Your compassion has been obvious since the day your 4-year-old self opened your first “stuffed animal hospital.”
You’ve achieved your dream of becoming a nurse and are thinking of hitting the road as a traveling nurse.
But the options for nursing specialties are more than overwhelming, and you’re having a tough time making a decision.
Telemetry nursing sounds like it might be right up your alley, but you have questions.
We’re here to bring clarity.
This article will give you all the details you need to know about telemetry travel nurse jobs.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Telemetry Travel Nurse?
- Is There a Demand for Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs?
- What Are the Requirements to Become a Telemetry Travel Nurse?
- How to Become an Optimal Candidate for Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs
- How Much Do Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs Pay?
- Are You Interested in Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs? Trusted Nurse Staffing Can Help
What Is a Telemetry Travel Nurse?
Telemetry travel nurse jobs involve caring for patients needing constant care due to:
- Respiratory
- Cardiac
- Renal; or
- Gastrointestinal conditions
What Does a Telemetry Travel Nurse Do?
A telemetry nurse cares for patients who are suffering from:
- Heart attacks
- Renal failure
- Congestive heart failure
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Advanced stages of cancer
- Other illnesses that require critical care; and
- Patients preparing for or recovering from invasive forms of surgery
Telemetry nurses conduct:
- Cardiac stress tests: A cardiac stress test measures the heart’s ability to respond to external stress in a controlled clinical environment.
- Echocardiograms: An ultrasound of the heart
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans: A PET scan is a type of imaging test that shows how a patient’s organs and tissues are functioning.
- Dipyridamole stress tests: A small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into the bloodstream, in conjunction with myocardial perfusion imaging and a stress test, which challenges the functional capacity of the heart.
- CT coronary angiograms: This test is used to assess the coronary arteries of the heart.
A day in the life of a traveling telemetry nurse specializing in cardiac care may look something like this:
A newly stabilized patient transfers from intensive care to progressive care.
The patient may have just had surgery or be suffering from a critical condition that requires constant monitoring, such as:
- A heart transplant
- A heart attack
- Heart valve disease
- Atrial fibrillation; or
- Coronary artery disease
The telemetry nurse will be responsible for:
- Administering medications
- Performing diagnostic testing
- Administering IV fluids
- Monitoring:
- Heart rhythms
- Oxygen levels
- Blood pressure
- Electrolytes; and
- Respiration
- Handing any emergency situations,
- Interpreting telemetry data; and
- Educating the patient and their family
The telemetry nurse will be on the constant lookout for any signs of respiratory and cardiac distress and is prepared to begin immediate intervention if the need should arise.
Due to the constant monitoring required by the patients in a telemetry unit, most telemetry nurses typically work long shifts.
Is There a Demand for Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs?
The short answer is yes.
With an aging population, the need for life-extending treatment continues to grow and expand, and the demand for telemetry travel nurses is on the increase.
If you are interested in becoming a traveling telemetry nurse, this is great news!
High demand means your options for location are wide open.
Where Are Telemetry Travel Nurses Typically Placed?
The demand for telemetry travel nurses is high, so they can generally pick the location that is desirable to them.
When you are looking for your perfect location, you will want to be sure to consider additional factors, such as:
- The rate of pay and if overtime is an option
- The type of facility you would like to work in
- The available shifts (day or night)
Where Do Telemetry Nurses Live While on Assignment?
If you’re considering looking into telemetry travel nurse jobs, you may be wondering about housing.
You will be glad to hear that you have plenty of options to choose from.
And you can even ask to be roomed with other nurses looking for roommates in order to save more money.
Here are just a few of the available options:
Travel Nurse Agency Housing
Some agencies, like Trusted Nurse Staffing, have an internal housing department that is specifically dedicated to helping its traveling nurses secure housing.
They do all the house-hunting work for you and may also be able to help by:
- Paying your utilities
- Renting a furniture package; or
- Helping you acquire any needed housewares, such as linens and dishes
Travel nurse agency housing is great for any assignment but is especially recommended for first-time travel nurses.
Allowing the travel agency to secure your housing needs on your first assignment will give you one less thing to think about as you adjust to your new gypsy lifestyle.
Travel Nurse Housing Sites
These are websites that are devoted solely to finding lodging for travel nurses.
They know just what type of housing travel nurses are looking for, and help find housing that:
- Is close to hospitals
- Is fully furnished; with
- Allows short-term lease options
And to make things super easy, some travel nurse housing sites even have a stipend calculator that allows you to quickly compare the housing costs in any area you may be considering relocating to.
Staying With Family or Friends
Maybe you would like to spend time with your nephew or take your college roommate up on her offer to visit.
If so, spending your travel nursing assignment in the home of family or friends may be the perfect choice for you.
Airbnb
Airbnb is an online marketplace that connects people who want to rent their home (or a portion of their home) with people who need to find accommodations, and is an easy option for traveling nurses.
With locations in more than 81,000 cities worldwide, the possibilities for location and the style of housing you prefer are nearly endless.
Airbnb’s homes are typically rented on a per-night basis, but many homeowners are thrilled to rent to a professional who is willing to sign a three-month contract.
What Are the Requirements to Become a Travel Telemetry Nurse?
Next, we will look at the steps you need to take to pursue a career in telemetry nursing.
Become a Registered Nurse
First and foremost, telemetry nurses must be registered nurses.
Coursework for an RN program will include clinical experience along with the study of topics like:
- Microbiology
- Chemistry
- Anatomy and physiology
- Psychology
- Nursing research
- Patient care
- Nutrition
Pass the NCLEX
After becoming a registered nurse, the next step in becoming a telemetry nurse is to sit for — and pass — the NCLEX-RN and obtain your registered nurse license.
This computerized test is required for all aspiring RN’s and assesses the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to competently practice basic nursing.
Gain Experience
Most employers prefer hiring tenured telemetry nurses with a minimum of 1 to 2 years of experience in a medical facility.
However, due to a shortage of nurses and the need for nurses with the know-how to monitor patients in telemetry units, some facilities are offering internships for new grads or staff RN’s who may be interested In becoming telemetry nurses.
Earn Certifications: 2 Advanced Certifications That May Be Required to Work as a Telemetry Travel Nurse
There are two certifications relevant to telemetry nurses:
- The Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT)
- The Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT)
#1: Certified Cardiographic Technician Assessment (CCT)
The Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) exam is for nurses working in the areas of:
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Holter monitoring; and
- Stress testing
This computer-based exam consists of 130 multiple choice questions and takes approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes to complete.
The fee for the exam $175, with an additional $100 non-refundable examination filing fee.
#2: Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT)
The Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) test is for professionals desiring to work with equipment that analyzes cardiac rhythms.
A 2-hour computerized test, the CRAT covers 130 questions.
The cost for the test is $475.
How to Become an Optimal Candidate for Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs
The qualifications for the optimal candidate for telemetry travel nurse jobs go far beyond certifications and licensing.
Telemetry travel nurse jobs require an individual who displays:
- Compassion
- A warm bedside manner
- Patience
- Strong attention to detail
- Excellent communication skills
- The ability to remain calm in a stressful environment
- Critical thinking skills and the ability to react quickly when life-saving care is necessary; and
- The ability to jump right into a nursing situation with little to no orientation
How Much Do Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs Pay?
The pay for travel telemetry nurse jobs depends on a few factors, such as:
- Location
- Facility
- Experience; and
- Demand
The average base salary for a telemetry nurse is $52/hour, with travel nurses making even higher pay.
Where Do Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs Pay the Most?
Wondering where to go to find telemetry travel nurse jobs with the best pay?
The top 8 highest-paying cities in the United States for telemetry nurses include:
- Columbia, South Carolina
- San Antonio, Texas
- Chandler, Arizona
- Chicago, Illinois
- Austin, Texas
- Miami, Florida
- Portsmouth, Virginia
- Memphis, Tennessee
And on top of fantastic pay, travel nurses with Trusted Nurse Staffing also get great benefits, such as:
- Housing, food, and travel stipends
- 401(k)
- Rental car options
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield Health insurance
- Vision and dental plans
- License, certification, and CEU reimbursements
- Sign-on and completion bonuses; and
- Much more
Are You Interested in Finding Telemetry Travel Nurse Jobs? Trusted Nurse Staffing Can Help
Whether you’re interested in telemetry travel nurse jobs or another area of travel nursing, Trusted Nurse Staffing is ready to help you find your dream assignment.
Getting started is as simple as clicking below to create your free profile.
One of the recruiters at Trusted Nurse Staffing will be in touch to discuss every aspect of this exciting career choice to make sure that all of your needs and expectations are met.
As experts in the travel nursing industry, Trusted Nurse Staffing ensures that each one of our nurses has personal support.
We are here 24/7 to provide you with the support you need to fulfill your telemetry travel nurse assignment successfully.
Our goal is to deliver a personalized experience and exceptional customer service every step of the way.
Your travel nursing career is in the best hands with Trusted Nurse Staffing.