Travel Telehealth Nurse Jobs

On average, a telehealth nurse in the United States can expect to earn an annual salary of approximately $70,000. However, this figure can vary based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, educational background, and the specific healthcare organization they work for. Telehealth nursing is a rapidly evolving field, so salary expectations may change as demand for these professionals continues to grow.

A telehealth nurse provides nursing care and information through digital and telecommunication platforms. They consult with patients over the phone or via video conferencing to assess their health status, guide them with self-care instructions, and monitor their progress. Telehealth nurses also provide education about medication use and disease management, help in scheduling appointments, and collaborate with the clinical team to ensure the patient receives comprehensive care. This role is pivotal in healthcare, especially in remote areas where access to medical facilities is limited. Telehealth RNs often spend time prioritizing incoming calls based on severity and need.

Education & License Requirements

To become a Nurse Case Manager, there are several steps and qualifications required. Initially, one must obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from an accredited school. After completing their nursing degree, they must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to gain an active RN license.

Prior to transitioning into telehealth, it's beneficial to gain a couple of years of clinical experience in a traditional healthcare setting.

Certifications

The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) offers the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification, which includes a focus on telehealth. Additionally, the Telehealth Certification Institute provides a Certified Telehealth Professional course, which is not specific to nurses but covers essential aspects of answering incoming calls and providing healthcare services remotely. These certifications can be beneficial for nurses looking to specialize in telehealth as they validate the nurse's knowledge and skills in this specific area of practice, thereby potentially increasing employment opportunities and salary potential.

Telehealth nursing jobs are available nationwide, with many opportunities in both urban and rural areas. These positions can typically be found in healthcare organizations such as hospitals, clinics, and home health nursing homes that have integrated telehealth into their services. Furthermore, there are numerous telehealth service providers that specifically hire telehealth nurses to provide remote patient care. Depending on the facility, many telehealth registered nurses take incoming calls and provide services primarily Monday to Friday, with some weekends as needed.

As the telehealth field continues to grow, opportunities are also emerging in areas such as home healthcare, corporate wellness programs, and insurance companies.

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

Hourly Pay

Full-time nurses working at healthcare facilities receive a salary, but most travel nursing employers offer hourly wages at a competitive weekly pay 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 travel nurses 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 nurses find jobs through recruitment agencies and marketplaces, which means you have better access to job boards to choose your schedule, location, and salary. When you begin the travel nursing process and browse for travel telehealth nursing 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 registered nurses 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 registered nurse job and build your travel nursing career today.