Travel Nursing Requirements: A List of Documents You Will Need

The travel nursing requirements are composed of a series of documents that will be used as a basis by the employers to determine if the applicant is fit for the job.
This can range from the RN license up to the skills checklist. Most of the required credentials are the same from all employers, but there are instances that employers will ask specific documents that are not too often asked for.
This blog will guide all aspiring Travel Nurses on what documents are needed and how to prepare them.
I. Nursing License
To work as a travel nurse, a person must actually have an RN(Registered Nurse) license. The applicant must have a BSN degree or an LPN license who passed the NCLEX exam to be able to proceed with the application.
What is the difference between a State License & an eNLC(Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact)
A State License is issued to a nurse who works on a specific state only while an eNLC allows nurses to have one multistate license. This is significantly used by traveling nurses.
Compact States (Members of the eNLC)
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming

II. Medical Records
The reason employers ask for a medical check for all applicants is to make sure that they are fit to work and do not offer a serious risk to themselves and to others.
Especially in the medical field. Employers are strict when it comes to choosing the right candidate to work for them. Patients are vulnerable to diseases and infections to name a few. Being healthy is one of the pre-requisites for working in a hospital.
- When applying as a traveling nurse, updated titer results must be present.
- Influenza
- Tdap
- MMR
- Hep B & C
- Varicella
- PPD skin test (used to detect any latent TB infection)
- Drug screening
- Physical exam to be conducted by a physician. The examination result should have a doctor’s stamp to prove authenticity.
III. Certifications
Prepare the certifications required as a travel nurse. These certifications are BLS (Basic Life Support), ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) and PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)

IV. Government Issued Identifications
It is best to also have any government-issued identifications ready. It shouldn’t be a question that everyone should have identification in hand at all times when traveling. IDs are important because employers will be asking for any identification. It is in the law that employers require proof of citizenship.
• Driver’s License
• Passport
• Birth Certificate
• State Issued ID
V. Transcript of Records
Transcripts are requested by employers to prevent hiring the wrong people. These transcripts are proof of whatever an applicant has placed on his/her resume. They cannot afford to get an applicant with fraudulent records. This will endanger the patients and the hospital.
VI. Skills Checklist
Have the skills checklist ready too. This is important because this will give employers the ability to assess to which degree an applicant can perform the required tasks.