The demand for travel nurses is continuing to grow, due to the increasing number of aging baby boomers. According to independent travel nursing agency American Traveler, last month showed the strongest prospects for the profession so far this year. Mary Kay Hull, vice president of recruitment for the firm, said that qualified applicants are reaping the benefits of this demand. "Salary ranges for nurses have reached $100,000 and more for select travel nursing jobs, depending on specialty and location," she commented. Travel nurses are registered nurses who, working for a dedicated agency, take part in assignments ranging from 8 to 52 weeks in length. At the end of an assignment, a nurse can either move on to a new post, accept a permanent job or request an extension of their current position. Those who are interested in a nursing career should pursue one of three paths - a bachelor's of science degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing or a diploma. Then, they complete a national licensing examination. Even nurses who do not want to travel should be able to find abundant employment opportunities at the end of their training, with the Department of Labor forecasting that the sector will grow by 23% in the 10-year period ending with 2016 - much faster than the average for all industries.  |