Travel Neuro RN Jobs

In the United States, the average neurological nurse salary is approximately $82,000 per year, according to data from Payscale. This figure, however, can vary significantly based on factors such as level of experience, geographical location, the size and type of the healthcare facility, and the nurse's level of education and training. For instance, neuroscience nurses working in larger hospitals in metropolitan areas may earn more compared to those in smaller, rural healthcare settings.

Neuroscience nursing is a specialized field of professionals who provide patient care for those suffering from neurological disorders. Their responsibilities include conducting physical assessments, assisting with neurological exams, monitoring neurological conditions, administering medication, operating medical technology and equipment such as ventilators, and providing post-operative care for patients who have undergone neurosurgery. They are also involved in carrying out diagnostic tests, such as electroencephalograms (EEGs) or lumbar punctures.

As part of their roles, neuroscience nurses work to educate patients and families about the neurological conditions, providing them with essential information about treatment plans, potential side effects, and necessary lifestyle adjustments. Neuroscience nurses play a vital role in the healthcare team, collaborating closely with neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other medical professionals to provide comprehensive care and monitor patient's response to treatments.

Education & License Requirements

A registered nurse needs to complete their associate degree or bachelor's nursing degree and take the National Council Licensure Exam NCLEX -RN Exam, which is a requirement to practice as a registered nurse in the United States. Once the NCLEX exam is passed, you meet the requirements by your state nursing license board, and you obtain your RN license, then all that is left is to do is gain the necessary relevant experience in your specialty and explore additional certifications and skills checks.

Certifications

Because neuroscience nurses specialize in an advanced field, they should consider additional certification. After gaining the necessary experience, you can pursue a specialty certification to increase your knowledge, such as the Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) offered by the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN). This neuroscience nursing certification involves meeting specific eligibility criteria and passing an examination.

Neuroscience nurses work and provide patient care in hospitals, particularly in the neurology department, neurosurgical unit, and intensive care unit. They are also employed in rehabilitation centers or stroke unit where they aid in the recovery and therapy of patients who have suffered strokes or neurological trauma such as spinal cord injuries or brain injury. Additionally, they can be found in research institutions contributing to the field of neuroscience, and in outpatient clinics providing follow-up care for neurological patients. A neuroscience clinical nurse may also provide patient care in long-term care facilities catering to patients with chronic neurological disorders.

While compensation offers can vary greatly depending on the contract or agency offering, pay packages for a travel neuroscience nurse typically have four major components: hourly taxable wages, meals and incidentals, housing, and travel.

Hourly Pay

A full-time staff nurse working at a healthcare facility receives a salary, but most travel nursing employers offer hourly wages at a competitive weekly rate. Every pay package for a travel nurse must include a taxable hourly wage, and the amount can vary depending on the shift, location, and specialty required of the assignment.

Housing

Housing payments can be included in a payment from a staffing agency. This is typically offered to a travel nurse in two ways. Either the company is providing housing, or the travel nurse is taking the housing stipend. It is more beneficial for the traveler to take the housing stipend for two primary reasons. First, they will have a choice in where they stay. Everyone’s definitions of comfortable and acceptable are different. The second reason the housing stipend is more beneficial for them is that it can be given as a nontaxable amount.

Meals and Incidentals

Also known as per diems, meal and incidental stipends provide a daily budget for daily living expenses for travel nursing professionals. These standards vary depending on the cost of living in cities and states across the country.

Travel Expenses

Travel is the last portion of the pay package. Many recruiters may not even offer travel and instead put that money into the per diems or housing for their travel nurse so they are receiving the benefits over the entire contract, not just at the very beginning or end of the contract.

While a travel stipend can be used to cover the cost of a flight for the traveler, it is more often than not used to subsidize the traveler's expenses to and from an travel nursing assignment. Travel expenses can be offered as a reimbursement rate per mile, though many agencies will opt to offer a flat rate to and from an assignment.

Many travel neuroscience nurses find work through recruitment agencies and marketplaces, which means you have better access to job boards to choose your schedule, location, and salary. When you begin browsing for travel neuroscience nurse jobs, be sure to consider the housing options, the benefits, the guaranteed hours' policy, and the recruiting company’s overall reputation.

The good news is that Fusion Marketplace has everything you need when it comes to finding the perfect travel nurse jobs. Here, you have the freedom to compare benefits, packages, and staffing agencies—all in one place. So find your next neuroscience nurse job and build your travel nursing career today.