ICU/CVICU travel nursing

[livingkennedy]

I have been interested in travel nursing for quite some time, but a few things have been keeping me from doing it..

One reason is that I'm an ICU nurse, and I only like ICU. Most travelers I have seen that work ICU get floated to the floors if they are not needed. My problem is, I'd rather dig ditches than work on the floor. No offense to floor nurses, I just don't like being outside of what I like!

Is it easy to find a job where you're only to work ICU and when you're not needed you'll just be called off? Would I be more likely to find that with per diem assignments? It seems like most hospitals and recruiters want the flexible nurse, so I'm wondering if it's even possible to find such assignments.

I would like to try my first assignment at a smaller hospital, but I'm quite certain only the larger hospitals with multiple ICUs would be able to provide such an assignment...

Does anyone have any experience with this?

[AmandaWIRN]

You could always stipulate in your contract that you will only float to ICU's, but that will really limit your options. Travel assignments are very competitive righ now, and most managers will go with a traveler who is flexible and willing to float over one who won't.

[Kdog]

Try a medium size hospital over a small one because you won't have to float..also get a contract that gurantees your hours so you can't be cut.
I won't even interview with a job that the hours are not guaranteed because you will get cut and you may be responsible for additional housing charges not to mention a small paycheck.
Let us know how you make out