indiana travel nurse contracts

Travel Nursing: Indiana

Table of contents.

• Find Current Travel Nursing Jobs in Indiana 2024

Indiana Licensure Information and Requirements

Indiana ceu requirements, what is the average travel nursing salary in indiana.

• How To Become a Travel Nurse in Indiana With Trusted Nurse Staffing in Three Simple Steps

Why Should You Consider Becoming a Travel Nurse in Indiana?

What are the high-demand travel nursing specialities in indiana right now, faqs about indiana travel nursing, find current travel nurse jobs in indiana.

For the most up-to-date information on licensure and fees in Indiana, visit the Indiana State Board of Nursing or contact their office by calling (317) 234-2023.

Licensure Requirements

Indiana is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), so you will not need an Indiana nursing license to practice travel nursing in this state if you have a valid license for another compact state.

However, if you don’t have a multistate license, you will need to apply for licensure by endorsement. Requirements include: 

• Completing the application (online or paper)
• Providing active license verification
• Having a high school diploma or providing GED scores
• Submitting name change documentation, if applicable
• Submitting positive response documentation, if applicable
• Providing official documentation of graduation from a state-accredited program in nursing
• Submitting to a criminal background check
• Verification of state licensure form for those states and territories not in the Nursys Ⓡ program

Temporary permits (valid for 90 days) may be issued to nurses licensed in another state or U.S. territory who have applied for licensure by endorsement and submitted proof of current licensure.

Licensure Fees

Licensure fees are as follows:

• Licensure by endorsement – $50.00 application fee
• Temporary permit – $10

Nurse Licensure Compact Status

Indiana implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact on July 1, 2020. 

Is Indiana a Walk-Through State?

Indiana is not a walk-through state.

RNs and LPNs are not required to obtain Continuing Education Units (CEU) for regular licensure renewal. However, if you want to renew a license that has been expired for three years or more, and you are not currently licensed in another state, you must contact the IPLA for instruction.

The average travel nurse salary in Indiana ranges between $1,780 and $2,759 per week. Salaries vary depending on location and nursing specialty, but these numbers will give you a good idea of what you may expect in Indiana.

Cities in Indiana With the Highest Travel Nursing Salaries

The average travel nurse salary in Lafayette, Indiana, is $2,276 per week.

Indianapolis

The average travel nurse salary in Indianapolis, Indiana, is $2,246 per week.

The average travel nurse salary in Evansville, Indiana, is $2,212 per week.

The average travel nurse salary in Mishawaka, Indiana, is $2,207 per week.

The average travel nurse salary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is $2,188 per week.

Thousands of Nurses Love Partnering with Trusted Nurse Staffing

I love working with Trusted Nurse Staffing! I am new to traveling and they are always available with an answer to any question I may have! I love working in Indiana because you can have big city and small-town life all at the same time.

Trusted nurse staffing is such a great company to work for and they are so easy to work with. I love using them as my first company for travel nursing!

My recruiter did an amazing job at finding the best fit for me! An outstanding job with communication, updates and ensuring all my questions were answered!!

I have been with Trusted Staffing for about 18 months now. I have essentially been working local contracts, but the experiences have been memorable. My recruiter, is always available when I have a question or concern. Travel nursing is something all nurses should experience. I can't wait until I can do some serious traveling

Every member of this company I’ve interacted with has exceeded my expectations. My recruiter, Alex, is so commutative and goes above and beyond always. I can’t imagine switching to another company!

I have had the best experience with Trusted Nurse Staffing. My recruiter Tom is amazing. He always treats me with respect and as a friend. He is on top of everything I need. And when my Dad passed away, he helped me with time off, no problem and they even sent me a beautiful comfort box that was very helpful. Fully recommend this agency.

How To Become a Travel Nurse in Indiana With Trusted Nurse Staffing in 3 Simple Steps

Visit our Pronto job search to get started. There you’ll be able to search for travel nurse jobs in Indiana using filters based on your preferences. If you don’t find an assignment that suits you, we’ll update you when more travel nurse jobs in Indiana become available.

After you’ve perused the listings and found a job that suits you, it’s time to sign up and apply. You can do everything in Pronto, from uploading credentials to setting preferred dates and more. 

If you’re new to the process and need help, someone from our Trusted Nurse Staffing support team will be happy to step in.

Once you’ve picked a travel nurse job in Indiana, the last step is to sign your contract and head to the Hoosier State. After you complete your contract, Trusted Nurse Staffing can help you extend it or help you find the next assignment on your travel nurse journey . We will be there to help you through each step.

Dubbed the Crossroads of America , the Midwest state of Indiana is known for basketball, car racing, and its vast acres of farmland. If you are considering travel nurse jobs, Indiana may be just what you have been looking for.

History buffs will want to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Indianapolis and Conner Perry Interactive Historic Park in Fishers, where you can take in 200 years of American History.

Check out the Indianapolis 500 car race, which runs on Memorial Day weekend each year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Are you a wine connoisseur? You will be excited to find out that Indiana has more than 100 award-winning wineries to satisfy every palate. 

And Indiana makes more popcorn than any other US state. How fun is that?

If the Great Outdoors is calling your name, you will want to be sure to visit Indiana Dunes National Park in northwest Indiana. At The Dunes, you will be able to experience miles of hiking trails and walking paths, camp out under a blanket of stars, and enjoy the vast array of wildlife.

Visit the shore of Lake Michigan and tour one of Indiana’s eight lighthouses.

What about nursing jobs?

You will be pleased to know that the medical community in Indiana is thriving, and hospitals in Indianapolis, Elkhart, South Bend, and Evansville, as well as the other cities in Indiana, are hiring today for travel nurse positions.

What Are Your Active Travel Nursing Jobs in Indianapolis?

Interested in travel nurse jobs in Indianapolis, Indiana? Indianapolis is a great place to live and work. Start your search for travel nurse assignments in Indiana by using the Pronto job search to find travel nurse assignments with Trusted Nurse Staffing.

What Are Your Active Travel Nursing Jobs in Fort Wayne?

Considering becoming a travel nurse in Fort Wayne, Indiana? Simply set your filters on Pronto and one of our Trusted Nurse Staffing recruiters will connect you with a position that is right for you.

What Are Your Active Travel Nursing Jobs in Bloomington?

Are you interested in being a travel nurse in Bloomington, Indiana? Use Pronto to help you find the Indiana travel nurse job of your dreams. The job search will even notify you each time a position fitting your desired filters becomes available.

Housing For Travel Nurses in Indiana: How Do I Go About Finding Housing?

“ Choosing to accept a stipend doesn’t mean that your recruiter at Trusted Nurse Staffing won’t be there to help you along the way. Connect with us, and we can give you insights into the various areas and even connect you with rental properties used by travel nurses in the past.”  

How Do I Find The Best Indiana Travel Nursing Agency?

Overwhelmed by the plethora of options for travel nursing agencies in Indiana?

Here are a few ideas to help hone your search:

• Check out other travel nurses’ online reviews of their travel nurse jobs in Indiana and the agencies they used.
• Contact travel nurse recruiters from several agencies. This way you have the opportunity to pick their brains and find out just how involved they are with their nurses. It is a great way to get a preview of how much support you might receive from the agency during your travel nurse jobs in Indiana.
• Be sure to take a close-up look at the benefits offered by each of the agencies. Just because an agency offers a high rate of pay doesn’t mean it would be the best option in the long run.

What Benefits Do I Receive As a Travel Nurse In Indiana?

Travel nurse benefits will vary from agency to agency.

When you decide to go with Trusted Nurse Staffing over the other options, you will be privy to benefits not offered by some other agencies.

As a nurse with Trusted Nurse Staffing, you will receive:

Competitive Compensation

• 401(k) with 4% match after 1,000 hours and 1 year of employment
• Weekly Paychecks
• Direct Deposit
• Overtime/Double Time is Available
• Customizable Pay Packages

Top-Tier Bonus Opportunities:

• $1500 Referral Bonus Program
• Loyalty Program
• Sign-on & Completion Bonus
• Discount Program

Leading Health & Wellness Benefits:

• Employer Sponsored Health Insurance
• HRA Card to fully cover healthcare deductibles
• Guardian Dental and Vision Insurance
• Wellness Benefits

Additional Insurance Benefits:

• Portable Permanent Whole Life Insurance
• License, Certifications & CEU reimbursements
• Portable Short-term/Longterm
• Disability Insurance 

Work Flexibility:

• Flexible contract options
• Full/Part Time Work, Per Diem
• Housing, Meal and Travel Stipends
• Rental Car Options

Best In Class and Communication:

• On Day 1, you’ll get matched with your own dedicated support team that includes clinical support, payroll, and compliance experts, with ongoing assignment advocacy.

How Long Are Travel Nurse Jobs In Indiana?

When it comes to the length of assignments for travel nursing, Indiana offers plenty of choices. As one of the top travel nursing agencies in Indiana, Trusted Nurse Staffing offers flexible contracts with options for 6, 8, and 13-week-long assignments, plus more.

And if you wind up loving your travel nursing experience in Indiana, your Trusted Nurse Staffing recruiter may even be able to help you extend it.

Why Should I Apply To Travel Nurse Jobs In Indiana With Trusted Nurse Staffing?

Trusted Nurse Staffing is different.

Besides the terrific benefits we offer, the biggest difference between Trusted Nurse Staffing and the other travel nursing agencies in Indiana is the personalized support we give each of our nurses. 

Our Trusted Nurse Staffing recruiters are available around the clock to answer your questions and provide you with the highest level of care before, during, and after every nursing assignment.

Interested in Other States? Find Comprehensive Travel Nursing Information for Other States Using The Interactive Map Below

Indiana Travel Nurse Jobs

Indiana travel nursing jobs by specialty.

The most popular nursing specialties with positions available in Indiana include:

Cardiac Cath Lab Cardio ICU Cardio OR Case Management ER (Emergency Room) ICU (Intensive Care Unit)

Interventional Radiology L&D (Labor & Delivery) LTC/SNF Medical Surgical NICU OR (Operating Room)

PACU Psychiatric Unit Radiology Stepdown Telemetry Wound Care

Everything you need to know about Travel Nursing in Indiana

The Hoosier State is a popular location for travel nurses and travel allied health professionals, a place where they can take on a new job and build their resume while having a great time on assignment. Indiana has many great facilities, an abundance of travel healthcare jobs, and lots to see and do while you’re on assignment!

Best Hospitals in Indiana

U.S. News & World Report’s 2020/2021 Best Hospitals list evaluated 159 hospitals in Indiana — nine of which met high U.S. News standards and are ranked in the state. These include: #1-ranked Indiana University Health Medical Center in Indianapolis, #2-ranked Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, and #3-ranked Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. There are many other hospitals and non-hospital healthcare facilities throughout the state as well. U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best States list ranked Indiana at #32 overall, #7 for opportunity, and #21 for economy. Indiana is a top location for travelers to work in healthcare, take in a basketball game as an honorary Hoosier, behold the Indy 500, enjoy beautiful nature and cool cities, and earn great wages!

Indiana is currently a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC allows nurses to practice in other NLC states without having to get additional state licenses. New states are frequently joining so keep an eye on the latest NLC map. In the meantime, our team is happy to help you with any Indiana state licensing questions.

Quick Indiana Facts

• State Nickname: The Hoosier State
• Capital City: Indianapolis
• Largest Cities: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, Carmel, South Bend
• Charming Towns: Bloomington, Bridgeton, Madison, Aurora, Nashville, Merom, Beverly Shores
• Cost of Living: 12th-lowest cost of living in U.S.
• Random Trivia: The Indy 500 has been called the largest, single-day sporting event in the world, considering the estimated 350,000 spectators who flock to Speedway, Indiana each year for the big race.

To Do and See in Indiana

Indiana is a state largely known by many for its strong legacy of car racing — but there is so much more to this midwestern state! It’s a humble state filled with great natural beauty, kind people, interesting history, and much more.

Popular attractions and destinations include Hoosier National Forest, Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Indiana Dunes National Park, Conner Prairie, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Museum, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Mounds State Park, Newfields, White River State Park, Chain O’ Lakes States Park, Foellinger-Friemann Botanical Center, John James Audubon State Park, and SO much more.

Indiana is also generally a great state for museums, state parks, historic sites, shopping, dining, golf, motorsports, college sports, horseback riding, hiking, biking, kayaking, watersports, camping, road trips, relaxing at the lake, and much more!

Hoosiers eat very well, and you will too when you’re on assignment there! Some dishes that are iconic in Indiana include giant pork tenderloin sandwiches, Indy shrimp cocktail, chili, country fried steak, sweet corn, biscuits and gravy, smashed burgers, chicken and thick-cut noodles, Hoosier ribeye sandwiches, sauerkraut balls, biscuits and apple butter, persimmon pudding, and sweet cream pie. Wash it all down with some suds from the Sun King Brewing Company or an ice-cold glass of sun tea with lemon and you’re living like a real Indianan!

Find Travel Nursing jobs in Indiana

Indiana is a popular state for travel nurse and travel allied health jobs with Medical Solutions. That’s probably because The Hoosier State has some top-notch healthcare facilities, loads of quiet natural beauty, great food, kind people, interesting history, and an unmatched legacy of car racing. Ladies and gentlemen, this great state is a wonderful place to “start your engines” and try on travel nursing!

We connect care by staffing top healthcare facilities in Indiana  with brilliant Travel Nurses .

Checkmark A checkmark in a circle that is dark. Personalized Pay Packages

Travel Nurses working in Indiana enjoy a personalized payment package with great wage rates, licensure and certification reimbursement, a 401(k) with an immediately vested company contribution, loyalty and referral bonuses, and more.

Checkmark A checkmark in a circle that is dark. Great Benefits

We offer our travel nurses and travel allied health professionals day one medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus the option of several additional voluntary benefits, including life, long-term disability, critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, and AD&D insurance.

Checkmark A checkmark in a circle that is dark. Employee Assistance Program

Current travelers also have automatic, free access to our employee assistance program (EAP) through Cigna, which includes eight free counseling sessions and many more free resources to support you and your family in every facet of life.

Checkmark A checkmark in a circle that is dark. Travel Nurse Housing

When it comes to making a home in your latest location, Medical Solutions travelers have the option of company-provided, private, fully furnished, secure, pet-friendly housing arranged by our expert housing team or a non-taxable housing stipend that helps you arrange and pay for your own housing costs, depending on your eligibility and location.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions about indiana travel nursing jobs with medical solutions and travel nursing in general..

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Indiana Travel Nursing Jobs

Jobs listing, what to see and do.

Traveling Nurses who are accompanied by their families will love to bring their kids to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, home to the world’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils. If you like animals, like we’re sure kids do, then you can’t pass up the Fort Wayne Zoo, host to over 1000 animals and sits well perched on 40 acres.  Everywhere you go, you’ll find a genuineness in people, surprising but not unexpected in this State of openness with a strong focus on family. Indiana Caverns in Corydon is one of the longest continuous cave systems in North America. You can take an underground boat ride, see a three-story waterfall and explore diverse ecosystems with ice age fossils.  Can’t you just see yourself there after a little getaway from the stresses of work? We can.

Of course one can’t ignore the elephant in the room when it comes to Indiana.  And that elephant is the Indianapolis 500 which draws people from all over the world and seem celebrated all year long by locals and visitors alike.  Even if your posting is off the time of the event one can still experience the grandeur of the event by taking minibus spins around the world-famous track.  Maybe and hopefully not at the speed in which the competitors fly around the track but good enough to get the feel of the event and what it must be like to sit in the driver’s seat of one of those muscle cars.  Like those drivers, you too are in the seat of which direction your career and postings can go. A choice of Indiana could be the perfect family adventure and a great way to get to know this part of the country.  

Find a Travel Nursing Job

Make new friends and learn new skills in Indiana in no time. Stability Healthcare can’t wait to get you on the road to Indiana with a Travel Nurse Assignment! Apply Now or Call us for any Indiana RN jobs:

Explore big cities and hidden gems

See the midwest first hand with travel nursing jobs in indiana., travel nursing reviews, jennifer, rn.

The response time from my recruiter and nurse specialist is amazing! They both have been so great to work with on my first assignment out in California!!! Chad and Samantha both are super caring and very responsive! I already extended my contract with the hospital because of the smooth process. They made the transition from Florida to California a lot loss stressful than I imagined. Would definitely recommend them both!!!

My recruiter, and other staff I have had the pleasure of interacting with, are all so friendly and helpful. My recruiter is responsive, and even reached out while she was on vacation to check on me! I’ve worked with other agencies in the past, but Stability is next level when it comes to making your travel nursing experience as seamless as possible! Special shout out to Lindsay (best recruiter ever) and Tracy. Amazing people to work with.

Brittany J.

My recruiter is very responsive and personable. I have NEVER had any issues with them!! This agency even has PTO! None of my co workers with other agencies have this benefit!! Also the rates are equal or higher than most other agencies!! Everything feels more like family than business and for that I would choose stability over any other agency!! I am so happy I chose to work with them!

Sopheare C.

My recruiter Amanda is amazing and always timely with her responses. Debbie who is my nurse experience specialist who is with me all times of the contract is truly awesome. Love how responsive she is and will answer any and all my questions. Big thanks to Jesse my compliance coordinator for making all the appointments and getting me travel ready. Can’t thank my team enough for all they do. Any question or issue I have they resolve right away. And I love that they breakdown each contract into a spread so you know exactly what your getting for the terms of the contract.

I have been incredibly impressed by the professionalism, ease of communication, ability to have all requirements for onboarding fulfilled in a timely manner, and just overall outstanding service. Lindsay Hernandez is my particular recruiter and she has been a pleasure to work with, as well as all the team members at Stability. I’m looking forward to staying with them for my next assignment. I highly recommend them to my nursing friends, and anyone looking to travel as a nurse!

Travel Nurse Experiences

• April 22, 2024
• by Myah Christenson

• April 12, 2024
• by Leslie Catalano

• March 20, 2024

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Find your dream travel nursing job in Indiana

Featured jobs.

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• Cath Lab Tech 13 Weeks Days Estimated Total Pay $2,763.10 - $2,941.89 /wk*

*Includes estimated wage of $18.00 - $25.00/hr and non-taxable benefits if eligible

• RN 13 Weeks Nights Estimated Total Pay $2,482.34 - $2,635.36 /wk*

*Includes estimated wage of $19.32 - $26.32/hr and non-taxable benefits if eligible

Travel Nursing Jobs in Indiana

Are you ready to discover new destinations? Then find your next travel nursing Indiana job or travel therapy Indiana job with Host Healthcare. From outdoor activities, to exciting theme parks, to shopping, to professional sports, Indiana is certainly a place that offers something for everyone.

​​Travel nurse jobs in Indiana give registured nurses and other healthcare professionals an opportunity to work in new hospitals and gain hands-on patient care experience. Whether you’re looking for travel nurse jobs or travel PT assignments in Indiana or anywhere in the United States, you have come to the right place.

Cities Already Traveled

Just a few cities we’ve placed travelers: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Bloomington.

From travel nursing jobs in New York to Alaska, or anywhere else within the United States, our travel nursing agency is here to help you find the perfect assignment.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is on the southern shore of Lake Michigan in Indiana. It has a string of sandy beaches, and trails through dunes, marshland, and jack pine forests. Enjoy 50 miles of trails over prairies, rivers, and forests.

Indiana Soldiers Monument

This Monument is a 284 ft 6 in neoclassical monument built on Monument Circle, a circular, brick-paved street that intersects Meridian and Market streets in the center of downtown Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Zoo

The Indianapolis Zoo first opened on April 18, 1964. Since then, it expanded into now 64 acres in size. The zoo hosts more than a million visitors each year and plays a role in worldwide conservation and research.

The Perfect Meal

Peanut Butter and Hamburgers, Chicken and Waffles, Chili and Noodles, Persimmons and Pudding.

The Hooiser State

Your next travel nursing Indiana job travel therapy Indiana job is waiting for you. Indiana is known for its farmland and renowned auto race, the Indianapolis 500, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the capital, Indianapolis, theaters and galleries line Massachusetts Avenue. The city’s Downtown is home to the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Canal Walk promenade and the Indianapolis Museum of Art and its wide-ranging collections. Find a travel nursing Indiana job travel therapy Indiana job with Host Healthcare today!

If You Love Cars...

Indianapolis 500.

The Indianapolis 500 is an automobile race held annually at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

Dream Car Museum

The Dream Car Museum is has something for everyone! Over 50 cars & trucks! Includes exotics, classics, muscle cars, race cars, movie and TV cars.

Studebaker National Museum

Travel through over a century of transportation history. See the rise of the Studebaker Corporation from its beginnings in small South Bend Blacksmith Shop.

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum – where the world’s finest cars of yesterday live today! Over 120 classic, antique, vintage and special interest cars are displayed with other automotive related exhibits on three floors.

Recruiters You’ll Love

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Check out these reviews from real host healthcare travelers..

Host Healthcare is amazing! Best travel co out there! Amanda is the recruiter I have & she is wonderful. She is there from the beginning. From searching for the perfect assignment throughout completion of a contract - Amanda is there for me! Host Healthcare treats their nurses so well

Amanda Goad is the most amazing recruiter I have worked with. She is the most responsive and go-getter. She is in constant contact with you or hospitals to get you offers and/or advocating for you. She is super motivated and helpful. If you have the opportunity to use her, you will not regret it.

Needed to move across country to be next to my partner, but blindly jumping into a full time job for a hospital system I was not familiar with was out of the question. Host Healthcare (Natalie G specifically) stood by me and helped me fulfill my absurdly specific requests. I was a first time time traveler and I couldn't have made it without the support I received!

Just finished my first contract with Host Healthcare (fifth overall) and they were amazing! Specifically my recruiter Jenny Berroth. Jenny was so helpful and easy to communicate with. I had a couple issues come up and Jenny was all over them and took care of everything so I could just concentrate on being a nurse, while she handled the rest. I can’t recommend Host and Jenny enough! You have to give Host and Jenny a try, you’ll be glad you did!

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Travel nurses thrive as hospitals budget third-party staffing fees

The travel nurse industry skyrocketed in 2020 as hospitals struggled with staffing shortages. Those concerns are taking a financial toll on hospital budgets and forcing them to take a deeper look at employee benefits.

Travel nurses fill temporary openings in hospitals around the country. They often sign contracts for 13 weeks at a time, then move on to experience a new city. But for Enid Bedford, a registered nurse from Memphis, it means being closer to family.

Bedford’s youngest son plays football for IU, but he tore his ACL in the first game of the season. So, she started looking for contracts in Bloomington while he heals.

“I wasn’t here to intrude on his life as a 21-year-old college student, but to help him transition with his injury,” Bedford said. “And now that he’s doing so well, I’ll finish my assignment. And then I’ll be on my way.”

Bedford became a nurse at 50 years old after all her children left home. During COVID, she started traveling for better pay and a better schedule.

“I typically work maybe a 13- or 26-week assignment, and then I can go home for two months and be able to sit down and relax and spend time with my husband or family,” she said.

Patrick Smith is also a travel registered nurse completing a contract at IU Health Bloomington. He spent two years as a staff nurse in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Ala., prior to traveling. Bloomington is the third city he’s lived in on a travel contract, and given where he is from, he’s no stranger to college towns.

“I enjoy getting to meet new people, I get to experience a new area that I’ve not been in,” Smith said. “And it’s not like, oh, I visited this place. Like I actually got to live there for a couple months.”

Smith said some people become travel nurses for the flexibility, and some do it to improve finances. For example, a travel nurse can make double, or even triple that of staff nurses.

A Chicago-based medical consulting firm found the average travel nurse in the United States makes $132 per hour, which is more than double the 2019 average of $64. Over the same period, staff nurse salaries increased from $35 to $39 per hour.

By comparison, the 2022 NSI National Health Care Retention and RN Staffing Report found the average travel nurse makes slightly more at $154 per hour. This report also said hospitals are looking to decrease dependency on supplemental staffing over the next year.

“For every 20 travel RNs eliminated, a hospital can save, on average, $4,203,000,” the NRI report reads.

Yet, some nurses like Brakayla Hillis have learned how to get travel benefits without going far from home. They’re called “local travelers,” and they tend to take contracts within 90 minutes of home.

“As a kid, I would play with baby dolls and be the doctor or the nurse,” Hillis said. “So, I always knew that was my route.”

While Hillis dreamed of becoming a nurse, she didn’t know traveling would be in her future. She said the financial and scheduling benefits were too good to refuse, especially since she’s in school to become a nurse practitioner.

She’s completed contracts in Fort Wayne and Bloomington, and now she works in her hometown of Greenwood. While in Bloomington, Hillis worked for IU Health as it transitioned to its new location.

“We were very heavily staffed with travelers, and then when we moved to the new hospital, they kind of were trying to get back to where it was just the staff nursing and kind of weed out the travelers,” she said. “So, they did a major pay cut by about $2,000 a week.”

The pay cut in future contracts meant it was time for Hillis to move on. Her next contract was with Saint Francis in Greenwood, which she said is currently offering staff nurses triple bonuses to compete with traveler pay.

“Hospitals are trying to basically reward the staff just so that they don’t have to use travelers, but it still seems to happen,” she said.

The Indiana Hospital Association found since 2021, nearly 70 percent of Hoosier hospitals increased travel nurse expenses more than 20 percent.

However, hospitals don’t directly pay travel nurses. Instead, they enter contracts with staffing agencies, and prices can change based on demand. Indiana Association for Nursing Leadership central district president Rachel Culpepper said these agencies sometimes walk away with double or triple what nurses make, and it’s causing the industry to take a closer look at the value of these contracts.

“I just want to stress we’re not evaluating the actual nurses pay,” Culpepper said. “It’s the agencies pay, because that is that is more of the financial burden that we’re seeing in organizations.”

Despite weekly pay for travelers dropping since the height of the pandemic, Culpepper said hospitals are still in a “market war” with staffing agencies, and it’s forcing them to reconsider benefits. Some hospitals are looking at improving employee culture, increase paid time off, or even change standard shift hours.

“We’ve been doing 12-hour shifts for a long time,” Culpepper said. “And we’re hearing from our team members, that might not be what they want any longer.”

She said nursing leaders hope to use the current market dynamic to create a “revolutionized” care model and improve job satisfaction.

IU Health declined multiple interview requests for this story. However south-central region chief nursing officer Cindy Herrington wrote via email that as of Oct. 31, the Bloomington hospital was staffed by 18 percent travel nurses.

“We have brought in agency nurses to fill critical position vacancies so that we can continue to provide high quality healthcare for as many Hoosiers as possible,” Herrington said.

“We are very thankful to our temporary agency nurses for helping during times of increased need for nurses,” she continued. “Hospitals across America could not have gotten through the pandemic and this labor market without their great work.”

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Newfoundland faces health care staffing crunch after private agency won’t release its travel nurses

Newfoundland and Labrador health officials are facing a staffing crunch after a temporary nurse agency refused to let its nurses continue to work in the province for another employer.

Toronto-based Canadian Health Labs had two contracts to send registered nurses from other parts of Canada to hospitals and nursing homes in Newfoundland that were left severely short-handed because of the pandemic.

Under a mutual non-poaching clause in the contracts, CHL cannot hire away local workers and, in return, nurses that the agency sent to Newfoundland cannot be employed by local health authorities for a year after the end of a contract, unless the company gives permission in writing.

Six nurses and three other people with first-hand knowledge have told The Globe and Mail that CHL has refused to release interested nurses from the clause.

Four nurses interviewed by The Globe said they would have been willing to stay in Newfoundland and take a pay cut to work for the public system but were not allowed to by CFL.

In response to questions from The Globe, CHL e-mailed a short written statement stating that, “CHL’s contracts contain standard business terms.”

At the time that one contract expired on Tuesday, CHL provided 31 registered nurses to Newfoundland’s Central Health region, an area that includes Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor, two of the province’s largest towns.

Yvette Coffey, the president of Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador, said the expiry of the Central contract and the province’s inability to retain CHL’s nurses will have an impact on care. Her union members in Central have not been informed what steps officials will take to remedy the loss of those 31 RNs.

“If they don’t have any relief, they’re either going to have to close services, or they’re not going to get any summer holidays,” she said in an interview.

She added that the nurses CHL has sent to the province since 2022 have become acquainted with local hospital protocols, and that some of them received further training in areas such as trauma nursing or pediatric life support at Newfoundland’s expense. “All that training and expertise is now gone.”

When CHL’s other major contract, signed with the Western Health region, concluded at the end of February, the 20 nurses the agency had in place couldn’t stay. Western Memorial Regional Hospital, in Corner Brook, imposed mandatory overtime on the remaining nurses, who initially had to work shifts of more than 20 hours.

In a Facebook Messenger group among themselves, nurses at the Corner Brook hospital regularly shared calls for volunteers to work extra hours. “We are short 2 rns tonight!” said an April 10 post. “Short 5 this morning SOS,” an April 12 message said.

Newfoundland Opposition calls on RCMP to intervene in private nursing deals

CHL is not the only temporary nursing agency with such contractual clauses with Newfoundland. However, its decision not to release the nurses is having the largest impact because it had been providing the bulk of travel nurses to the province.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services would not give specific details when asked about the effect of the contracts’ expiration and CHL’s refusal to release the nurses.

CHL’s contracts with the province are now under review by Newfoundland’s Auditor-General after a February Globe investigation raised questions about the agency’s high prices and billing practices. Health Minister Tom Osborne has said that paying for temporary nurses, also known as travel nurses, is a “necessary evil” that he wants to end as promptly as possible.

The six nurses who spoke to The Globe said they attempted to continue working in Newfoundland, initially with another agency, Teal, but were told at the last minute that there was no consent from CHL.

Savannah Davidson was among the four who said they wanted to continue practising nursing in the province but could not. “We fell in love with Newfoundland. I have a partner here now and we want to make this our home. And now we’re being stopped,” she said.

CHL still has one contract in Newfoundland , ending in August, to provide five ER nurses to the Eastern Health region.

The no-poaching clauses also appear in CHL’s agreements in New Brunswick, where the agency is supplying more than 40 nurses to the Vitalité Health Network. The conditions of that deal are even more restrictive: Nurses sent by CHL cannot work for Vitalité for two years after the contract ends in 2026.

In an e-mail, Vitalité said it has stepped up recruitment efforts and “we are in a good position to gradually end the use of agencies by the winter of 2026.”

CHL’s contracts in New Brunswick are also being reviewed by that province’s Auditor-General.

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