The ER is alive with energy:
A sobbing woman clutches the blood-drenched towel covering her arm.
Panicked, a father crashes through the door with his limp child in his arms.
A teenager vomits violently into a nearby trash can.
You love nursing and are looking for a position that puts you in the middle of the action — you’re wondering if triage travel nursing might be for you.
You’ve come to the right place.
Read on to find out what a triage travel nursing job entails, how much you can earn, and if it might be a good fit for you.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Triage Nurse?
- What Are the Characteristics Needed for Triage Travel Nursing?
- What Are the Job Responsibilities of Triage Travel Nursing?
- Triage Nursing: Travel Job Details
- What Facilities Have Triage Travel Nurse Jobs?
- How Long Are Triage Travel Nursing Assignments?
- How Much Do Triage Nursing Travel Jobs Pay?
- What Are the Requirements to Become a Traveling Triage Nurse?
- What Are the Pros and Cons of Triage Travel Nursing?
- What to Look for in a Triage Travel Nurse Company
- Trusted Nurse Staffing: A Triage Travel Nursing Agency That Cares
What Is a Triage Nurse?
A triage nurse is a registered nurse who has additional training in quickly assessing patient acuity and determining the level of care that they require.
The word triage is derived from the French word trier, which means to filter or sort. The etymology of the word is reminiscent of its historic roots. The practice of triaging patients was first used by Napoleon’s surgeon-in-chief during the Napoleonic wars, though the word was not fully recognized until WW1.
Triage nurses play a crucial role in facilitating patient flow in emergency healthcare settings. Triage nurses help ensure that a facility accesses the needs of emergency patients with efficiency and accuracy to establish which patients should be seen first and where.
Research has suggested that triage nurses perform functions that are vital to better patient outcomes. Incomplete or inaccurate triage examinations could result in delays. Triage nurses are pivotal in providing emergency medical care.
What Are the Characteristics Needed for Triage Travel Nursing?
Over 130 million people annually are treated in the ER, and nearly all of those patients are first seen by a triage nurse. This means that everyone who walks through the ER doors relies on triage nurses to help them promptly receive care.
To succeed in triage travel nursing, you must be:
- Compassionate
- A quick critical thinker
- Able to multitask
- Skilled at identifying patient problems
- Able to thrive in a high-stress environment
- Calm under pressure; and
- Intuitive
If you have a hunch something doesn’t look quite right, there’s not a second to lose. If you miss something, lives could be at stake.
What Are the Job Responsibilities of Triage Travel Nursing?
The job responsibilities of triage nurses can vary from day to day and sometimes even minute to minute, depending on the patients being treated.
A triage travel nurse’s responsibilities may include things such as:
- Quickly assessing patients upon admission to the emergency room through a brief interview and physical examination.
- Reassessing patients as needed while they are waiting for care.
- Communicating with patients and families in the waiting room.
- Following specific guidelines for patient assessments to determine the severity of their condition and the urgency of their needs.
- Determining exactly what type of attention a patient needs, which medical professionals to consult with, and which position in the admission line they should occupy.
- Providing immediate emergency care to patients who are in a severe condition until the medical team can arrive.
- Managing waiting patients and updating doctors about patient status.
- Prioritizing patients according to hospital triage guidelines to reduce wait times.
- Arranging patient care with other departments or facilities, including transportation to remote facilities.
Certain nursing departments are still feeling the aftershock of the nurse shortage caused by the 2020 pandemic. The emergency department relies on its RNs as an integral part of emergency care. As a triage travel nurse, you can help be a part of the solution.
Trusted Nurse Staffing supports travel nurses by helping them find positions in all departments of nursing. Use the Pronto app to find the right triage travel nursing position for you.
Triage Nursing: Travel Job Details
What Facilities Have Triage Travel Nurse Jobs?
Triage travel nurses may be called upon to work in a wide range of settings where patients require urgent care, including:
- Hospital emergency rooms
- Urgent care clinics
- Physician’s offices
- Trauma centers
- Poison control centers; and
- Outpatient care facilities
Triage phone nurses work remotely, typically for a crisis hotline or telephone triage service centers.
Since triage is focused on helping organize emergency medical situations, plan to be moving fast and helping solve major problems, whatever setting you’re working in.
Triage travel nurses get to work in many different environments while gaining knowledge, experience, and connections. If you think triage travel nursing is right for you, there are countless facilities that need triage nurses.
How Long Are Triage Travel Nursing Assignments?
Triage travel nursing jobs generally last 13 weeks, however, some may be as brief as 2-3 weeks.
At the end of an assignment, you’ll be free to:
- Accept another placement
- Take time off between assignments; or
- Inquire about getting an extension on your current contract
Your travel nursing staffing agency can work with you to find the right contracts and assignments. Trusted Nurse Staffing has made it easier than ever to find triage travel nursing assignments. Use Pronto to easily scroll through listings to find a contract for you.
How Much Do Triage Nursing Travel Jobs Pay?
Triage nurses can expect to earn an average salary of over $52,000 annually, with the bottom 10% earning a salary of around $19,000 per year and the top 10% earning a salary of more than $74,000 per year.
However, the average salary of a triage travel nurse can range from $53,000-$100,000 annually. Earn anywhere from $1000-$3,900 a week traveling and working all over the country.
Factors that could determine how much you make as a triage travel nurse include:
- Geographic location
- Facility type and size
- Years of experience
- Level of education and certifications
Top 10 Cities With the Highest Triage Travel Nurse Pay
Besides great pay, traveling is one of the biggest perks of triage travel nursing. Travel all over the country while gaining experience, creating new memories, and making great money.
Here are the top 10 US Cities with the highest pay for triage travel nurse jobs:
- San Jose, CA – $87,549
- Oakland, CA – $86,351
- Antioch, CA – $84,615
- Lebanon, NH – $84,149
- New York, NY -$83,889
- Hayward, CA – $83,619
- Vallejo, CA – $83,572
- Seattle, WA – $83,506
- Staten Island, NY – $83,137
- Santa Cruz, CA – $82,228
With so many options, travel nurses may need a little help finding the best assignments.
As the top triage travel nurse company, the pros at Trusted Nurse Staffing can help you find the triage travel nursing assignment that is right for you with the power of Pronto.
Use the Pronto app to explore all of your options for your next travel nursing adventure.
What Are the Requirements to Become a Traveling Triage Nurse?
Step #1: Become a Registered Nurse
If you are just beginning your career search and are looking into triage travel nursing, the first step is the same as it is for any nursing position — become a registered nurse.
You will need to graduate from an accredited nursing program with either an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
Depending on which path you choose, your schooling may take 2-4 years.
Step #2: Pass the NCLEX-RN
Once you have graduated from nursing school, you are one step closer to becoming a triage travel nurse.
The next step — pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN).
Here are a few tips from fellow nurses on how to pass this necessary step:
- Understand the testing format.
- Find ways to effectively manage the stress of testing.
- Know your NCLEX-RN study style.
- Create (and stick to) a study plan.
- Invest in test prep resources.
- Go beyond the practice questions.
- Prepare for exam day.
- Believe you can do it!
Step #3: Gain Experience
You are a licensed RN, now it is time to get hands-on experience.
A great way to get the detailed experience you’ll need is to find an internship that allows you to work in an emergency room, urgent care center, or triage unit.
Once you have practical experience under your belt, it’s time to begin applying for triage nursing positions.
You will typically need at least one year of triage nursing experience before applying for triage travel nursing positions.
Whether you’re new to the world of travel nursing or you’re a seasoned professional, Trusted Nurse Staffing can help you find your dream job as a triage travel nurse. Scroll through assignments anywhere at any time on your computer or mobile device using Pronto.
Step #4: Obtain Special Certifications
When it comes to triage travel nursing, special certifications are often required. And even if they’re not required, it is often a good idea to have certain certifications to boost your resume and to prepare for different areas of triage nursing.
Special certifications can help you stand out of the crowd, and as a triage travel nurse — help you find better assignments.
Here are some certifications that are recommended/required for triage nursing:
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support)
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
- ENPC (Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course)
- TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course)
Nurses who are already RNs may want to consider getting a BSN degree to make them an even more attractive candidate for triage staffing travel nursing positions.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Triage Travel Nursing?
Looking for a travel nursing position that offers both adventure and stability?
Triage travel nursing gives you the best of both worlds — plus a long list of pros — with only a few cons.
Pros
Triage travel nursing provides great advantages like:
- Great pay and benefits
- Plenty of adventure
- Opportunities to work in a variety of healthcare settings
- The flexibility to bring your family on the road
- High-demand locations
- The ability to avoid work politics
- Affordable housing
- A chance to build your resume
- Making new memories and connections
- Opportunities to try out various nursing specialties
Cons
Triage travel nursing has only a few disadvantages which include:
- No annual salary
- Always being the “new nurse”
- Frequently moving from place to place
- Being away from friends and family (although you can always take your family along!)
The professionals at Trusted Nurse Staffing are ready to help you find the triage travel nursing position that best meets your individual goals and needs.
Before you start packing your bags, access the Pronto app to find your dream triage travel nursing assignment.
What to Look for in a Triage Travel Nurse Company
If landing a position in triage travel nursing is your dream job — we can help turn your dream into a reality.
At Trusted Nurse Staffing, we:
- Listen to your goals, interests, and availability.
- Help you customize your resume, gearing it toward the position you want.
- Create a tailor-made list for you of available triage travel assignments.
- Submit your resume to your top choices.
- Consult with you on any offers you receive to ensure you get exactly what you want.
- Act as the go-to for any needs or questions you have during your assignments.
- Assist throughout your travel assignments with negotiations and extensions.
- Provide easy access to a variety of travel nursing assignments with the help of Pronto.
Besides helping our nurses land the top triage staffing travel nursing assignments, Trusted Nurse Staffing offers plenty of other benefits, including:
- Generous housing, travel, and meal stipends
- Overtime pay
- Customized benefits packages
- Sign-on and completion bonuses
- Referral bonuses
- 401K with a 4% match after 1000 hours and one year of employment
- Direct deposit
- Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance packages
- HRA card to cover healthcare deductibles
- Dental and vision packages
- License, certification, and CEU reimbursements; and
- A fun loyalty program
Trusted Nurse Staffing: A Triage Travel Nursing Agency That Cares
Now that you have been enlightened with the facts about a career in triage travel nursing, you’re probably ready to take off.
But before you begin gathering your clothes and stuffing your toiletries into a plastic bag — you need a travel nurse staffing agency that is dedicated to finding you the best contracts with the best pay in the best cities.
That’s where we come in.
Trusted Nurse Staffing has helped travel nurses for over 15 years and we’ve made it even easier to find travel nursing contracts. Use the Pronto app to find great assignments, compare pay, and begin your journey — and then you can start packing.