number 1 travel nurse agency

• Type 2 Diabetes
• Heart Disease
• Digestive Health
• Multiple Sclerosis
• COVID-19 Vaccines
• Occupational Therapy
• Healthy Aging
• Health Insurance
• Public Health
• Patient Rights
• Caregivers & Loved Ones
• End of Life Concerns
• Health News
• Thyroid Test Analyzer
• Doctor Discussion Guides
• Hemoglobin A1c Test Analyzer
• Lipid Test Analyzer
• Complete Blood Count (CBC) Analyzer
• What to Buy
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Medical Expert Board

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

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 .

BluePipes. Best Travel Nursing Companies 2022 .

Travel Nursing, Allied & Per Diem Jobs

Plus permanent, float pool and in-house agency jobs directly from leading healthcare systems

Cheyenne B., PCU RN

The largest digital platform directly connecting you with leading healthcare facilities.

Whether your goal is to explore new places, boost your resume or make an impact where you’re needed most, we’ll help you find the right match.

Featured Locations

St. Louis, MO

Atlanta, GA

Seattle, WA

New York, NY

How it Works

Interested in traveling with aya just click & go..

As America's largest travel nursing agency, and a leading allied and locums agency , we make things simple. We provide you with the opportunities, resources, technology and support you need to grow your career. Traveling with Aya is as easy as 1-2-3.

• Register now and complete your profile. Be as detailed as possible.
• Log in to search jobs, view pay packages and review facility information.
• Click “I’m Interested” to let your recruiter know.

The largest travel nursing agency and healthcare staffing company

Ranked #1 by travel nurses across the nation.

Here are some of the reasons clinicians choose Aya Healthcare.

Aya has been fabulous. Their staff is timely, professional, courteous and attentive — and their pay, benefits and locations are the best. Thanks, Aya!

Ultrasound Tech

Aya's website has been the easiest for me to use and they consistently offer more competitive pay rates than other agencies for the same position.

I'm a single mom and was able to take care of my family on my own, which is awesome. I've also gained some great experiences and wonderful friends.

Privacy Overview

Find Where You Belong.

Discover the difference working with a top travel nursing agency can make. together we can do amazing things.

Search jobs and connect with a recruiter here

Be a happy traveler!

Atlas medstaff provides a unique approach to healthcare staffing..

Our beliefs are deeply rooted in everything we do. Honesty, determination, integrity, and pride aren’t just buzz words we use because they look good posted on a wall. They are the values we live by and are evident in the work we do every day. We start at great and expect more every day. Our team is focused, experienced, and dedicated to providing the ultimate travel experience to every healthcare professional we serve. As a veteran owned business, we honor and respect what it means to serve. We understand the difficult nature of change in the lives of our traveling healthcare professionals and support them throughout the process.

The Atlas Life with Victoria Fortes | The Atlas Life | Atlas MedStaff

The Atlas Life with Cassandra Smith | The Atlas Life | Atlas MedStaff

The Atlas Life with married Couple Cameron and Katie | The Atlas Life | Atlas MedStaff

The atlas team.

Meet the Atlas Family. We’d prefer to meet you in person, but this will have to do for now.

Travel Nurse Starter Pack

Taking that leap of faith to becoming a travel nurse | What's Your Why

Sometimes it only takes a "leap of faith" to change the direction of your path. This Med Surg/Tele RN [...]

Find a travel nurse recruiter you trust | RN Ann Marie Sweeney

Being a travel nurse is much easier when you have a recruiter you trust and an agency you know will have your back. [...]

Lessons from a travel nurse veteran

What happens when your travel story ends and you go perm? If you are with Atlas, you're still part of the Atlas [...]

“The military meant a lot to me. I was 17 years old and they taught me about teamwork and having drive. We worked as a family, and those are skill sets that I brought back with me.”

– Steve Ryan, President Atlas MedStaff

Largest veteran owned travel nurse staffing company.

Atlas MedStaff ranks as the largest veteran owned travel nurse staffing company in the country. Because of where we came from, we recognize the value and power of service. Everything we do is rooted in our values. If it doesn’t make sense for our nurses working in the hospitals, we won’t do it. Nothing is more important to us than that.

11159 Mill Valley Road Omaha, NE 68154

Toll Free: 855-884-2360 Fax: 855-884-2865

[email protected]

For verification of employment requests, please email [email protected]

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.

Get The Latest Nursing News In Your Inbox

Stay on top of the latest word that affects your career., more to explore.

Best Nursing Schools in Colorado: Top 15 Options For 2024

The Centennial State boasts lots of ADN, BSN, MSN, and DNP programs to choose form. Discover the best nursing schools in Colorado here.

Best Nursing Schools in Miami: 13 Top Options For 2024

Looking to start or advance your nursing education in a vibrant city? Then check out this list of the best nursing schools in Miami.

It's time For the next step

Whether it's a new a job, or continuing your education, betternurse.org is your career partner..

9 Best Travel Nurse Companies of 2023

Are you ready to try travel nursing? Working with a travel nurse staffing agency can make it easier to find travel nursing jobs and to negotiate pay rates and benefits. An agency gives you a point of contact who can help you navigate job listings and compensation packages.

The sooner you find the right company, the faster you can start traveling.

Click here for today’s top travel nursing opportunities.

How To Find The Right Travel Nursing Company

When looking for the best travel nursing company to suit your needs, you first have to know what your needs are.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself when considering travel nursing companies:

• Are you going to need health insurance?
• How important is it that you contribute to your retirement?
• Do you prefer to find your own housing or do you want your company to find it for you?
• Where do you want to travel?
• How do you plan on getting there?
• Do you plan on working per diem as well?
• What kind of healthcare facilities are you hoping to work in?

What to Look for in Travel Nursing Agencies

When looking into travel nurse agencies you should first make sure that they provide the basics: free housing or a housing stipend, health and dental insurance, a retirement plan, travel reimbursement, 24-hour customer support, and a variety and abundance of travel nursing jobs all over the country.

Here are a few tips from my experience about the basics:

Travel Nurse Housing:

Do you want your agency to find housing for you, or do you want to take the housing stipend and search for housing yourself?

I personally found it much easier to have my agency set up my housing for me. This way I knew it was safe, furnished, close to where I was working, and paid for. If there were any problems, all I had to do was call my company and it would be handled.

Many people choose to find their own housing and take the housing stipend instead. There are pros and cons to this choice:

Pros To Choosing Housing Stipends

• Your housing stipend depends on the city you live in, but oftentimes, it is more than the rent you end up paying. This is a good way to make some extra tax-free cash.
• You can find exactly the type of housing you’re looking for at the price you’re willing to pay. You can rent just a room for yourself and pocket a lot of cash. Or rent an entire house if you’re bringing your family or pets along. If you’re traveling with fellow coworkers, you can find a bigger house to share that fits everyone.
• You can choose where you live. Maybe you’re going to Seattle and you’d rather live downtown and commute to work than vs. living next to the hospital in the suburbs.
• There are several websites and groups now to help you find housing
• Once you’ve done it once, you understand how to find housing and can repeat the process in the next location.

Cons To Choosing Housing Stipends

• It can be difficult to find short-term furnished housing.
• Many landlords require a deposit, so you have to front that money before you get your first paycheck.
• If you end up extending your contract, it’s not guaranteed that your landlord hasn’t rented out the place to someone else.
• If you have never been to that city before, it can also be tough to determine whether a neighborhood is safe or not.

Another thing to keep in mind, if you are traveling with a pet, it may make it difficult to find your own housing. Oftentimes, travel nurse agencies have housing already contracted that accepts pets.

There are pros and cons to using your a travel nurse agency’s contracted housing vs. finding your own housing. It just depends on how much time and effort you can put into the search and if you’re hoping to pocket any extra housing stipend cash.

Benefits for Travel Nurses:

• The majority of travel nurse companies offer health and dental insurance.
• Now that the Affordable Care Act is in place, it might be wise to research whether or not it would be more cost-effective for you to go with your agency’s healthcare plan or purchase one of your own through healthcare.org. The benefit of going through healthcare.org is that if you do plan on switching travel nurse agencies, you won’t have to change your insurance.
• Some smaller travel nurse companies will give you a healthcare stipend if you don’t take their health insurance so you can purchase your own.
• As far as retirement plans go, I decided to open up my own Roth IRA and not contribute to the 401K because I didn’t know how long I was going to be traveling.  With some companies you can contribute to your 401K from day 1 and with others you have to wait as long as 1 year.

Travel Nurse Reimbursements

When talking with your potential travel nurse agency, make sure you ask them what the reimbursement is for travel. “Travel” cost is considered the amount of money it takes you to get from your “tax home” to your travel assignment or from one assignment to the next. Often times this can be negotiated if there is a high need in one state that happens to be across the country.

I have found that the average reimbursement is $500.

They will pay you half on your first paycheck and the other half when you complete your assignment. You have the option of either driving or flying to your next destination. I personally drove to each of my assignments; I couldn’t imagine trying to fit all my belongings into suitcases and I love road trips.

Important Pay and Benefits Questions to Ask

Not all benefits or pay packages are created equal. It is important to find an agency that offers benefits, housing, and pay packages that are specific to your needs.

1. What destinations does your agency serve?

The whole point of travel nursing is to travel…right? So it is important to find a company that serves the city or cities you want to travel to. Some agencies claim they have contracts nationwide, however, that may not be the case.

If you know of a specific hospital that you would like to travel to because it looks good on your resume or a specific city you want to explore, then make sure your potential agency has a contract at that location. This is especially important if you want to travel to places such as Hawaii and Alaska.

Match with a travel company here.

2. How are your pay packages broken down?

Does the company tend to pay a higher base rate with lower non-taxable reimbursements or a lower base rate with higher non-taxable reimbursements?

Having a higher base rate may serve you better if you plan on taking company housing, plan on buying a house, or getting a loan in the near future. If you are someone who likes to find their own housing, then a higher housing stipend may be the way to go with a lower base rate.

3. What types of housing do you provide?

Most agencies offer a one-bedroom furnished apartment for your typical 13-week contract. This typically does not include dishes, linen, a washer and dryer, a T.V., or even a vacuum. If you don’t like lugging your belongings around with you all over the country or paying out of pocket to rent this stuff, then it may be wise to either ask if the agency provides any of these necessities at no cost or find your own housing.

If your contract is only eight weeks, then you could get stuck in an extended-stay hotel. I personally like to have nice housing, so I wanted a company that focused on providing comfortable and safe housing options. If you like to find your own housing then this may not apply to you.

4. What type of benefits do you offer?

Most agencies offer medical/dental benefits and a retirement package. If these benefits are important to you, then finding a company with good benefits is essential.

If you like to live on the edge with no health benefits and you brush and floss your teeth like a champ, then maybe you don’t care about benefits. If this is the case then you can ask the company if they are willing to pay you a higher base rate for not taking their benefits.

As far as retirement packages go, I found it easier to do my own Roth IRA on the side. This way, if I switched companies I didn’t have to worry about moving my money all over the place.

Click here to discover new high paying opportunities.

5. What types of extra work-related costs do you reimburse for?

Travel nurse companies can reimburse you for the following:

• Licensing fees
• CEU (Continuing Education) requirements
• Certifications
• Required immunizations

Some travel nurse agencies have a CEU database that is free for their employees. This helps cut costs in those states that require a certain number to maintain or acquire a new license.

These extra costs add up over time so it’s nice to know your agency is looking out for your pocketbook.

6. What are your missed and canceled shift policies?

A missed shift means you called in sick, and a canceled shift means they canceled you for low census. For the most part, the hospital determines how the travel nurse agency handles this, and it will be written in your contract.

This is important because in the travel nurse world if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. And in some cases, you may have to reimburse your agency for housing costs.

There may be a clause written in your contract that allows you to “miss” a certain amount of shifts without being penalized. There will also be a clause that states how many shifts the hospital can cancel you. Usually, it’s once a pay period, and your agency shouldn’t require you to reimburse them for housing costs.

There are even some agencies that offer 100% guaranteed shifts meaning no matter what you will not get canceled.

Find travel assignments in your specialty here.

Other Questions To Ask a Travel Nurse Agency:

• What is the travel reimbursement?
• How much will health insurance cost me?
• If I don’t take health insurance, do I get a healthcare stipend?
• When can I start contributing to my 401K?
• Are there bonuses for extending assignments?
• How often do I get paid?
• Does the company also contract per diem work?
• Do they offer paid time off?
• Are there any referral bonuses available?

9 Best Travel Nursing Agencies

Here is a list and highlights of a few travel nursing companies to consider.

All of these companies offer the basics such as housing, benefits, travel reimbursement, staffing in all 50 states, and 24-hour customer support.

Click here to find the right company for you!

Find the Best Travel Nurse Agency for You

There are a number of travel nursing companies to choose from.

Finding the best travel nursing company that fits your needs and a recruiter that has your best interests in mind are absolutely essential for an enjoyable travel nursing experience.

The right staffing agency for you is out there, now is the time to find them!

  Click here for today’s top travel nursing opportunities.

You may also like

9 Insider Tips From A Travel Nurse Staffing Agent

When Travel Nursing Goes Bad – And How To Fix It

How To Choose The Best Travel Nursing Offer – Pros and Cons

6 Important Questions You Need to Ask A Potential Staffing Agency

Join the many nurses already traveling.

Don't miss out on your adventure..

Join the Top Travel Nurse Agency & Explore Thousands of High-Paying Jobs Today!

The Advantis Advantage

Get started with advantisconnect ™.

• Setting Preferences and Personalized Job Matches
• Compare Pay Packages & Facility Information
• Access to Exclusive & Auto-Offer roles
• Personal Recruiters That Work for You
• Quickly Compare Pay by Location

Unlock your next Adventure

Recruiters: We do the work, ‍ So you don't have to!

• Advantis Recruiters are Your Personal Success Agents
• Recruiters will Custom-Match Jobs For You
• Maximum Offers & Priority Submissions
• Enduring Support, Lifelong Relationships
• Recruiters that are experts in your Specialty

Travel Nursing Agency Benefits

Let Our Trusted Travel Nursing Agency Help with Medical Staffing

The Best Travel Nursing Companies 2022

The best travel nursing companies for 2022 are here! To determine our list, we evaluated over 380 travel nursing agencies by aggregating over 108,000 reviews from 6 leading review sources. We selected the 20 highest rated companies based on our transparent scoring system which we describe in detail below.

This is our sixth year of spending massive amounts of time aggregating review scores for hundreds of travel nursing agencies to surface the highest scoring agencies. We are compelled to do this each year for several reasons.

Why It’s Important and Difficult to Find the Best Travel Nursing Agencies

First, we have a deep appreciation for how important and difficult it is for travel nurses to find the right agencies to work with. Travel nurses rely on agencies to provide a robust and impactful set of services. Therefore, the service, or lack thereof, can have a profound impact on both a nurse’s career and personal life.

Increase in Number of Travel Nursing Agencies

Meanwhile, it’s become exceedingly difficult in recent years to find the best travel nursing companies on your own. The pandemic driven boom in the travel nursing industry has resulted in a massive increase in the already large number of agencies.

Increase in Best Travel Nursing Agency Lists

The boom has also brought increased attention to the travel nursing industry. As a result, there are now tons of different “best travel nursing company” lists. Unfortunately, these lists are often subpar and sometimes completely meaningless.

For example, this year we see lists of “The Best Travel Nursing Companies of 2022” that are unchanged from 2021 and even 2020. Basically, the websites created a list several years ago and now they just update the year on the list in order to trick Google into thinking the article is new because they know Google will rank it higher as a result.

Find your next travel healthcare job on BluePipes!

Of course, this behavior is a major disservice to the entire travel nursing industry. There is even one list on page one of Google’s search results that includes travel nursing companies that don’t even exist any longer!

We’ve also seen other lists that rely on a relatively small number of reviews. For example, one list purveyor boasts a survey of ‘the nation’s largest travel healthcare community”. That sounds awesome! However, only a couple thousand community members actually respond.

This might sound like a lot. However, it’s actually a relatively small number all things considered.

Uneven Review Distribution for Travel Nursing Companies

That’s because there are so many travel nursing agencies. Moreover, travel nurses are unevenly distributed among the agencies. For example, some sources estimate that 50% of all travel nurses work for one of the 25 largest travel nursing companies. That means that the remaining 50% work with the remaining 350+ travel nursing agencies.

Meanwhile, there are tons of different review sources. As a result, reviews are unevenly distributed such that it can be difficult to find a reliable sample size of reviews on any one review source.

How we Determine the Best Travel Nursing Agencies for 2022

For these reasons, we aggregate the review scores from 6 leading review sources for every travel nursing company we can find. To clarify, each year we enter the review counts and scores from each review source for each company into an Excel spreadsheet.

Once we have entered all the data, we program the spreadsheet to run a bunch of calculations to ultimately determine an aggregate score for each company. We compare this year’s scores to last year’s scores and issue bonuses or penalties based on score increases or declines. This way, we award companies that have truly outperformed over the last year.

Our scoring system is quite complex. In the interest of transparency, we provide a complete scoring breakdown for one company at the end of this article.

Here are the 6 review sources we collect scores from:

Rating Services We Aggregate

• Highway Hypodermics
• Travel Nursing Central

Highway Hypodermics has been publishing their own “Top 10 Travel Nursing Companies” list since at least 2005. Their annual list is based on reviews they collect on their own website. We highly recommend reviewing the list for 2022 here . And we highly recommend submitting your own reviews here.

Discover the ultimate travel nursing pay calculator.

We counted a total of 3,633 reviews from HH this year. That’s an increase of 511 from 2021. We should point out that HH only counts scores from the last 5 years in their totals. This way, they keep the review scores fresh which is a really nice touch because it helps travelers understand how a company is performing now.

It’s fair to say that companies are performing well now. The aggregate average score for all companies on HH is 17.96 out of a possible 20. That’s an increase from last year’s 17.71. It’s also an average of 89.8% which indicates that travel nurses are very happy with their travel nursing agencies.

We counted 11,753 reviews from Travel Nursing Central this year. That’s an increase of 580 from 2021.

The aggregate average score for all companies on Travel Nursing Central this year was 86.47. That’s an increase from last year’s 86.04. This is another indication that travel nursing companies provided exceptional service over the last year.

We counted exactly 8,800 reviews from FaceBook this year. That’s an increase of 1,546 reviews from the previous year.

The aggregate average score on FaceBook decreased from 4.83 in 2021 to 4.58 in 2022. However, FaceBook’s reviews were a mess in 2021. For example, FaceBook was showing that some companies had zero reviews when the companies actually had hundreds of reviews. FaceBook was showing that some companies had a negative number of reviews, which is impossible. It was also showing that some companies had “5 stars” even though those companies had tons of negative reviews. The point is that we simply can’t glean anything from FaceBook’s 2021 data because it was riddled with inaccuracies.

We included 42,063 reviews from Indeed this year. That’s an increase of 5,813 from the previous year. Indeed now has by far the most employer reviews of any of the six services we track. We find this dumbfounding given that Indeed offers among the worst and most horrifying job search experiences for travel healthcare professionals. Check out our job board for a much better experience.

The aggregate average score for all travel nursing agencies on Indeed increased ever so slightly from 3.73 in 2021 to 3.74 in 2022.

GlassDoor came in with 28,801 reviews this year. That’s an increase of 8,045 from last year.

The aggregate average score for all travel nursing companies on GlassDoor was 3.87 this year. That’s a slight increase from 3.81 last year.

We counted 13,475 reviews from Google this year. That’s an increase of 6,537 from last year. That’s almost a 100% increase. Google is growing reviews at a very fast pace.

The aggregate average score for all travel nursing companies on Google was 4.57 this year. That’s an increase from 4.46 last year.

Interesting Observations on the Overall Numbers

There are a couple of interesting observations in this year’s overall numbers and the list of best travel nursing companies these numbers resulted in. First, we find it absolutely amazing that the aggregate average score for all companies was up from 2021 to 2022. Please note that we collect the scores during the last 2 weeks of May. Therefore, this year’s list covers June of 2021 through May of 2022.

Travel Nursing Agencies Provided Good Service During Covid

This is a period that saw both the Delta and Omicron hospitalization spikes. This means that agencies were employing record numbers of travelers. The agencies’ operational systems like credentialing and payroll were definitely stressed this past year. Despite this, agencies clearly performed well.

The original Universal Profile and Credential Management for travelers.

It’s also a period that saw a huge draw down in hospitalizations. This resulted in contract cancellations , bill rate reductions and other unsavory circumstances. Here again, agencies appear to have handled these issues well.

“Recruiterless” Services Still Absent from the List

Second, we find it interesting that over 6 years into the “recruiterless” healthcare staffing experiment, not one “recruiterless” staffing agency has made our list…ever.

To be fair, this isn’t to say that any of these companies has horrifyingly bad reviews. It’s just that none of them have great reviews despite their promises of transformational service, demonization of recruiters and traditional healthcare staffing, and absolutely massive capital expenditures and losses.

The highest that any of these companies ranked on our list this year was at number 57. All 20 companies on our list continue to employ a traditional high-touch approach. It would seem as though travel nurses still highly value this type of service.

That said, we should point out that one company on our list does have a very powerful “self-service platform”. That company is Stability Healthcare and they ranked number 4 on this year’s list.

Why You Should Consider ALL The Best Travel Nursing Companies

We realize that 20 seems like a large number for a “best of” list. However, we have very good reasons to include 20 companies on our list and we strongly encourage you to consider all of them. Here is why.

Fist, all of these companies deserve to be on a “best of” list. Every single one of them has an aggregate average score of greater than 90 out of 100. This is exceptionally high for employment satisfaction. In fact, these scores would be high enough to get them on GlassDoor’s annual list of the best companies in the nation to work for.

Second, service offerings vary dramatically from agency to agency. Organizational structures also differ. We want you to be able to find the right fit all in one place.

Free eBook: How To Negotiate Travel Nursing Pay

Finally, different companies have access to different jobs . Every experienced traveler will tell you that must work with multiple agencies . Also, you should ask agencies about their access to the job markets you’re most interested in so you can find the agencies that can get you jobs where you want to go.

Therefore, we highly recommend working a minimum 4 agencies. In fact, we think 7 agencies is even better.

Use BluePipes to Land Jobs with the Best Travel Nursing Agencies

Of course, this might sound like a ton of work. But that’s why we created BluePipes . You can communicate with nearly every company on this list through our platform. You can apply to jobs with many of these companies on our powerful travel nursing job board .

We have the original universal profile builder which includes a free travel nursing resume builder , document storage, skills checklists and more. We even have the industry’s most powerful travel nursing pay calculator . Select the button below to join over 100,000 healthcare professionals who are simplifying their careers and maximizing their pay with BluePipes.

BluePipes Best Travel Nursing Companies 2022

Without further ado, here are the best travel nursing agencies of 2022:

About the Best Travel Nursing Agencies 2022

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

1. Axis Medical Staffing

Axis Medical Staffing continues to perform like a rock superstar. Since 2017, Axis has made our list at number 5, 9, 3, 2 and 5. Now, they are number 1 with an absolutely amazing year!

Axis’s aggregate average score increased from 95.63 last year to 96.16 this year. They now have 803 total reviews, an increase of 247 reviews from the previous year.

Axis’s scores increased on Travel Nursing Central, Highway Hypodermics, Facebook, Glassdoor and Google. Their Evaluation Score on Highway Hypodermics is 19 out of 20 which is extremely difficult to achieve given the volume of reviews they’ve racked up there.

Make no mistake, Axis Medical Staffing values service above all else. Axis’s leadership team is comprised of world-class customer service providers. They take great care in hiring internal staff members who share their commitment to exceptional service.

Axis Medical Staffing is based in Seattle, Washington. They staff travel nurses and travel allied professionals nationwide.

2. AHS NurseStat

AHS NurseStat comes in at number 2 on our list this year after placing number 6 last year. AHS’s aggregate average score increased from 90.94 last year to 95.38 this year with 245 new reviews. This brings their total number of reviews to 555.

AHS NurseStat is part of AHS Staffing which also operates RenalStat, PharmStat and MedStat. As the names imply, each division focuses on different set healthcare modalities.

Through all of their divisions AHS Staffing works diligently to place medical professionals of all types in travel healthcare jobs nationwide. All of AHS’s divisions have solid reviews which demonstrate that all of their divisions provide exceptional service.

AHS Staffing is based in Edmond, Oklahoma. Highway Hypodermics included them on their list of the “Top Ten Travel Nursing Agencies” in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

3. Host Healthcare

There is no question that Host Healthcare is one of the best healthcare staffing agencies in the nation. They have the second highest aggregate average score of all the companies on our list. To top it off, they have 2,949 reviews which is over 800 more than the next closest agency on the list.

Host Healthcare has been on our list every year since 2017. They were number 1 in 2020. They are number 1 on Highway Hypodermics’ list for 2022 as they were in 2021.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Host’s world class performance is they’ve maintained it through a period of exceptional growth. In other words, they are not only scaling their service performance, but they are improving it while they scale.

Host Healthcare is based in San Diego, California. They staff nursing and allied health professionals nationwide.

4. Stability Healthcare

Stability Healthcare comes in at number 4 on our list for the second year in a row. At 97.09, Stability has the third highest aggregate average score of all the companies on our list. They added 400 new reviews this year, bringing their total to 515.

As mentioned above, Stability Healthcare has a powerful “self-service” platform with a “high touch” service approach. This means that Stability’s software platform has everything healthcare professionals need to “submit themselves” without really speaking with anyone. But, at the same time, you’ll always have a recruiter at the ready with world-class service.

Stability Healthcare is based in Los Angeles, California. They staff nursing and allied professionals nationwide.

5. Cynet Health

Cynet Health comes in at number 5 in their debut appearance on our list. They actually have the highest aggregate average score of all the companies on our list at 97.68. We counted 1,287 new reviews for them this year. That brings their total 1,335.

Cynet Health is based in Sterling, Virginia. They staff nursing and allied professionals nationwide.

6. Travel Nurse Across America

Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA) moves up to number 6 on our list this year. They were on our list in 2018, 2019 and 2021. They’ve been on Travel Nursing Central’s list every year since 2014. They were number 4 on Highway Hypodermics list this year!

TNAA has a great website that includes job listings with pay quotes. They also have a lot of cool compensation offerings like paid sick leave and fully guaranteed hours on many contracts.

TNAA has a high volume of jobs nationwide for nurses, techs and respiratory therapists. TNAA is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

7. CrossMed Healthcare Staffing Solutions

We’re excited to see CrossMed on our list for the first time as a newer company founded in 2019. We counted 129 new reviews for them this year. Their aggregate average score is an impressive 96.84.

Don’t let their newness as a company fool you. CrossMed is led by a team of highly experienced industry veterans. They also have a very high volume of jobs available for a company of their age. They pride themselves on treating all their employees like family.

CrossMed is based in Omaha, Nebraska. They staff nurses and allied professionals nationwide.

8. Trusted Nurse Staffing

Trusted Nurse Staffing debuts on our list at number 8 this year. We counted 503 new reviews for them this year. They have a highly respectable aggregate average score of 96.63. They’ve racked up 347 reviews on Google with an average score of 4.9.

The reviews describe Trusted Nurse Staffing and their recruiters as responsive, patient and diligent. The company is based in Buffalo, New York. They staff travel nurses nationwide.

9. Premier Healthcare Professionals (PHP)

Premier Healthcare Professionals (PHP) has an aggregate average score of 91.09. That’s an increase of 5 points over last year’s score. This came largely from their excellent performance on Google where they added 128 new reviews and have an average score of 4.9.

PHP has been on Highway Hypodermics’ list every year since at 2014. They are number 3 there this year.

PHP is based in Cummings, Georgia. They’ve been in business since 1986. They staff nurses and allied professionals nationwide. They also have some international opportunities.

10. Coast Medical Service

Coast Medical Service debuts on our list at number 10. Their aggregate average score is 95.66 on 154 total reviews. The vast majority of their reviews, 136, are on Google where they have an average score of 4.9.

Coast’s Google reviews describe a service that is informative, thorough, transparent and responsive. Coast Medical Service is based in Hermosa Beach, California. They staff medical professionals of all types nationwide.

11. Fusion Medical Staffing

Fusion Medical Staffing has made our list 5 out of the last 6 years. They have an aggregate average score of 92.74 on 1,367 reviews. They got bonus points this year for increasing their review scores on Google and Glassdoor.

Fusion has access to a very high volume of jobs which is great because they can get you into a lot of different locations. They also have an excellent job board where you can view and apply to jobs with pay rates.

Fusion Medical Staffing is based in Omaha, Nebraska. They staff medical professionals of all types nationwide.

12. Cariant Health Partners

Cariant Health Partners made our list at number 11 in 2020. Here they come in at number 12 with an aggregate average score of 92.84 on 157 reviews. That’s a score-increase of 2.16 on 46 new reviews.

Cariant was founded by a married couple who are a Physical Therapist and a nurse. They have a large number of jobs available nationwide for medical professionals of all types.

13. FlexCare Medical Staffing

FlexCare is an amazing company! They’ve been on our list every year since 2017. They’ve been on Travel Nursing Central’s lists every year since 2014.

FlexCare has 2,004 reviews with an aggregate average score of 93.63. They increased their average score slightly from last year with 153 raving reviews.

FlexCare is a larger company with tons of jobs nationwide for nurses and allied professionals. They have an awesome career portal where you can search jobs with pay by signing up.

FlexCare offers the highest pay package they can on all jobs as matter of company policy. They have an organizational policy called “Single Point” that mandates that your recruiter will always be your single point of contact with the company to ensure continuity of service.

FlexCare was founded in 2006. They are based in Roseville, California with offices in Charlotte, North Carolina.

14. Atlas MedStaff

Atlas MedStaff has been on our list now 5 out of the last 6 years. Their aggregate average score increased to 91.75 on 45 new reviews this year. This year, their scores increased on GlassDoor and Google.

Atlas MedStaff’s reviews describe a company that is fun-loving, responsive, fair and diligent. They have a high volume of jobs and large team of recruiters to ensure that travelers are well taken care of.

Atlas is highly active on social media and they pump out a ton of great information about the industry and fun stuff to do on the road. For example, their YouTube channel has more than 1,600 videos!

Atlas is based in Omaha, Nebraska. They staff healthcare professionals of all types nationwide.

15. Greenstaff Medical

Greenstaff Medical debuts on our list at number 15. They have an aggregate average score of 94 with 222 reviews. 166 of their reviews are on Google where they have an average score of 4.8.

Greenstaff’s reviews describe a company that is highly responsive, caring and organized. Many reviewers express their satisfaction for the company’s onboarding process.

Greenstaff Medical is based in Plano, Texas. They staff travel nurses nationwide.

16. Marvel Medical Staffing

Marvel Medical Staffing debuts on our list at number 16. They have an aggregate average score of 93.63 on 192 reviews. 142 of their reviews are on Google where they have an average score of 4.8.

Marvel places healthcare professionals of all types nationwide. They have an abundance of jobs for nearly all modalities. They are based in Omaha, Nebraska and began in 2019. They have grown very quickly. Their reviews describe a company that is energetic, inspiring and well organized.

17. Medical Staffing Solutions, Inc.

MSSI makes our list for the third time in 6 years coming in at number 17 this year. MSSI has an aggregate average score of 92.87 on 269 reviews.

MSSI received 27 new reviews on Google in the last year. Every one of them was from a traveler and every one of them was 5 stars. The reviews describe a company that is highly accessible, organized and high paying.

MSSI is based in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. They staff nursing and allied professionals nationwide.

18. USSI an Aequor Company

USSI earned their way back on our list for the fourth time with 63 new and glowing reviews in the last year. That brings their total number of reviews to 309. Their aggregate average score is 91.40.

USSI has a very high volume of jobs available for nurses and allied professionals nationwide. They also have a lot of direct contracts and unique opportunities available.

19. White Glove Placement, Inc.

White Glove Placement, Inc. is back on our list with an aggregate average score of 90.96. They have 2,139 reviews which makes them the second most reviewed company on our list.

White Glove Placement, Inc. staffs travel nurses and therapists nationwide . They have a huge footprint in the Northeast. They offer Per Diem opportunities in the area as well.

White Glove Placement, Inc. was founded in 1995. They are based in Brooklyn, New York and are known for their amazing customer service.

20. Gifted Healthcare

Gifted Healthcare has been on our list 5 out of the last 6 years. They came in at number 3 in 2020. They have 486 total reviews with an aggregate average score of 91.70.

Gifted was founded by an RN in 2006. Their leadership team is stacked with healthcare professionals. Their reviews describe a company that is succeeding to put healthcare professionals first.

Gifted is based in Louisiana. However, they have multiple satellite offices. They staff travel assignments nationwide. They also have a large per diem offering in many locations throughout the country.

Background Info on Best Travel Nursing Companies List

If you consider all 20 companies on this list, then we are confident that you’ll find many that can meet your every need. That said, we want you to have confidence that our list is legit. Therefore, we’ll spend the rest of the article discussing issues you should be aware of and providing a detailed breakdown of our scoring system.

Review Sources and Score Collection

First, we do not use reviews from our own website. We also do not accept any money whatsoever in exchange for placement on the list.

Instead, we collect review-counts and scores from 6 leading review sources for every company we can find on any of those sources. We enter the scores into a spreadsheet and run the calculations as we describe below.

We only use publicly accessible review sources. This means that anyone is free to leave a review in accordance with the guidelines. This also means that we do not use “pay to play” review sources.

The websites we use are below:

Internal Staff and Travel Nursing Reviews

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

Some argue that this allows staffing agencies to stack reviews from internal employees on every review source in an effort to make it look like the company is amazing. To counter this, we require a minimum of 50 total reviews from travel healthcare professionals and a minimum of 15 within the previous year in order for a company to qualify to be on our list.

Moreover, we believe it’s useful and important to include reviews from both internal staff and travelers. Here’s why.

First, Google, FaceBook, Indeed and GlassDoor each receive way more traffic than the industry specific websites. That means that these services have more reviews for more companies. Additionally, it means that more people actually see these reviews so their impact is more far reaching. Therefore, we get a clearer picture of how these companies are perceived if we use these review sources.

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

We understand that fake reviews exist. As a result, we thoroughly check the reviews of each company that qualifies for our list. Over the years, we’ve discovered fake reviews for several companies. We permanently ban those companies from ever being on our list.

Create your free Travel Healthcare Resume on BluePipes!

We also know that “review solicitation” exists. We do not think this is a problem unless the company pays 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.

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.

We realize that these rules make it very challenging for the smallest healthcare staffing companies. Despite this, we’ve had many very small agencies make our list over the years. Moreover, we believe it’s important for a company to be large enough to handle the volume of inquiries that comes with being listed as one of the best travel nursing agencies in the nation.

Sample Breakdown of our Best Travel Nursing Agency Scoring System

Next, we provide a complete breakdown of the scoring for one of the companies on our list so you can see exactly how it works. We’ll use Travel Nurse Across America’s scores. TNAA is number 6 on our list this year.

Meeting the Minimum Requirements

First, we collect the review-counts and review scores from the 6 review services and enter them into our spreadsheet. Next, we add the number of scores together to get the total number of scores across all review sources. 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.

TNAA has 2,114 total reviews. Therefore, they meet our minimum requirement of 50.

Next, we look to determine if they have 15 reviews from healthcare professionals within the past year. We counted 221 total new reviews in the last year for TNAA. They had 1 new review on Travel Nursing Central and 11 new reviews on Highway Hypodermics. That’s 12 reviews from healthcare professionals right there. We need to find at least 3 more.

Search over 50,000 travel nursing jobs on BluePipes!

We recognized that TNAA received a majority of their new reviews, 165, on Google this year. Therefore, we checked the reviews on Google and easily found 3 from healthcare professionals there. In fact, the vast majority of TNAA’s new reviews on Google were from healthcare professionals extoling the virtues of their amazing TNAA recruiters.

Calculating the Aggregate Average Score

After we enter all the review scores into our spreadsheet, we’re ready to calculate the aggregate average score.

To do 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 TNAA this year:

Next, we add the number of reviews together 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 TNAA in 2022.

Finally, we divide the weighted aggregate total by the total number of reviews to get the aggregate average score. Here is TNAA’s calculation for 2022:

Aggregate Difference Score

With the aggregate average score for 2022, we can now calculate the “aggregate difference score”. This score rewards or penalizes a company based on the difference between this year’s aggregate average score and last year’s aggregate average score.

We follow 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 plus or minus 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. TNAA’s aggregate average score for 2021 was 92.10824089. Their aggregate average score for 2022 is 92.90736045.

So, we subtract 92.10824089 from 92.90736045. We are left with + 0.79911956.

Therefore, TNAA receives a bonus of + 0.79911956 added to their aggregate average score for 2022. 92.90736045 + 0.79911956 = 93.70648001.

And yes, all those decimal places are necessary. For example, our number 10 and 11 companies are separated by less than .08 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 content farms and other rapscallions can’t easily reproduce our scoring system.

However, please contact us if you are a traveler or 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...

Popular on BluePipes Blog

Discover Jobs

• Travel Nursing Jobs
• Travel Therapy and Tech Jobs

© Copyright 2012-2022 BluePipes, Inc

• Search Jobs
• Get Started

Empowering The Life and Healthcare Career You Deserve

Search our exclusive travel nursing, allied and therapy jobs below to take control of your career.

Priority Access to High-Paying Jobs

The job you want, in a place you love. That’s our #1 priority. Good thing we have exclusive access to thousands of great healthcare positions in all 50 states.

We’ve got you covered

Looking for perks? We’ve got them! We’re talking day-1 medical coverage that continues up to 30 days between assignments, plus 401K matching, travel reimbursements and your very own housing support team.

Your Dream Support Team

From the moment you start with Host Healthcare, we’re available 24/7 if anything comes up — just give us a call. Or, feel free to shoot us a text, connect via live chat or DM us if you have questions.

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

Check out our ratings from real host healthcare travelers..

Travel healthcare with peace of mind

We make the travel healthcare experience easy by taking care of all the details. We listen to what you want, match you to your dream position, and help you transition into your new travel healthcare experience smoothly, with 24/7 support and premium benefits. You’ll be comfortable and confident to enjoy the adventure from the moment you land.

Looking for perks? We’ve got them! We’re talking day-1 medical coverage that stays active between assignments less than 30-days apart, plus day-1 401K, travel reimbursements and your very own housing support team.

We Specialize in Nursing, Allied and Therapy travel healthcare jobs

Our team works exclusively with Nursing, Allied, and Therapy travel healthcare professionals so you know you’re getting a true expert in your field. Get access to specialized, knowledgeable, responsive recruiters as well as on-staff clinicians and travel healthcare professionals to answer specific questions related to any Nursing, Allied or Therapy specialties.

Travel Nursing

Travel allied, travel therapy, you pick the city, we’ll help you get there..

Maybe you’ve already got a destination in mind. Or maybe you just want to toss a dart at the map! However you decide, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

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!

Recruiters You’ll Love

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

Check out these reviews from real Host Healthcare travelers.

Start your journey today, got questions we’ve got answers..

Chat Email Give Us A Call

TRS Healthcare

With industry-leading tools and our dedicated team, we're here to help simplify your entire process. Our advanced search-and-match technology helps ensure quicker placements, smoother transitions, and a loyal support system anywhere you travel.

Create Your Profile

Thanks for your interest in becoming part of the TRS Healthcare nursing family. To get started on your journey, just tell us a few things about yourself, and we'll take it from there!

A Perfect Match

We're here to help you find the right position for success. Check out some of our current travel nursing opportunities.

Always a Nurse, Not a Number

We empower nurses at every step of the process. TRS nurses experience the best of both worlds – the adventure of travel with the security of steady pay, health insurance and a nurse advocate to ensure a smooth transition anywhere in the US.

• Recruitment Team
• Our Approach
• View Nursing Jobs 0 Jobs
• View Allied Jobs 0 Jobs

0 Jobs Available

Nursing Jobs

Allied Jobs

• Mental Wellness Support

Paid Sick Leave

• Your Way Is Paid
• Travel Reimbursement
• Pay Packages
• Benefits Summary
• Referral Bonus+
• Continuing Education
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Chaplain Assistance Program
• Client Facilities
• Corporate Careers
• Press Releases
• Contact Information
• Merchandise
• Get Started
• Preferences
• Favorites 3
• Returning Applicants

Experience The Gypsy Nurse’s most award-winning agency -as voted by over 1,054 real travelers like you

Celebrate our 25th anniversary with bonuses and over $100,000 in prizes.

A team that’s always on your side.

Highly skilled recruiter.

Your day-to-day contact for traveling success.

Housing Experts

Our housing experts are here to help you find the perfect place to live.

Clinical and QA Leadership

Clinical and quality assurance sets you up for success.

Travel with best-in-class benefits.

Starts accruing sick leave from day one.

The plan offers a match along with 100% vesting for eligible travelers through payroll deduction.

Your Way is Paid

We cover licensure fees before you travel.

Recommended Jobs for You

• Travel Allied

From the Blog

• Travel Nursing

• Search Nursing Jobs
• Travel Nursing Recruitment Team
• Search Allied Jobs
• Travel Allied Recruitment Team
• Travel Allied Our Approach
• Travel Allied Programs
• Travel Nursing Instagram
• Travel Nursing Facebook
• Travel Nursing TikTok
• Travel Nursing LinkedIn
• Travel Nursing X-Twitter
• Travel Nursing Youtube
• Travel Nursing Pinterest
• Travel Nursing Great Recruiters
• Benefits & Pay
• TNAA Client Facilities

• Allied Instagram
• Allied Facebook
• Allied TikTok
• Allied LinkedIn
• Travel Nursing Twitter
• Allied Youtube
• Allied Pinterest
• Allied Great Recruiters
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Privacy Policy

Welcome Back

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

Springfield, mo, med/surg - tele rn, sioux city, ia, 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.

active travelers

Trusted hospitals, average weekly pay, (36-40hrs/week).

We’re Nurse First, a travel nurse agency. Founded by a former travel nurse, we know what it’s like to be a nurse in an unfamiliar hospital. That’s why we want to give nurses everything they need on travel nurse assignments to set themselves up for success to be happy in their life and careers.

FEATURED TRAVEL NURSING JOBS

$2,366.52 / week, cardiac stepdown, rn, hilo medical center, shift: variable (discussed in interview), start date: july 11, 2022, jacksonville, fl, $3,228.60 / week, cath lab, rn, baptist medical center - jacksonville, shift: 7a-5p, start date: june 20, 2022, top travel nurse locations.

View our top cities for travel nurses in the U.S. based on job availability.

Top Travel Nurse Specialities

Search through our list of top travel nurse specialties.

Our Advocates are on your side, every step of the way.

Instead of recruiters, we work with Advocates to make sure you’re placed in the best work environment possible. Our travel nurse job board discloses all of the information you need to make sure you’re making the right decision for you. No matter what, we’re here to help.

Travel Nurse Testimonials

Ángel santos, rn, ms/tele.

My experience with the company has been amazing. This is my first assignment, and from day one, Nicole Jackson and Daisy Soto were excellent. They guided me through the process and were always aware that I had the necessary tools to complete the requirements to get started with my assignment. 

In my case, I applied for an assignment, and unfortunately, it was not available. Still, Nicole was constantly in contact with me, and she immediately offered me other contracts that met what I wanted. That is the reason I am here now. When I applied with other companies, I was never told when an assignment was unavailable and had to go back to the beginning again. For this reason, I recommend Nurse First Travel Agency to start your new adventure!

Shannon, RN Endoscopy

Nurse First is a great medical staffing agency. My nurse advocate, Lauren, is always timely with responses to my questions. She checks in with me regularly but isn't bothersome or pushy like some recruiters can be. Cheryl, in payroll, is also wonderful and has been so helpful throughout my contract. I appreciate that I have been paid on time every week, and there have been no discrepancies with my pay that I had to address. 

The job board for Nurse First breaks down the location, hours, and pay of available assignments, and their rates are incredibly competitive with top agencies. The company is transparent with their rates before you even show interest in a job, and you simply won't get that with some of the other agencies out there. I am very glad I found a position through Nurse First, and I look forward to continuing to work with the company in the future.

Rachel Masterson, CST

I’ve been with Nurse First for two assignments now. My first assignment with Nurse First was a six-month-long contract with Health Trust. I was skeptical about taking such a different assignment at first. I was told I would be a market float for the whole West division of HCA hospitals. Of course, in the be beginning, we had some ups and downs. But my recruiter, Lauren, worked vigorously to resolve these issues. She made it such a wonderful experience that I signed another six-month contract with this company right after. I would recommend Nurse First to my friends and colleagues because working with them is more like working with family. I feel like a person and not a number. What I enjoy most about this company is its transparency and commitment to its workers. Lauren is always prompt when getting back to me, and she always keeps it real. I can’t imagine going back and working with any other company.

Eli White, Surgical Tech

If you are looking for a company that will be straightforward, transparent, and honest with you, then you should check out Nurse First. I have been in healthcare for 20-plus years, and I can uniquely say that Nurse First is probably the most transparent company out there; it is something I’ve always looked for in an agency. The application process was relatively smooth, and while I always consider my options, I will probably stick with Nurse First for my next contract. 

Alexa Coyne, RN

I had the pleasure of working with Nurse First to obtain my travel contract in NC. I have worked with many agencies, and this one was by far the easiest and fastest at helping me get the job I wanted. 

My recruiter, Nicole, was friendly, easy to get ahold of, and kept an open line of communication throughout the whole process. Although there is no bargaining power, the pay seems to be the best—and there’s no hassle. The onboarding process was easy, and everyone I worked with was able to communicate easily through text and at hours that even a night shifter can appreciate. I am glad I was able to work with Nurse First!

Olivia Hale, RN, BSN

I've used a different agency for each of my travel contracts thus far. It can be exhausting having recruiters constantly pressure you to choose their company, but I never felt that way with Nurse First. Their onboarding process was simple, and any issues/questions I've had have been dealt with in a timely, professional manner. What also appealed to me about working with Nurse First was the transparency they provided about pay packages—and the overall take-home amount was much higher than other agencies I've worked with.

Chauner Jones, BSN

My experience with Nurse First has been a great one. I thank my traveler advocate, Trey Ringer, for assisting me with finding my next assignment. Trey has the best personality, responds quickly, and gets the job done. He gets five stars in communication, customer service, support, responsiveness, integrity, and work ethic from me. I look forward to a long-lasting work relationship with Trey and Nurse First.

Kendralyn Grant

I just wanted to take a moment to highlight one of Nurse First’s employees, Trey, the absolute best. Thanks for being awesome. He is kind, informative, knowledgeable, and, most importantly, I never felt like I was being brushed off. As I recall calling him the first time, I look back and feel like he’s been my recruiter for years. I’ve texted him several times, and not once have I had to wait on a response. In this travel nursing life, I’ve spoken to a few individuals—and he is by far the most professional one. I’m so happy to begin this journey with Nurse First, and mostly I’m glad I was lucky enough that Trey answered the day I first contacted Nurse First—and that I gained him as a recruiter. I’m very big on expressing my gratitude, and he definitely deserves kudos. I pray the world delivers a few more like him in my path in this lifetime. 

Trey rocks—and I mean that wholeheartedly.

Kathleen Tillman, RN

I have traveled for seven years and have used several different travel companies. I have repeatedly tried to find one that meets all my needs, but I always have had to compromise in one area or another. Nurse First finally ticked all the boxes on my needs list... 

(1) lots of jobs in my specialty (2) variety of locations all around the country (3) pay details listed on the website (4) day one insurance (5) a company representative that doesn't harass me like a used car salesman.

Most importantly, my paychecks are always on time and correct and include reimbursements as promised. My traveler advocate Lauren is always available and was helpful and understanding when I missed some work due to my sister passing away. Every member of the company that I have dealt with has been fantastic and responds to any questions I have quickly and professionally. It's been a great experience with Nurse First so far, and I expect to continue with them for the foreseeable future.

Melissa Marsh, RN, BSN

They have a great staff that you get to know over time and see that they value the work that you’re doing. The Nurse First team is easy to communicate with and has been able to work with me to secure jobs that fit my special needs.

Setting up a profile with them is easy! They feature the usual application skills checklist and certifications upload, but they also have a profile specialist that makes yours look perfect when you finally decide to hit submit to your desired assignment.

Ready to get started? Let’s chat!

Contact information..

• 919.887.6100

Recent Posts

5 Trends Shaping Travel Nurse Jobs in 2024

Discover the latest trends shaping travel nurse jobs in 2023 in our blog ‘5 Trends Shaping Travel Nurse Jobs in 2023’. Stay ahead in the dynamic healthcare industry

Top Benefits of Taking Contract Nurse Jobs with a Travel Nursing Agency

Introduction to Contract Nurse Jobs and Travel Nursing Agencies Ready for a change in your nursing career? Enter the realm of contract nurse jobs with a travel nursing agency. This is no ordinary path. As a contract nurse, you swap

The Future of Healthcare: The Rising Demand for Travel Surg Techs in Modern Medicine

Overview of the Evolving Healthcare Landscape The healthcare industry is rapidly evolving, and one undeniable trend is the increasing demand for Travel Surg Techs. These specialized professionals are like the Swiss Army knives of the operating room—they’re trained to adapt

A Top Paying Travel Nurse Agency

We'll find our travel nurses the highest pay rates nationwide, why voyage healthcare.

When you travel with Voyage Healthcare, you become a part of our family! Discover why our travelers love working with us. Here are some of the benefits you get when you work as a RN for us:

• Industry Leading Pay Rates for RNs
• Dedicated Recruiter to Search Roles for You
• Free, Same Day Health & Life Insurance
• Housing, Licensure & Certification Reimbursements
• 100% 401k Match on Day One
• 30+ Years of Industry Experience

Register Today to Start Your Travel Adventure!

" (Required) " indicates required fields

Disciplines Accepted

From specialties ICU to L&D, we have opportunities for all sorts of travel nurses nationwide!

LPN/LVN? We'll help you find your dream job from our thousands of travel opportunities.

Allied Health

Are you ready for flexibile Allied Health opportunities that fit your lifestyle? Look no further than Voyage!

Housing Resources

Everything you need to help find housing for your next assignment.

Mobile Job Alerts

The latest jobs, sent right to your phone. Text “Join” to 33163, or subscribe here to get started.

Discover a New City

Ready to see and change the world? Find your next job.

What Our Nurses Say

Joining the Voyage Healthcare team has greatly enriched my life. My recruiter, Kavin, made me realize my worth. I am now living my dream by working as a travel nurse. Voyage Healthcare has been with me every step of the way and can't imagine working for any other company.

Brooks and the rest of the voyage team have taken excellent care of me ever since I started working with them. They are all friendly, efficient, trustworthy, and approachable.

Voyage and Brooks Mckenna have been amazing. Brooks has been the best recruiter and helped me through any situation you can think of. He’s very personable and voyage has been there every step of the way. Anyone looking to take the jump in travel nursing I highly recommend Brooks and the voyage staff.

Nicholas B.

Kim is the best of the best! She is always there for you and will always resolve any issues you might have!

Top Paying Travel Nurse Agency

Finding top travel opportunities that fit your needs shouldn’t be time-consuming or stressful. That’s why, we match you with a personalized recruiter that knows the market and has the tools to find you the best pay rates for nurses at the best facilities across the country. 

At Voyage Healthcare, we make finding new, lucrative travel assignments easy! We specialize in helping nurses like you find the medical facilitiy that fits your needs, and empower you to focus on what you do best, serving your patients!

Meet the team that’s ready to help you see and change the world.

Each of the staffing professionals on our team have years of experience as executives and recruiters at some of the largest firms in the U.S. But there was one common theme at every place we worked: we felt there was a better way to do healthcare staffing.

In 1999, we put our ideals into action, and started Voyage Healthcare in Omaha, Nebraska. After outgrowing our previous office (and in search of better weather), we relocated to our present-day headquarters in Orlando, Florida.

Today, we’ve blossomed into one of the fastest growing agencies , but despite our humble beginnings, we’ve remained a company that cares about your needs and treats you like family. And at Voyage Healthcare, that’s what we do best, treat you like family. That’s fact alone makes us your unfair advantage in healthcare staffing! You owe it to yourself to experience the Voyage Healthcare difference. Inquire today…we’ll be more than glad to have you!

Follow Us On Social

Keep up with our latest travel nurse tips and tricks by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Florida Location

4566 Orange Blvd., Suite 1012 Sanford, Florida 32771

Colorado Location

2154 East Commons Av. Suite 2400 Centennial, Colorado 80122

Phone: 800.798.6035 Fax: 888.235.6035 Email: [email protected]

© 2023 Voyage Solutions. All Rights Reserved.

Ready to start creating your on-demand workforce?

Finding a flexible nursing job you love has never been easier..

PENNSYLVANIA

MASSACHUSETTS

Helping travel nurses and allied health professionals build the lives they want.

Helping nurses build the lives they want., finding a flexible job you love has never been easier., we’ve obsessed over the problems that frustrate you to build new tools that really support you., personalized job matches.

Work-life goals

Honest conversations

Compensation transparency

Dedicated support

Discover and apply to flexible nursing and allied health jobs anytime, anywhere.

Our mission is to help people everywhere get care.

At Trusted we are mobilizing the healthcare workforce to help people everywhere get the care that they deserve.

We all know the healthcare system has problems - problems felt by overburdened hospitals and under-supported clinicians. So we’re tackling some of the biggest hurdles in the industry to ensure that at the end of the day, everyone gets the quality care that they deserve.

We’re working with the world’s most disruptive healthcare facilities.

With help from the best nurses, nationwide..

Free guides and resources written by real clinicians.

Let our team of nurses and healthcare industry pros bring you the latest and greatest in travel nursing and allied health.

Let's Check In

Let's start building the life you want., we're here to help.

April 30, 2024

Winnipeg 1° C , Cloudy

Full Forecast

• Advertising Contact
• Send a Letter to the Editor
• Staff biographies
• Submit a News Tip
• Subscribe to Newsletters
• Notifications
• Create Account
• Compact View
• About the E-Edition
• Winnipeg Free Press
• Community Review East
• Community Review West
• All Arts & Life
• Celebrities
• Environment
• Food & Drink
• Life & Style
• Science & Technology
• All Business
• Agriculture
• Personal Finance
• Manitoba’s Top Employers
• All Opinion
• Editorial Cartoon
• Letters to the Editor
• Auto Racing
• Blue Bombers
• High School
• Horse Racing
• Winnipeg Jets
• Manitoba Moose
• Reader Bridge
• Free Press 101: How we practise journalism
• Advertising
• Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
• FP Newspapers Inc.
• Internships
• Job Opportunities
• Local Journalism Initiative
• Retail Locations
• Staff Biographies
• Terms and Conditions
• All Free Press Community Review News
• East Edition
• West Edition
• Classifieds
• All FP Features
• Business Hub
• Drink & Dine
• Health & Wellness
• Whiskers & Wings
• Sponsored Articles
• Property Listings
• Featured News
• Renovation and design
• Resale homes
• Newsletters
• Niigaan and the Lone Ranger
• Photo and Book store
• Become a Patron
• Privacy Policy

© 2024 Winnipeg Free Press

Quick Links

• Publications
• Sponsored Content

Ways to support us

• Pay it Forward program
• Support Faith coverage
• Support Arts coverage

Replica E-Edition

Arts & Life

• Photo Galleries

Canstar Community news

Notification Settings

This browser doesn't support push notifications at the moment. Check browsers features, update your browser or try to use one from the list of recommended to manage your notifications settings:

• Firefox (27+)
• Google Chrome (30+)
• Safari ( MacOS 13+ with browser 16.1+ and iOS 16.4+ ) / Note make sure Push API support enabled under Settings > Safari > Advanced > Experimental Features
• Microsoft Edge

If you wish to manage your notification settings from this browser you will need to update your browser's settings for this site. Just click button below and allow notifications for this site

Note Safari 16.4+ working on iOS devices also need this site app to be installed at device's Home Screen for Push Notifications to work

Notifications are blocked for this site. If you wish to manage your notification settings from this browser you will need to update your browser's settings. Usually you'd need to click on site options icon to the left of address bar and change notifications preferences/permissions from there

Breaking News

Urgent and important stories

Recommended Reads

Noteworthy news and features

Advertisement

Learn more about Free Press Advertising solutions

Spending on private agency nurses jumps

Shared health figures show total of $56 million paid at end of third quarter.

Advertise with us

Manitoba paid private agency nurses to work the equivalent of 76.5 years to fill vacant nursing positions — and that was just during the first nine months of the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Read this article for free:

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$19 $0 for the first 4 weeks *

• Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
• Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
• Access News Break, our award-winning app
• Play interactive puzzles

*No charge for 4 weeks then billed as $19 every four weeks (new subscribers and qualified returning subscribers only). Cancel anytime.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

Shared Health recently released figures that show regional health authorities across the province hired agency nurses to work more than 670,000 hours in total, or 76.5 years, from April 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023.

The number is part of data that shows private agency nurse spending across the province jumped from a total of $35.5 million at the end of the second quarter to a total of $56 million at the end of the third quarter on Dec. 31, 2023.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says it will take time for the province to win back nurses. (Mike Deal / Free Press files)

Among the five RHAs, the Prairie Mountain RHA spent $21 million at the end of the third quarter, the most in the province, for 261,157 hours of private agency nursing. That works out to be about $80.34 per hour.

Next was the Northern RHA, which spent $12.2 million for 111,504 hours of nursing, or $109.29 per hour; followed by the Interlake-Eastern RHA at $11.2 million for 142,288 hours, or $78.78; Southern RHA at $7.7 million for 97,175 hours or $78.69 per hour; and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority at $4 million for 58,250 hours or $69.64 per hour.

The mid-range wage for a general duty registered nurse is around $45 per hour, according to the Manitoba Nurses Union.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says they are working hard to reduce spending on private agency nurses by regional health authorities by taking steps to encourage nurses to return to the public health care system.

Asagwara said they have spent their first six months in office meeting with nurses, putting more money into various key areas to increase their numbers and creating a public provincial float pool.

“Certainly, we want the spending for agency nurses to trend in the opposite direction,” they said on Friday.

“Our focus is on restoring trust with nurses, on repairing the relationship they have with the public system, and creating a culture in our health care system that they are excited to be a part of. We’ve taken several steps to support that happening and there is more work that we need to do.”

Asagwara said they know it will take time for the province to win back nurses, who in the past few years have left the public health care system in droves to become agency nurses, knowing they were leaving behind pensions, benefits and training opportunities.

“We have to give them a competitive offer,” they said. “We need to afford nurses the opportunity to have good work-life balance control over their schedules and workplace culture that they feel serves them well and allows them to provide quality care to their patients.”

Asagwara is pleased to see hundreds of nurses have already applied to be part of the provincial float pool, something that will reduce the number of agency nurse hours.

Molly McCracken, interim spokesperson for the Manitoba Health Coalition, said the province has to find a way to spend less on agency nurses.

“The skyrocketing expenses of for-profit agency nurses demonstrates how much the health care system is now relying on this once stop-gap measure,” McCracken said.

“The Manitoba government’s commitment to staff up health agencies with regular nurses needs to be an absolute priority. It will save public funding and improve consistency of care.”

Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, said RHAs relying on agency nurses isn’t just because there is a “critical nursing shortage” in the province.

“It’s also because nurses are moving to agencies because they are working for a much higher salary,” Jackson said. “It’s also because of the workload nurses have and the lack of work-life balance.

Related Articles

“This government has to figure out two things: how to compensate nurses to draw them back from the agencies and then figure out how to retain them.”

MLA Kathleen Cook, the Progressive Conservatives’ deputy leader, said in a statement she was not surprised to see the costs for agency nurses rise under the NDP government.

“The NDP were extremely vocal while in opposition about agency nurse spending, but have done nothing so far in government to reduce it,” Cook said.

“They have not brought forward a tangible plan to attract, train, or retain nurses in our public health care system… instead of pointing fingers, the NDP need to offer tangible incentives to bring in and keep more nurses in the public system to address the need for high agency nurse spending in the first place.”

A WRHA spokesperson said they could not comment at this time on why the amount spent on agency nurses jumped to more than $4 million during the first three quarters of the year, when at the end of the second quarter it was at $2.2 million.

A spokesperson said the numbers wouldn’t be finalized until after the full year so they could change.

At the end of the third quarter, Prairie Mountain Health, which includes Brandon, Dauphin and Swan River, had spent the most on agency nurses of any regional health authority in the province — a total of $21 million up from $13.8 million three months earlier.

Prairie Mountain Health CEO Treena Slate said the change in agency costs is based on invoices paid out through the year as services are provided.

“Due to ongoing recruitment and retention challenges, it has been necessary for PMH to use nursing and health care aide agency services to continue to provide safe, quality care for our clients, patients and residents,” Slate said.

Business Weekly

Monday mornings

The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.

“Due to the size of our region, agency costs in PMH have a significant component related to reimbursement of travel costs for agency staff.”

Meanwhile, Asagwara, who worked as a psychiatric nurse before being elected, said they know what it is like to be at work and suddenly be told you are working a double shift.

“I can recall having plans with a sibling or with family and at the last minute having to change those plans or missing out — I know the impacts of your life being disrupted in that way,” they said.

“Supporting them in having a better work-life balance is supporting them in being able to provide better care.”

[email protected]

Kevin Rollason Reporter

Kevin Rollason is one of the more versatile reporters at the Winnipeg Free Press. Whether it is covering city hall, the law courts, or general reporting, Rollason can be counted on to not only answer the 5 Ws — Who, What, When, Where and Why — but to do it in an interesting and accessible way for readers.

   Read full biography

Advertisement Advertise With Us

• more about this country
• Afghanistan
• American Samoa
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas, The
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Cayman Islands
• Central African Republic
• Christmas Island
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands
• Congo, Democratic Republic of the
• Congo, Republic of the
• Cook Islands
• Cote d`voire
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
• Faroe Islands
• French Guiana
• French Polynesia
• Gambia, The
• Guinea-Bissau
• Korea, North
• Korea, South
• Liechtenstein
• Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
• Marshall Islands
• Micronesia, Federated States of
• Netherlands
• Netherlands Antilles
• New Caledonia
• New Zealand
• Norfolk Island
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Pitcairn Islands
• Puerto Rico
• Saint Helena
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Turkmenistan
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• United States (USA)
• Virgin Islands (USA)
• Wallis and Futuna
• Western Sahara
• more about this city
• Arkhangelsk
• Blagoveshchensk
• Chelyabinsk
• Cherepovets
• Kaliningrad
• Kamensk-Uralsky
• Komsomolsk-na-Amure
• Krasnoyarsk
• Magnitogorsk
• Makhachkala
• Naberezhnye Chelny
• Nizhnekamsk
• Nizhnevartovsk
• Nizhny Novgorod
• Nizhny Tagil
• Novocherkassk
• Novokuznetsk
• Novorossiysk
• Novosibirsk
• Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky
• Petrozavodsk
• Prokopyevsk
• Rostov-na-Donu
• Saint Petersburg
• Severodvinsk
• Stary Oskol
• Sterlitamak
• Velikiye Luki
• Veliky Novgorod
• Vladikavkaz
• Vladivostok
• Yekaterinburg
• Yoshkar-Ola
• Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
• Free listing

Voshod Tour

• Travel agencies

Add your comment

Informative materials - Moscow

• Prices, Cost Of Living Moscow
• Current local time in Moscow
• Time zone - Moscow, Russia
• Weather - Moscow, Russia
• Map of Moscow
• National flag Russia
• Moscow - phone code, how to call Moscow
• Pictures of Moscow
• Distances from Moscow, Russia

Informative materials - Russia

• Currency Russia, Russian Ruble
• Currency calculator Russian Ruble
• Holidays Russia
• Embassies Russia
• Map of Russia
• List of airports Russia

Photo gallery