The Covid-19 Pandemic has slowed but is far from over. The world is still in need of skilled nurses and heroes like you to care for those affected by this disease.
COVID nurse jobs are supplying talented nurses like you with a way to…
- Work
- Serve
- Live,
- And make excellent money
…while doing what you do best — caring for others.
If you’re wondering if taking one of the COVID nurse jobs is the right move for you right now, read on. This guide will tell you all you need to know about working as a COVID nurse during the pandemic.
Table of Contents
- What is a COVID Nurse?
- Where Can You Find COVID nurse jobs?
- How Much do COVID Nurse Jobs Pay?
- Where do COVID Nurses Live?
- Is it Safe to be a COVID Nurse?
- Trusted Nurse Staffing: Your #1 Resource for COVID Nurse Jobs
What is a COVID Nurse?
A ‘COVID Nurse’ is a term used to describe nurses who are specifically recruited to fill gaps during hospital staffing shortages when there is an overwhelming number of patients to care for.
According to NPR as of late November, over 1,000 hospitals across the U.S. were experiencing critical staffing shortages due to the pandemic.
As tough as it is for hospitals to bring in necessary PPE, hospitals are facing even larger challenges bringing in highly-skilled nurses to fill the gaps.
There are an estimated 50,000 travel nurses in the U.S. right now – many of whom are working COVID nurse jobs to alleviate pressure in hospitals as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
What Does a COVID Nurse Do?
COVID nurses are there to fill the gaps. Different hospitals might need temporary nurses to address different needs.
In some hospitals, the staff has been moved around to compensate for harder-hit areas.
Nurses coming in might fill roles in the hospital that won’t come into contact with COVID patients while other nurses may be expected to care directly for COVID-positive patients.
Bottom line:
COVID nurses are there to help mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.
Where Can You Find COVID Nurse Jobs?
The best way to find COVID nurse jobs is through a travel nursing agency. Agencies, like Trusted Nurse Staffing, are there to answer your calls and walk with you every step of the way.
Agencies connect nurses with hospitals and other care facilities that are understaffed or in need.
States all across the U.S.A are in need of and supplying COVID nurse jobs.
Whether you’re looking to…
- Journey to the states that are being hit the hardest
- Wanting to be closer to family, or
- Needing a change of scene in another part of the county
…there are COVID nurse jobs available for you!
Where are COVID Nurses Needed the Most?
During the pandemic, states across the U.S. have been hit differently for a variety of reasons.
For some, it comes down to sheer population density: the amount of infected patients far outweighs workforce capability. For others, access to key resources and supplies plays a vital role.
The situation across the states is dynamic and ever-changing, although there are some cities that experience a severe nurse to patient ratio shortage:
- Monroe, Michigan
- Greeley, Colorado
- Jacksonville, North Carolina
- Merced, California
- Hinesville, VA
In these cities, there are only 2 or 3 nurses for every 1,000 people.
How Long is a Typical COVID Nursing Assignment?
Assignments for COVID nurse jobs can vary.
Typically, nurses spend between 8-12 weeks in a given place on a given assignment. Although, depending on the needs of the hospital, an assignment could be longer or shorter.
Some hospitals allow a nurse to stay on or extend their contract if the fit was mutually beneficial or if a need is prolonged.
Because of the variability with COVID nurse jobs, we recommend talking with an agency about your options.
At Trusted Nurse Staffing, we’ve got your best interest in mind.
To take the first step with us, you can simply call us or fill out your personal profile that helps us know your preferences. You’ll even have the option of being alerted when an opportunity comes up that fits your wants, needs, and circumstances.
Just click on the link below to get started!
Are COVID Nurses Expected to Work Longer Hours?
Generally, COVID nurse jobs won’t vary too much from other full-time nursing jobs in terms of how many hours are worked.
Nurses can expect to work between 36-48 hours but overtime hours will more than likely be available to you.
Since the pay for short-term COVID nurse jobs is much higher, you may be someone looking to maximize that benefit.
Some nurses have been able to pay off long-standing debt or finance a trip they’ve been working toward for years.
How Much do COVID Nurse Jobs Pay?
Due to the simple laws of supply and demand, COVID nurse jobs are paying exponentially higher than ever expected — in some cases, up to $10,000 per week.
Hospitals are understaffed and are desperately needing to fill those gaps.
Because the supply of nurses in parts of the country is so low, the demand for nurses is high and they are being compensated VERY well in order to supply high-quality care to patients in need.
Travel nurse jobs have always paid well. On average, a travel nurse made $1,673 per week at pre-pandemic levels.
Since Covid-19 hit, compensation to those workers now sits at an average of $3,500 per week. That average takes into account parts of the country that were hit especially hard and ones that weren’t.
That said, some states, like the ones mentioned above, might be offering closer to $8,000 each week for nursing support.
Do COVID Nurses Get Crisis Pay?
The short answer — usually, yes.
Depending on factors such as the city, state, or hospital of your assignment, “crisis pay” rates can vary.
Curious to learn more about Crisis Pay? Here is our complete guide to Travel Nurse Crisis Pay.
What Other Benefits do COVID Nurses Receive?
Healthcare workers like you are absolutely essential to the fight against Covid-19 and to saving lives across the country.
In return for your time, energy, and everything you’re putting on hold to help, you want to be sure to work with an agency that will take care of you.
At Trusted Nurse Staffing, these are just some of the benefits you can expect:
- 24/7 Access to your Trusted Partner
- Housing, Meal and Travel Stipends
- Flexible Contract Options
- Customized Benefits Package
- 401(k)
- Insurance Coverage
- License, Certifications & CEU Reimbursements
- And more
Refer to our site or call us to find out more about your potential experience as a COVID nurse. We’ll be there to answer all of your questions, talk through your hesitations and doubts, and provide you with the best advice we can that works for you.
Where do COVID Nurses Live?
Travel nurses are typically given a housing stipend or given the option of agency housing. The same is true for COVID nurses.
For example, Trusted Nurse Staffing offers nurses stipends for housing, meals, and travel.
Depending on the cost of living in the area, some nurses will choose to accept the stipend and find short-term budget housing in the area.
For COVID nurse jobs, however, individuals may want to accept housing provided by the agency due to the urgent and short-term nature of staffing during the pandemic.
This is likely in your best interest anyway.
Because you are in such high demand, you may find yourself wanting the flexibility to deploy to a new assignment quickly or accept shorter contracts.
Is it Safe to be a COVID Nurse?
Without a doubt, COVID nurse jobs come with a higher risk of exposure to the Covid-19 virus.
However, the risk has lessened significantly now that more hospitals are being supplied with adequate PPE.
Apart from receiving PPE from the hospital, there are other strategies COVID nurses are implementing to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.
Some of these strategies include:
- Changing out of scrubs before entering your home
- Taking a shower as soon as you get home
- Plenty of handwashing and sanitizing
If adequate PPE is NOT available to you at your hospital, consider providing your own to the best of your ability or following CDC guidelines.
What are Hospitals Doing to Protect COVID Travel Nurses?
In addition to the workplace safety standards enforced by OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration), hospitals are doing their best to protect nurses and staff.
At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, as people were scrambling to protect themselves and their loved ones, protective equipment was in short supply, leaving many essential workers at high risk of contracting the virus.
Roughly a year in, there are still PPE shortages in addition to other equipment shortages, but the situation has dramatically improved.
COVID nurses can work with their trusted partner at Trusted Nurse Staffing to find out if PPE will be provided at their hospital of choice.
What are the Current PPE Recommendations?
If you do find yourself needing to provide PPE or are wondering what current PPE recommendations are — we’ve got you covered.
Recommendations for PPE are industry-specific. Healthcare workers can expect a higher standard of protection than employees in non-healthcare-related workplaces.
Here’s what the Occupational Safety & Health Administration has to say:
“…that healthcare workers with exposure to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients wear:
- Gloves
- Gowns
- Eye/face protection (e.g., goggles, face shield)
- NIOSH-certified, disposable N95 filter facepiece respirators or better”
In many hospital systems, N95 masks were and are still in short supply. If that is the case at your hospital, surgical masks are the next best thing.
Double-masking has also proved helpful when N95 respirators aren’t available.
Trusted Nurse Staffing: Your #1 Resource for COVID Nurse Jobs
If you’re interested in finding out more about COVID nurse jobs or want to take the next step, reach out to us here at Trusted Nurse Staffing.
We’ll be your trusted partner, ready to help you at every point along your journey.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of hospitals that could use someone like you right now.
We’ll help you find the right fit.
If you’re ready to jump in feet first, click here to see urgent openings for COVID nurse jobs. Still, have questions? Contact us online or call us at (877) 853–5010.