By Mikayla Bricker, Social Media Recruiter, Aureus Medical
If traveling as a CNA is new to you, you might not know where to begin. There’s a lot to learn and know to make your career a success, but rest assured, Aureus Medical is here to help you with getting started as a travel CNA!
First, we have to start from the beginning — the requirements. You must have one year of certified nursing experience to travel as a CNA. This will set you up for success when you arrive to your contract so you can feel confident in your skills and hit the ground running. This may be annoying when you don’t want to wait to get traveling but trust me when I say that you’ll want to have that experience for your own sanity and success on the job. You’ll already be adjusting to the travel aspect, so you really want to have your clinical skills on lock. Experience will allow you to put your best foot forward in the travel world.
While you’re gaining experience as a CNA you can move on to step two, applying for other state certifications! You must be certified in the state you take an assignment in, so you’ll want to start the application process early. Make sure to check out our state licensing page which includes links to each state’s application and where you can also find information on the price and timeline to expect to receive your certification/license. The more states you apply to, the more opportunities you’ll have — so I always recommend applying for the free state certifications first!
Finally, you will also want to make sure your BLS is up to date. Once you’re closer to that year of experience, you should start shopping around for an agency you trust that offers great traveler benefits.
Once you have a full year of experience and are ready to hit the road, contact an Aureus Medical recruiter to learn more about our current nationwide job opportunities for CNAs!