Compliance and credentialing are imperative to being hired as a travel nurse, as any issues related to licensing, certifications, background checks, or safety protocols can prevent you from practicing.
“The credentials process is crucial to ensuring that patients are receiving safe and experienced care, but navigating the process can be a challenge due to states and facilities having different compliance requirements,” explains Melissa Roth, Director of Credentials at TRS Healthcare.
Below are the compliance and credentials required by your travel nursing agency to work as a travel nurse.
One of the first items you’ll need to be compliant as a travel nurse is valid government-issued identification. This can be a driver’s license, passport, military ID, permanent resident card, or similar document. This proof of identification is necessary for background checks and verifies your eligibility to work.
To travel as a nurse, you’ll need to provide a copy of your social security card to your travel nursing agency. In most cases, a photo or scanned copy will suffice. This requirement helps validate your identity, which is essential for background checks and payroll processing.
At a minimum, travel nurses must have a current Registered Nurse (RN) license or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) license and current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
You will also need to be licensed in the state where you plan to work. For many traveling nurses, this means having a multi-state license that allows you to practice, such as a license through the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
Depending on your nursing specialty, additional certifications may be required for compliance, such as the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification for nurses in critical care settings.
“Maintaining a file of credentials requirements that includes copies of licenses and certificates can help a clinician get through the credentials process faster,” says Melissa.
Core 1-3 is a set of annual safety training protocols from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) that’s collected by your travel nursing recruitment agency during the credentialing process. The goal of this training is to ensure travel nurses can identify and effectively approach workplace hazards via infection protocols and other safety measures.
Travel nurses must complete and submit an I-9 form, also known as an Employee Eligibility Verification to your travel healthcare agency so they can complete the verification process on your behalf. Without this document, you will be unable to demonstrate that you’re eligible to work, which can delay or prevent you from taking travel nursing assignments.
To verify your eligibility to work as a travel nurse, you must consent for your travel nurse recruitment company to conduct a background check, which screens for issues such as professional misconduct, violence or assault, fraud, and other similar charges. Every healthcare facility is different, but most require a background check for each travel nursing assignment.
Travel nurse compliance requirements also dictate that you must have a negative drug screen on file. Your travel nursing agency can help arrange your initial test and any subsequent drug screens, as most travel contracts will require a new screening to be performed each time.
“Knocking out requirements, including the drug screen, soon after you sign your contract helps to ensure you get started with your travel nursing assignment on time,” Melissa adds.
Although some healthcare facilities may allow medical or religious exemptions for certain vaccinations, there are standard vaccine requirements for travel nurses that will almost always apply. In general, travel nurses must be vaccinated for:
Often, travel nurses are required to have a TB test within one year of submission. This test can be done as a skin test, or as a T-spot or QuantiFERON blood test. Please note that some healthcare facilities may require this test before each travel nursing contract, or more frequently than the one-year mark.
To be compliant as a travel nurse, clinicians are required to have had a physical exam within one year—or more recently, depending on the contract and the healthcare employer. Documentation of this physical will need to be provided to your travel nursing agency.
Like any job, travel nurses must provide their resume when applying to work with a travel nurse recruitment company. This resume should include all relevant healthcare experience from the last seven years, as well as information about your licenses and certifications.
“Most healthcare facilities require an employment history verification. This includes any time in which the clinician was a traveler, along with the staffing agency that employed them and the dates they worked there,” Melissa explains.
Many travel nursing agencies require nurses to submit references before they’re eligible to travel. The number of references required will vary depending on the recruitment agency you work with. TRS Healthcare, for example, asks for two supervisor references from within the last 24 months.
Some travel nursing companies may require you to complete a skills checklist to be updated annually. This is a way for healthcare professionals to self-report skills they have within their specialty, allowing them to become eligible for work through a travel nursing agency.
“The skills checklist allows travelers to document their skill level in certain areas and is sent with their profile when submitted to jobs. This helps show facilities their skills and provides more insight than a resume alone can,” adds Melissa.
If you’re interested in a travel nursing career, TRS Healthcare can help you find the opportunities that align with your career goals. In addition, we have an expert Credentials team available to assist you with all compliance and credentialing needs. They can help you prepare for your travel nursing assignments, stay up to date on vaccinations and certifications, and more.
Ready to get started with your travel nursing career? TRS Healthcare is here to help you through the credentialing process and beyond. Browse our current jobs or apply with us now!
