Dear reader, it has come to my hearing that you are considering travel nurse jobs in California.
How true?
Worry not, because there is totally nothing wrong in considering every possible option in your career. As usual, there are many things you should know before finally making a decision.
Did you know California is one of the best places to work as a travel nurse? As a result, travel nurse positions in California are often the most sought after, with longer than normal applicant wait times.
There are as many different types of travel nursing jobs as there are geographical elements and attractions in California. The Golden State is a perennial traveler favorite because of its diversity. California has it all, from beaches to skiing, as well as some of the country’s most cosmopolitan cities and some of the country’s most natural wonders.
About Travel Nurse Jobs in California
Despite having a population of more than 39 million people, California has one of the lowest nurse-to-population ratios in the country. California also has among of the strictest nurse-to-patient ratio restrictions in the country. When you combine this with overall staffing protections, the demand for healthcare tourists in California is always rather high.
Travel nurse salaries in California are influenced by a variety of factors.
To begin with, not all travel nurses are licensed nurses. Average pay for nurse practitioners, LVNs (Licensed Vocational Nurses), and other clinical care providers may differ. Nurse pay is affected by the hospital system where you acquire your travel nursing assignments.
Location is another important element that influences nurse salary in California. Because the state is so large and the population density fluctuates so much, demand differs as well. Salaries in Northern California may differ dramatically from those in Southern California. Contracts in more remote regions might sometimes pay more than contracts in more populous areas, such as the Bay Area or Los Angeles. The opposite is often true as well.
Finally, the nursing speciality you choose affects your compensation significantly. Some professions are easier to get into since they require fewer certificates and expertise. Medical Surgical Registered Nurses, for example, may earn less on average than specializations that need more credentials and experience. Working with a travel nursing service can help you figure out where you have the highest chance of getting the best base salary while traveling in California.
Highest Paying Travel Nurse Jobs in California
Telemetry Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $130,870
Telemetry Travel Nurses have the same responsibilities as telemetry nurses who aren’t on the road. These nurses’ responsibilities include caring for patients who are at risk of heart failure. Their duties include assessing patient conditions by monitoring vital signs and heart function. Telemetry Travel Nurses monitor oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and other indications of heart function with a variety of instruments. These nurses also help doctors with procedures and deliver drugs as needed.
Cardiac ICU Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $130,330
Cardiac ICU Travel Nurses work in healthcare facilities that require competent cardiac critical care nurses to care for patients with serious heart problems.
A Cardiac ICU Travel Nurse ensures patients’ heart state is monitored, drugs are administered, and emergency treatment is provided as needed.
Obstetrics Gynecology Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $126,270
Obstetrics and Gynecology Travel Nurses assist physicians in caring for pregnant moms. The nurse’s specific responsibilities vary depending on the location in which she is assigned, but they may include:
- Assisting with prenatal checkups and educating patients.
- Assisting with the birth of children.
- Following the birth of the baby, keeping an eye on the mother and the baby.
Obstetrics and Gynecology is a branch of medicine that deals with the female reproductive system. Travel nurses can work in private practice, birthing centers, health clinics, or hospitals.
Cardiac Catheterization Lab Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $121,770
A Cardiac Catheterization Lab is a facility that performs cardiac catheterization. The obligations of a Travel Nurse are the same as those of a non-traveling nurse in this position. In a cardiac catheterization lab, these nurses help in the care of patients undergoing heart procedures. Before, during, and after cardiac surgeries, they assess and monitor patients. Additionally, Travel Nurses for the Cardiac Catheterization Lab support the medical team during procedures and dispense medications as requested or indicated.
Pediatric ER Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $121,130
Pediatric ER Travel Nurses work in emergency rooms, filling jobs that have become vacant due to nursing shortages, which can be caused by a variety of circumstances. When a child arrives in the emergency room, these nurses analyze the severity of his or her injury or illness. They provide nursing care to patients in the emergency department, including vital sign monitoring, medicine administration, IV start-up, wound care, and aiding physicians with examinations or operations.
Step-Down Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $120,670
Step-down nurses are in charge of patients who require frequent assessments and careful monitoring but are not in need of intensive care services. Step-down Travel nurses assess and track patient progress, spot changes in the patient’s medical condition, calculate and titrate drug dosages, and give medications as directed. These nurses work with doctors and other members of the patient’s healthcare team to support initiatives that improve patient outcomes and avoid setbacks.
Neonatal ICU (NICU) Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $119,650
ICU for newborns Travel nurses work in neonatal intensive care units, where they care for and treat neonates who are sick or have issues, such as preterm. The following are the responsibilities of a Neonatal ICU Travel Nurse:
- Providing round-the-clock care to infants in the NICU
- Assisting with procedures
- Providing assistance and education to parents and other family members Inserting and maintaining IV lines Administering medications
- Providing round-the-clock care to infants in the NICU
Labor and Delivery Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $118,850
Labor and Delivery Travel nurses undertake the same duties as L$D nurses who work in a single hospital, with the exception of working in different locations. This function involves caring for moms during labor and delivery as well as providing first postpartum care for the baby. This position, which is one of our best-paying travel nursing jobs, needs the nurse to not only monitor the mother and baby’s health but also to provide emotional and psychological support.
Geriatric Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $118,630
Geriatric travel nurses are experts in caring for the elderly. Long-term care centers, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes are common places for them to work. Their job entails providing patient-centered care in order to increase patients’ quality of life while also improving overall patient outcomes. Geriatric Travel Nurses are responsible for treating chronic illnesses and diseases that affect the elderly, such as Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, cardiac disease, and diabetes, as well as monitoring for signs of elder abuse and educating patients and caregivers on how to manage age-related illnesses and diseases.
RNFA Travel Nurse
Average Annual Salary: $118,380
An RNFA, or Registered Nurse First Assistant, is a surgical first assistant who works as a perioperative RN or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. To help patients achieve optimal outcomes, the RNFA Travel Nurse collaborates with the surgeon and other members of the surgical and healthcare teams. An RNFA Travel Nurse’s job is to provide duties that help the surgeon perform safe procedures. The RNFA Travel Nurse is in charge of autonomous nursing behaviors such as preoperative assessments and post-operative patient care evaluation.
Why You Should Consider Travel Nurse Jobs in California
Here is why travel nurse jobs in California should be No. 1 on your list
- There are a lot of employment openings. California has the most available jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- You work where you want. One of the perks of working one of our featured high-paying travel nurse jobs is the ability to work wherever you want. Many organizations may provide you with a list of possible job locations and ask for your preferences. Some people take advantage of this advantage by locating close friends or relatives. Others use it as a means of getting around and seeing new places.
- You have the option of working when you want. Contract job, such as travel nursing, is a sort of contract work. Contracts might run anything from a few weeks to several months. On the plus side, you have the option of taking on lengthy or short travel nursing assignments, as well as how much downtime you want in between tasks.
- Travel nurses receive a wide range of professional experiences. Every assignment a travel nurse accepts provides an opportunity to obtain new skills and experiences. There are unlimited prospects for job advancement whether you work in a tiny rural hospital, a long-term care institution, or a large healthcare center across the country.
Other reasons are:
- Pay is excellent. California not only has more registered nurse positions than any other state, but it also pays more than any other state on average.
- The weather is fantastic. The weather is another reason why travel nurses flock to California. San Diego has some of the nicest weather in the country all year. For those who enjoy a little bit of everything, Northern California boasts some fantastic beaches and mountains.
- Excellent amenities. Every year, US News publishes a list of the best facilities in the country. Last year, 64 hospitals in the state met high U.S. News standards and were ranked.
- Attractions are fantastic. California is home to some of the world’s most well-known attractions. Travel nurses frequently visit locations like Sea World, Disneyland, and Universal Studios when on assignment in California.
- Laws governing nurse staffing are in place to keep patients safe. Nurses desire less stress and more time to focus on patient care. In 2004, California passed a nurse-to-patient ratio law. Nurse staffing ratios make it easier for you to care for your patients properly.
There are numerous high-paying nursing positions available. You have control over your career as a skilled registered nurse. On our employment board, you may find the top positions from coast to coast. Get the income and professional path you’ve worked hard for. Now is the time to apply for open travel nursing employment.