Ask a Travel Nurse Question:
As a travel nurse, is it fairly easy to work full time continuously without long breaks in assignments? I have an Associate’s Degree in Nursing but am willing to work on a Bachelor’s degree. Do you think a BSN could help me secure more continuous work?
Ask a Travel Nurse Answer:
Although a BSN seems to be the way nursing might be headed, it is not mandatory for travel. But, there are several schools of thought in regard to obtaining your BSN.
Not having a BSN may prevent you from accepting some travel assignments if the facility requires BSN nurses (as some Magnet status hospitals do). However, not all Magnet hospitals will require their travelers to have a BSN. BSN is actually not a requirement in Magnet hospitals, but they prefer that the staff nurses either have their BSN or are working toward it. But with staffing shortages, many Magnet hospitals would rather open themselves up to finding help and not requiring every nurse that walks through their door must possess a BSN.
I have a Diploma of Nursing (3 yr), but really do not wish to return to school. I am still on the fence about whether or not I will, but I am not convinced that with the nurses that are baby boomers retiring, and the addition of the aging baby boomers requiring care, that I will be hard pressed to find a job should I not go back for my BSN. So I suppose it depends on where you fall in your belief of needing one in the future.
As far as the current market, NOT having your BSN will likely have little effect on being able to secure continuous assignments. It may be more about the specialty in which you wish to travel. I know that one of my recruiters mentioned having a very hard time placing med-surg nurses in the entire state of CA at one point this summer. So I would say that increasing the acuity of your nursing specialty would take you further in travel than obtaining a BSN.
I hope this helps.
David