the rating service that uses a 20-point scale.

Here is how that breaks down for Atlas MedStaff:

Finally, we divide the weighted aggregate total by the total number of reviews to get the aggregate average score. Here is Atlas MedStaff’s calculation:

Aggregate Difference Score

With the aggregate average score for 2021, we can now calculate the “aggregate difference score’. This score rewards or penalizes a company based on the difference between this year’s average score and last year’s average score.

We use the following guidelines for the aggregate difference score:

Minimum Requirements for the Aggregate Difference Score

• To qualify for this score, a company must have had more than 50 total reviews in the previous year. This qualification ensures some modicum of adequate sample size.
• We cap this score at 5 points per company. This qualification also works to ensure some modicum of adequate sample size.

Let’s take a look at this score for our sample company. Atlas MedStaff’s aggregate average score for 2020 was 90.14013158. Their aggregate average score for 2021 is 91.28888889.

So, we subtract 90.14013158 from 91.28888889. We are left with + 1.14875731.

Therefore, Atlas MedStaff receives a bonus of + 1.14875731. We add that bonus to their aggregate average score for 2021. 91.28888889 + 1.14875731 = 92.4376462.

The easiest way to manage your travel nursing career.

And yes, all those decimal places are necessary. For example, our number 4 and 5 companies are separated by less than .06 of a point.

The Individual Difference Score

Finally, we calculate an “individual difference score” for each rating service. This score is similar to the aggregate difference score. However, in this case, we give bonuses or penalties based on the difference between last year’s score and this year’s score for each rating service.

The Individual Difference Score has several guidelines and qualifiers. We choose to keep this scoring mechanism private to ensure that our scoring system cannot be easily copied.

However, please contact us if you are a traveler our staffing agency who would like a full breakdown of everything. We’ll gladly reveal and discuss all the calculations, guidelines and qualifiers.

Wow, that was a lot of nerdy number crunching! Are you still awake?! If so, then you’re probably ready for a nap!! But, you’re an expert on our scoring system.

As always, we hope you found this information useful. Please contact us with any questions or concerns about our ranking system. And, join BluePipes for free so you can manage your travel healthcare career with ease!

Related posts:

• 5 Better Questions to Ask Travel Nursing Companies It’s crucial for travel nurses to know what questions to...
• Travel Nursing Companies – Their relationships with hospitals matter, Part 2 In our last blog post, we discussed how a travel...
• 9 Points of Debate Between Travel Nursing Companies over the MSP Model The debate over Managed Service Providers in travel nursing and...

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The Guide to Local Travel Nursing

Table of contents, about the author.

Who said you can’t be a travel nurse and work in your same state?! Local travel nursing is a great option for new travelers dipping their feet in the agency waters.

What is local travel nursing?

Local travel nursing refers to taking 13-week contracts at a facility in a local area close to your primary residence. Some people consider local travel nursing when the contract is in their hometown and others consider contracts in neighboring states local. You can work locally in one of two ways; you can travel nurse or you can contract nurse. The real difference between the two is if you are duplicating housing expenses. Travel nurses duplicate housing expenses and are eligible for tax-free money, known as travel stipends. Contract nurses do not duplicate housing expenses and stay close enough to home to sleep in their bed every night. Normally if a facility is further away than one hour from their home, they will consider staying in a hotel or Airbnb. Don’t worry, our housing coordinator makes finding short-term housing easy!

The 50-mile: myth or reality?

If you are unfamiliar with the 50-mile rule , it is said to be if you travel over fifty miles to a facility you will automatically be eligible for tax-free money. The 50-mile rule is actually a myth. We understand traveling 50 minutes away from home, seems like traveling. However, it doesn’t matter how far you drive away to work. If you are not duplicating your housing expenses, you will not be eligible for tax-free stipends. This rule was set by the IRS. Agencies and facilities have no control whether or not you will receive tax-free money.

The Pros and Cons of Local Travel Nursing

Typically when people think of travel nursing they think of traveling the nation but that is not necessarily the case. The ability to travel close to home is alluring too! When debating between local travel nursing and cross-country travel nursing, both offer different benefits. We’ll break down the pros and cons of local travel nursing below!

Pros of Local Travel Nursing

• Short distance to work most times, not required to obtain second source of housing
• Limited travel costs
• Experience working with different patient populations
• No need to pack your belongings and move every 13 weeks
• Familiarity with the local area
• No homesickness – close to family and friends
• Networking with other professionals in your area

Cons of Local Travel Nursing

• No Tax-free Stipends if you don’t duplicate your housing expenses
• Won’t explore and travel around the nation
• Narrows the opportunities you qualify for
• Some facilities have mileage rules (example: must be 100 miles away to qualify)
• Most facilities want applicants who have travel nurse experience outside of their local area, so if you don’t have that it will limit your opportunities

Salary of a Travel Nurse Versus a Local Contract Nurse

Let’s talk money, honey! Salary is a huge factor in wanting to travel nurse.  On average a travel nurse will make 16% more than a staff nurse. During the pandemic with crisis rates, travel nurses were making upwards of 30% more than staff nurses.

So what is the difference in pay between local travel nursing contracts and travel contracts? Normally a local contract nurse will see a higher hourly wage than a travel nurse. This is because a travel nurse has their housing and travel built into their pay package. A travel nurse gets around $672 per week in tax-free stipends. If the traveler does not use all the money on their housing or travel, they get to pocket it! So even though a travel nurse makes less hourly, they can have a nice bonus at the end of the week if they do not utilize their full stipend.

How to Become a Local Travel Nurse

To become a local travel nurse you must first check all the boxes that you would for becoming a registered nurse . This includes: graduating from an accredited program, passing the NCLEX, and obtaining state licensure .

Once you are a registered nurse with a valid state license, you now have to get experience! This will set the course for becoming a travel nurse . You need at least one year of experience within the last two years in a given specialty to be eligible to travel nurse.

• Graduate from an accredited program
• Pass the NCLEX
• Obtain state license or compact license
• Get one year of experience
• Find the perfect healthcare staffing agency

After you have one year of experience it is time to look for the perfect healthcare staffing agency! This truly is like finding a glass slipper. You will want your agency to be Joint Commission Certified , and match your values. Sometimes it can be easier to click with a recruiter first and then join the agency they work for. Here are five qualities to look for in a travel nurse recruiter !

What to Look for in a Local Travel Contract

Healthcare staffing is a fast-moving industry. One moment a job can be live and the next hour it is already filled. This can make you feel like you have to act fast and sign your contract quickly to lock-in your position. The whole process can feel chaotic for new travelers. We break down what is in a contract and what key details you need to be aware of!

What is a Travel Nurse Contract

A travel nurse contract is a legally binding contract between you, the facility, and the agency. Reading through a contract can seem overwhelming with some of the law verbiage. Do not let the chaos make you skim and sign the contract. You will want to know what you are signing and what you are on contract for. Always review the contract before signing on the dotted line. These are the key things you will want to look for:

• Facility name
• Your certification and specialty
• Contract dates
• Requested time off
• Weekly and hourly pay
• Facility Information (time-keeping system, float policies)
• Agency Information (Cancellation policy)

Want to see what goes on behind the scenes of a contract? Hop over to the making of a travel nurse contract blog!

Verify all Information

I know, this sounds like a no brainer. If you don’t catch a mistake in the contract though you will be legally bound to a contract you didn’t intentionally sign up for. Double and triple check to make sure the facility name, location, wage, and all contract dates are accurate. If you find an error, don’t be afraid to point that out to your recruiter and account manager!

Ensure Vacation Days are Cited

If your vacation days are not in your contract, the facility does not have to give you vacation. You always want to make sure your vacation days are listed in the original contract. Make sure to chat with your recruiter beforehand about any big trips or family events you will need off for.

Review Facility Float Policy

Floating is when a nurse “floats” from their home unit to another unit in the facility because of staffing shortages. Nurses dread having their nurse managers say they need to float during a shift. Floating to a new unit with new patient needs and routines can be frustrating and stressful. Make sure you always feel safe in an assignment by only agreeing to float policies if you are comfortable. Since you are a travel nurse, you will most likely be the first to float.

Understand Agency Cancellation and Breaking Contract Policies

A travel nurse contract legally binds you, the facility, and the agency together. If you break a contract with no good reason it can be costly and hinder your future work opportunities. Facilities and agencies have cancellation costs you will have to pay out of pocket for, including housing. Cancelling contracts also looks bad professionally, so you may be added to a “do not hire” list at the agency or hospital system. The caveat is if you are uncomfortable with your assignment. Then you will need to talk to your recruiter and DON and they will work with you to get you a new contract. No contract is worth risking your license for!

Local travel nursing is a great opportunity for healthcare professionals who want to work in their home state or local region. This allows you to be closer to home and friends and family. Local contracts and travel nursing contracts both have their own pros and cons. Chat with your recruiter about which option fits your goals and lifestyle best! Start looking for local assignments here !

Also read our other articles about travel nursing!

Travel Nurse Salary Travel Nurse Housing How To Become A Travel Nurse Travel Nurse Licensing Learn How to Make a Winning Travel Nurse Resumé Understanding Travel Nurse Taxes Travel Nurse Apps Top Travel Nurse Podcasts Types of Travel Nurses Health Insurance For Travel Nurses

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Considering Local Travel Nursing? You Have Options

Looking for a nursing job that provides flexibility and the option to stay close to home? In the dynamic world of healthcare, nursing professionals are continually seeking flexible work options that align with their lifestyle and career goals. One such avenue gaining popularity is local travel nursing. If you're a registered nurse looking for a fulfilling career with flexibility, this guide will shed light on what local travel nursing is, alternatives to traditional travel nursing, how to find local travel nursing jobs, and the promising future of flexible nursing work.

Table of contents:

What is local travel nursing?

Alternatives to traditional travel nursing, how to find local travel nursing jobs, the future of flexible nursing work.

Local travel nursing combines the best of both worlds - the excitement of travel nursing and the stability of working close to home. Nurses opt for local travel assignments within their community or nearby areas, eliminating the need for long-distance relocation. It allows professionals to experience diverse work environments while staying local and maintaining a sense of familiarity, convenience, and community.

These assignments typically last for a few weeks to a few months, offering nurses the chance to explore various healthcare facilities, gain diverse experience, and build a strong professional network. It's an excellent choice for those who love the flexibility of travel nursing but prefer staying within their region.

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, traditional travel nursing may see a decline in popularity. Factors such as advancements in telemedicine, a growing emphasis on remote work, and the rise of localized contract opportunities are reshaping the way nurses work.

The convenience and flexibility provided by local travel nursing and other alternative work arrangements are increasingly attractive to nurses. Nurses are now seeking ways to maintain a better work-life balance, gain diverse experiences without extensive travel, and stay rooted in their communities—all of which can be achieved through emerging flexible work options. Below are some of the most common flexible work options for nurses who want to work locally:

1. Per diem or PRN nursing:

Per diem nurses enjoy a high level of flexibility by choosing when and where they work. They can opt for single shifts or short-term contracts, making it an attractive option for those seeking control over their schedules. Learn more about per diem nursing and PRN nursing in our blogs.

2. Telecommuting nursing:

With advancements in technology, telecommuting nursing has become a viable option. Nurses can provide consultation and assistance to patients from the comfort of their homes, promoting a better work-life balance.

3. Local contract nursing:

Local contract nursing involves fixed-term assignments at nearby healthcare facilities. It allows nurses to experience various work settings without the need for extensive travel.

1. Online job portals

Utilize specialized nursing job portals and websites that cater to local travel assignments. Create profiles, upload your resume, and start applying to positions that match your preferences.

2. Healthcare staffing agencies

Connect with reputable travel nurse agencies that specialize in nursing placements. They often have a wide network of healthcare facilities seeking professionals for local travel nurse assignments.

3. Networking

Leverage professional networks, attend nursing events, and engage with fellow professionals. Word-of-mouth recommendations and networking can often lead to promising local travel nursing opportunities.

4. Apps for nurses, like CareRev:

Apps like CareRev offer nurses a convenient way to sign up to work for healthcare systems across the United States. Local nurses can find shifts in their specialty and choose when they want to work. CareRev offers local shifts for nurses and a range of healthcare professions, including:

• Jobs for RNs
• Jobs for CNAs
• Jobs for LPNs / LVNs
• And other professions

Interested in working locally with the CareRev App? Find shifts near you to get started.

The healthcare landscape is evolving, and so is the way nurses work. The future promises even more flexible options, with advancements like virtual reality training, remote patient monitoring, and telemedicine opening new doors. Nurses will likely have the opportunity to tailor their work according to their preferences, contributing to a healthier work-life balance and enhanced job satisfaction.

By embracing these options, nurses can embark on a fulfilling career that aligns seamlessly with their personal and professional aspirations. Stay informed, stay empowered, and make the choices that enrich your nursing career. 

Explore local flexible nursing shifts via the CareRev App

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Welcome to Travel Nurse Gateway

Travel Nurse Gateway provides you with direct access to the top travel nurse employment companies who are actively recruiting travel nurses and placing nurses into travel nursing jobs offering great pay, benefits and incentives. Don’t spend hours filling out travel nursing job applications for each travel nurse employment company. With TravelNurseGateway.com you’ll just fill out 1 application to get direct access to the top travel nurse companies of your choice.

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Our goal at TravelNurseGateway.com is to match your skills with some of the best staffing agencies across the country. We have hand-selected our agencies and done our research to make sure the agencies we work with are Certified and JCAHO accredited. Our agencies offer some of the best benefits across the nation and take care of their contracted staff, with many individuals eventually gaining a full-time career.

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Can You Do Local Travel Nursing? | Pros & Cons

One of the most common myths about travel nursing is you have to travel across the country, or even work out of state. You may have heard your travel position has to be at least 50 miles away from your permanent residence in order to collect the tax-free stipends of a travel nurse.

Click here for high-paying travel nursing assignments near you!

But this is one of the most common myths about travel nursing. The IRS does not have a specific ‘50-mile rule’ describing a certain distance you have to work away from home. This 50-mile or 100-mile radius is used by many hospital facilities as a general rule of thumb, to prevent their own full-time staff nurses from picking up the contracts themselves.

So, that being said, you can do local travel nursing without spending a small fortune on flight costs, additional housing, or traveling across state lines. For more specifics on the actual tax deductions you can claim while working local contracts, check out our travel nurse tax guide and consult with a tax professional who can give you the most accurate information for the laws in your specific state.

How To Be A Local Travel Nurse

I first learned about local contract nursing from a nurse I use to work with. She explained to me she actually worked at another hospital across the city, and she was under a short-term contract with our hospital for 3 months as a float nurse.

She ended up getting an extension as well, so she was actually there for a total of 6 months while working her other “local” healthcare job at the same time. She did this to save up for her wedding and was actually able to pay for the whole thing in cash.

She managed this by making sure her scheduled shifts didn’t conflict with each other and allowed for time to eat and sleep in between. She also rented a small apartment on the other side of the city to stay in while she worked her three, 12-hour shift days at that hospital.

Travel benefits include free housing, travel reimbursement, and a sign-on bonus.  Get started now.

When those three days were through, she would drive a few hours home and work her normal job.

If you’re wondering whether local travel nursing could work for you, here are some of the pros and cons of taking a travel nursing assignment in your home state.

Pros of local travel nursing

• Limited travel costs
• You’ll likely receive perks including a housing stipend which means more money in your pocket per shift
• It’s possible to still keep your day job while making extra money
• No messing with tons of luggage or furniture
• Home is still accessible through a short drive
• You’ll be more familiar with the area, making it easier to find a nice hotel or apartment
• You’ll never have to miss a family function (but you’ll still have a good excuse if you don’t want to go)
• Feelings of homesickness can be quickly remedied
• You’ll still have the security of friends and family being close to you

Cons of local travel nursing

• You don’t get to travel far to see other parts of the country, like California , Alaska , or New York .
• Drastically narrows your opportunity of getting a travel contract
• You lose the ability to work with different patient populations
• You’re basically working a job but with a longer commute and temporarily living in two locations
• You still need to set up housing
• You lose the true experience of life as a travel nurse

A lot of first-time travelers would prefer to try something close to home, in order to “test the waters” and see if they actually enjoy it. When you do, you’ll find out what is important for you, and decide why you want to be a travel nurse. Is it for the experience of being out on your own, forced to make new friends and keep yourself entertained?  Or is it more for the money, education, and career advancement?

Whatever your nursing career goals, travel nursing, whether local or across the country, can help you reach them.

Find your dream travel assignment here.

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