Long-Term Care (LTC) Travel Nursing Jobs

Find Travel Nursing Assignments in the LTC Nursing Specialty

Registered nurses who are in charge of caring for patients who require extended medical care in a long-term care facility are referred to as long-term care (LTC) nurses. In addition to providing basic nursing care, LTC travel nurses administer medications to patients, ensure that patients receive the appropriate and safe medical care they need, and coordinate patient care.

Long-term care nurses work with patients who suffer from chronic physical and/or mental conditions. These patients are primarily in the geriatric age group. Practice settings generally include skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes.

Nurses who provide care in the long-term setting can also work at another type of facility which is known as a long-term acute care hospital (LTACHs). These facilities specialize in the treatment of patients who suffer from very serious medical conditions. It’s a complex situation that these patients are in, in which they still require ongoing care, but no longer require or qualify for hospital care which provides intensive care and diagnostic services.

On average, patients stay at an LTACH facility for 30 days at a time, but some patients require much longer lengths of stay. Patients who are discharged from a hospital but require more intensive care than what is provided at home or skilled nursing facilities often end up in LTACHs. There is a wide range of patients who go to these types of facilities, including those who are recovering from a very severe injury or accident, those who are living with disabilities, people suffering from progressive illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease, and people who suffer from chronic health conditions such as coronary artery disease and obesity.

Nurses who work in both LTACHs and LTCs are responsible for providing the day-to-day needs of the patient, the operation of the medical facility, supervision of staff, delegation of tasks to unlicensed personnel, assessment of medical care progress and outcomes, and the delivery of excellent customer service to patients and family members.

In order to be successful as an LTC nurse, one must exercise a high degree of patience, as it can be quite challenging to work with patients who have these medical conditions and chronic illnesses. If you are a nurse working at an LTACH, advanced and often intensive nursing skills are required because these facilities can have patients who are on ventilators, feeding tubes, continuous cardiac monitoring, and other intensive medical care regimens.

Job Skills / Requirements for an LTC Travel Nurse:

• Valid BLS from the American Heart Association
• A valid professional license within the state of practice
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) credentialing through the American Heart Association is recommended and may be required for specific registered nurses and travel nurse positions
• Other specialty-related certifications are preferred and may be required for specific positions
• Proof of right to work in the United States
• Experience as a long-term care nurse

LTC Travel Nurse Salary and Job Outlook

There has never been a higher demand for nurses who work in long-term care. From the various skilled nursing centers to nursing homes and LTACHs across the country, LTC nurses are needed to help care for these patients on a long-term basis.

Working as an LTC nurse is highly rewarding because patients are at these facilities for extended periods of time, which allows you to develop close bonds with the patients and their families. LTC travel nurse pay is competitive, and the precise salary you can earn will depend on your individual skills, certifications, and experience as well as the facility and its geographical location.

Elite Specialty Staffing also offers referral bonuses and other incentives that can further increase pay. LTC travel nurses who work with Elite Specialty Staffing can choose to take free, private, luxurious housing, or a generous housing subsidy. When you work as an LTC travel nurse with Elite Specialty Staffing, you will gain all the lucrative travel nursing benefits we offer. Apply today!