Questions to Ask a Travel Nurse Recruiter

The best questions to ask a travel nurse recruiter are the ones that turn a verbal pitch into written terms: what the unit is really like, how the pay package is built, which hours are guaranteed, what happens if the contract is cancelled, and when benefits start. Ask them before you agree to be submitted, not after an offer lands. A good recruiter answers clearly, and how they answer tells you almost as much as what they say.

Set up the conversation first

You will probably talk to several recruiters, so keep a simple note for each one: the agency, the facility, the dates, and what was promised. Ask for anything important in writing, usually by email or in the contract itself. Verbal promises are easy to forget and hard to enforce.

Know what you want before the first call: target locations, specialty, shift, start date, and the lowest total pay you would accept. If you are not sure what a fair number looks like, check the pay data by specialty, which is built from jobs posted on NurseTide.

Questions about the recruiter and agency

• How long have you worked with this facility, and do you have travelers there now?
• Who do I call after hours if something goes wrong on assignment?
• Is there a clinical liaison or nurse on staff I can reach, or is it just you?
• Will you be my contact for the whole contract, or will I be handed off to someone else?

A recruiter who has placed nurses at the facility before can usually tell you about parking, the charting system, and how travelers are treated on the unit. One who has never worked with the facility should say so.

Questions about the assignment

These often matter more than the pay rate, because they decide what the contract actually feels like day to day.

1. What unit is this, how many beds, and what is the typical patient population?
2. What are the usual nurse-to-patient ratios on days and nights?
3. Is floating expected, and to which units? Will I only float within my competencies?
4. What shift is it, and who makes the schedule? Can I request block scheduling?
5. How much orientation will I get, and is it paid?
6. Which charting system does the facility use?
7. Why is the facility using travelers right now?
8. Can I talk to the unit manager before I accept?

A short phone interview with the manager is your best chance to ask about ratios, floating, and support directly. If the recruiter discourages it, ask why.

Questions about pay

Travel pay is usually a package: a taxable hourly base rate plus stipends for housing and for meals and incidentals, which are generally not taxed if you qualify for them. Ask to see each part separately, in writing.

• What is the taxable hourly rate, and what are the stipend amounts per week?
• What is the overtime rate, and how is it calculated?
• How many hours per week are guaranteed, and what happens to my pay if the facility cancels a shift?
• Is there a penalty if I miss a shift or call out sick?
• Are there any bonuses, and what are the conditions to receive them?
• When is the first paycheck, and how often am I paid?

Stipends only stay tax-free if you have a qualifying tax home, so ask how the agency handles that and read our explainer on travel nurse stipends. For anything about your own taxes, talk to a tax professional who works with travelers. To compare two packages on equal footing, run both through the free pay calculator.

Questions about the contract

• What is the cancellation policy for the facility and for the agency, and how much notice do I get?
• If the contract is cancelled, will you help me find another assignment, and what happens with my housing?
• Can my requested time off go into the contract now?
• Is there an option to extend, and would the rate stay the same?
• Is there a penalty if I need to leave early?

Cancellations happen, so read what to do when a travel contract is cancelled before you need it. For ways to ask for better terms, see these tips for negotiating travel nurse contracts.

Questions about housing, travel and licensing

• Do you offer agency-arranged housing, or a stipend so I can find my own?
• Is there travel reimbursement, and when is it paid?
• Do I need the state license before you can submit me? Will you reimburse it?
• Who pays for required certifications, physicals, drug screens, and fit testing?

If the assignment is in a compact state and you hold a multistate license, say so early. It can shorten the time to start.

Questions about benefits

• When does health insurance start: on day one or after a waiting period?
• What happens to my coverage between contracts?
• Is there a retirement plan, and is there a match?
• Is there paid sick leave, and how does it accrue?

Benefits vary widely between agencies, and a higher stipend can be offset by expensive insurance. Get the details before you compare offers.

Answers that should make you slow down

One vague answer is not a red flag, but a pattern is. Be cautious when a recruiter:

• won't break down the pay package or send it in writing
• pushes you to accept before you have seen the contract
• can't tell you the guaranteed hours or the cancellation terms
• answers a direct question with "don't worry about it"
• submits you to jobs without asking you first

It also helps to ask other nurses. Travelers in the travel nurses network group compare notes on agencies and facilities, and workplace reviews can tell you how a hospital treats the nurses who work there.

Next step

Make a short list of assignments that fit your specialty and dates, then bring these questions to your next recruiter call. Start with the current listings on travel nurse jobs, where every post shows the pay.

General information for nurses, not medical, legal, tax or financial advice. Follow your facility's policies, your state board of nursing and the terms of your employer or contract.