Are you interested in correctional travel nursing jobs, but wonder if it is the right career move for you?
While it’s not always easy to find the right traveling assignments, there is a high demand for travel nurses who are open to working in correctional facilities.
Working as a nurse in a correctional facility has its challenges. Therefore, it is important to do your research.
Great news: You are in the right place to find the information you need.
In this guide, we provide a thorough understanding of what correctional travel nursing jobs entail, a description of the job requirements and average salary, as well as key information to keep in mind when considering work in this specific environment
Table of Contents
- What Is a Correctional Travel Nurse?
- What Do Correctional Travel Nurses Do?
- Where Do Correctional Travel Nurses Work?
- Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs: What Are the Requirements?
- Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs: How Much Money Can You Make?
- 6 Things to Keep in Mind When Considering Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs
- Create a Free Profile to Browse Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs With Trusted Nurse Staffing
What Is a Correctional Travel Nurse?
People often forget that nurses work in a variety of environments, not just hospitals.
Correctional travel nurses help to ensure that inmates receive medical care and treatment for injuries and illnesses while they are incarcerated.
The job of a correctional nurse is very different from other nursing jobs, but it can be rewarding work if you’re interested in helping those who need your assistance most.
These nurses, also known as private-duty nurses or civilian contract staff, provide medical services for inmates and are supervised by licensed physicians.
What Do Correctional Travel Nurses Do?
Correctional nurses are one of the most important staff members in a correctional facility.
For most of us, the very name “correctional facility” immediately brings up visions of a dark and dangerous prison. But oftentimes the medical centers in these facilities are very similar to typical medical clinics.
There is no reason to be afraid to work in these environments if you know what to expect and how to act and respond appropriately.
As a correctional travel nurse, you have to be able to work under pressure and deal with numerous tasks. You will need to know how to handle both serious medical situations as well as routine care.
But what are some of the more specific job responsibilities of correctional nurses?
Some of the most common duties include the following:
- Providing direct nursing care to inmates
- Maintaining records of inmate health and treatment
- Monitoring inmate health and providing emergency medical treatment
- Administering prescribed medications to inmates as needed
Most importantly, nurses who work in correctional facilities must treat those who are in custody with respect and dignity.
Where Do Correctional Travel Nurses Work?
You can find correctional travel nursing jobs in various environments, including:
- State, local, or federal prisons
- County jails
- Juvenile reformatories
- Community corrections centers
- Correctional halfway houses
- Parole supervision units
Many travel nurses find employment at these facilities, in both short-term and long-term capacities.
Note that correctional institutions come in many forms — minimum security to maximum security, medium-security to high-security, and everything in between.
It can be extremely challenging to work as a nurse within these environments, but it’s also rewarding because your actions help people get better every day.
These professionals know how to deal with tough situations — they have to.
Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs: What Are the Requirements?
As a correctional traveling nurse, you have to be prepared for any situation.
With the proper certifications, your chances of getting hired increase, and this can lead to more job offers.
However, without these certifications, employers may pass on you in favor of someone who is already familiar with the environment they’ll be working in.
So what certifications do you need?
The National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC) provides the CCHP-RN certification for those working in correctional nursing.
Eligibility requirements include:
- Current and active RN license within the United States or Canada; not limited to practice in correctional facilities only
- Current Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP) certification
- At least two years of full-time work as a registered nurse (RN)
- 2000 hours of experience in the correctional setting, training that is crucial for this profession
- 54 hours of specific training, including 18 with a direct focus on correctional health care earned within the past three years
Visit the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare (NCCHC) website for more information on how to obtain the CCHP-RN certification.
Are you currently working towards your certification? Or are you already certified?
It may be time for you to take the next step!
By filling out your free profile at Trusted Nurse Staffing you’ll be one step closer to moving into this fulfilling option as a correctional travel nurse!
Once we find a position that matches what you’re looking for we will contact you immediately with more information about our services as well as details about the opportunity itself.
Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs: How Much Can You Make?
When researching correctional travel nursing jobs one of the most common questions asked is “How much do correctional travel nurses make?”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics explains that the wages for travel nurses in correctional facilities are significantly higher than average.
The reason is simple: there is a shortage of available staff.
According to Talent.com, the average correctional nurse salary in the USA is $72,069 per year or $36.96 per hour, with entry-level positions starting at $43,976 per year. However, more experienced correctional nurses can earn up to $126,750 annually.
There are also some amazing benefits that can accompany a well-paid position as a correctional traveling nurse, like meal, housing, and travel stipends in addition to your base salary.
6 Things to Keep in Mind When Considering Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs
The key to finding out if correctional travel nursing is the right career for you is making sure that you are fully aware of what it entails.
Knowing the nature of work for correctional travel nursing jobs can help you make an informed decision about pursuing this line of work.
The following are six things that should help guide your decision-making process when considering correctional travel nursing jobs.
#1: Your Safety Is a Priority
A correctional traveling nursing assignment can be a difficult job, especially knowing that there is much more risk involved than nursing in other environments.
Your safety is a top priority.
Therefore, be sure that you understand the safety protocols in place when considering a job as a correctional travel nurse.
For example, trained correctional officers should always be present during patient exams. Every room should also be equipped with a call button to alert security in an instant.
#2: The Pay Is Higher Than Nursing Jobs That Take Place in Traditional Care Settings
One reason why so many RNs are accepting correctional travel nursing positions is that they offer different types of contract options and great pay.
Travel nurses are categorized based on their specialty.
Non-specialty nurses typically make less than specialized nurses.
Specialized nurses, like those with sought-after skills and credentials that are in high demand — like correctional travel nurses — have the ability to earn lucrative pay rates.
#3: Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs Are in Demand
There is typically a high demand to fill correctional travel nursing jobs.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, correctional nursing jobs are predicted to increase about 26% in the upcoming several years.
With 1,821 state and federal prisons throughout the United States, there are always opportunities to fill these high in demand positions all around the country.
#4: You Can Make a Difference For Incarcerated Patients
It’s easy to forget that inmates are people with feelings and families who love them.
Therefore, it is important for travel nurses to interact with incarcerated individuals with compassion and care.
Correctional travel nurses can make a difference by taking opportunities to establish a sense of trust as a healthcare worker.
#5: You’ll Develop Valuable Personal Skills
Not only does it look great on a resume, but correctional travel nursing can help you to develop personally and professionally.
If you’re looking to develop high levels of focus and attention, consider correctional travel nursing.
Working in this field requires a lot of concentration due to the dangerous nature of the work.
Because of the high levels of stress and uncertainty that come with it, correctional traveling nursing jobs are ideal for helping nurses build stamina and leadership skills.
#6: There Is a Level of Risk
The largest risk for nurses working in correctional facilities is exposure to communicable diseases, such as:
- HIV
- Measles
- Salmonella
- Hepatitis (A, B, and C)
- Other blood-borne illnesses
The higher risk of bloodborne pathogen exposure makes following safety requirements and using protective equipment very important.
Create a Free Profile to Browse Correctional Travel Nursing Jobs With Trusted Nurse Staffing
If you are ready to move forward with your interest in applying for correctional travel nursing jobs, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the different options out there.
You could go directly through an employer or use a staffing agency like ours that helps place nurses in correctional facilities across the nation.
This makes things easier on both sides because we have relationships with many correctional facilities that need nurses as well as travel nurses like yourself who are looking for work.
At Trusted Nurse Staffing, our goal is to make the process of finding a nursing job easier by:
- Providing reliable information about how travel nursing works
- Helping you to choose which jobs will work best for you
- Matching traveling registered nurses (RNs), like you, with your ideal assignments based on location preferences and other factors
- Negotiating pay rates, housing stipends, and medical benefits packages
If you’re looking for a way into this lucrative and exciting career, create your free profile today.
Register with us today! Still, have questions? Contact us online or call us at (877) 853–5010.