The pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, along with 37 other volunteer nurse were the first to travel to another country as travelling nurses. They went to Turkey to assist wounded English soldiers from the Crimean War.

A few years later, Clara Barton, a nurse during the Civil War, assisted in collecting and distributing supplies for the Union Army. She traveled with the army to help the wounded on both sides. She was regarded as “the angel on the battlefield”.

Although it may not be a “travel nurse” per-say since they weren’t hired by hospital organizations. They did however gave the idea that nurses can travel into different locations to assist those who are in need.

The idea of hiring Travel Nurses started back in 1978. In the state of New Orleans, there was a high demand for healthcare professionals due to an increase of patients that happened during the Mardi Gras. In the 1980s there was an increase of admitted patients during the winter season, especially in Florida and Arizona. This is where the birth of Travel Nurses started. Hospital organizations have realized that instead of hiring full-time nurses, a temporary one is cost-beneficial. Time passes and more healthcare organizations are hiring temporary nurses. And due to this, more agencies are opened to assist nurses who are in search for temporary work.

The digital age has been an important factor in helping Travel Nurses’ growth. With limitless information online and mobile devices that can give out those information, hospital organizations can quickly find travel nurses and vice versa. Today, almost all hiring of RN comes through the internet. Agencies rely on this to better promote the nurses to the organizations.

With the aging population, more healthcare professionals are in need to cope up with it. Agencies are providing travel nurses that can temporarily work as aides and private nurses to the seniors.