Take your ICU experience further with Nomad Health. We pair experienced nurses with top-tier travel assignments throughout the country. Sign up now or explore our extensive selection of Intensive Care Unit RN jobs below to find your perfect fit.
At Nomad, every ICU travel job is supported by a fully loaded benefits suite, featuring medical, dental, vision, and malpractice insurance, alongside a 401(k). You'll also enjoy perks like reimbursements for scrubs, licenses, and certifications, $750 for travel expenses, and housing and meal stipends. Getting started as a travel ICU nurse is easy: simply build your Nomad profile and start applying instantly.
Working as an ICU travel nurse offers the opportunity to advance your career through exceptional financial incentives and professional growth while enjoying the security of a high-demand specialty. It provides the freedom to work with advanced life-sustaining technologies and expert interdisciplinary teams across the country, allowing you to take the next step in your critical care journey with confidence.
Competitive Pay – ICU travel nurse jobs frequently offer significantly higher pay than permanent staff positions. Your earning potential is maximized based on your experience and credentials, with Nomad Health noting an average pay of approximately $2,500 per week and highs up to $4,500 per week.*
Continuous Learning and Technology – Traveling puts you on the fast track to mastering complex critical care equipment and protocols. You will gain exposure to diverse technologies, such as advanced ventilators, arterial lines for active blood pressure monitoring, and central lines for vasoactive medication administration. You will also broaden your clinical perspective by working in various high-acuity environments—from MICUs and SICUs to CVICUs—sharpening your skills in hemodynamic monitoring and emergency response.
Location Freedom – One of the biggest perks is the ability to decide exactly where you want to work, from the specific city to the facility type. Accepting assignments in new locations allows you to experience different hospital systems and patient populations you might not encounter in a regular staff position, giving you full control over your lifestyle, shift preferences (day vs. night), and contract length.
*Average pay of Nomad Health ICU travel nurse job postings as of February 28, 2023.
To become an ICU travel nurse, the journey typically begins with earning a nursing degree, such as a BSN or ADN, and passing the NCLEX-RN to obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse. Following licensure, aspiring travel nurses must gain hands-on experience in an intensive care unit (ICU) to master skills like ventilator management, titration of vasoactive medications, and continuous patient monitoring. Many professionals also choose to advance their careers and marketability by obtaining specialized certifications, such as the Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) credential. Once established with the necessary experience and credentials, nurses can partner with a travel agency, like Nomad, to find assignments that fit their career goals and lifestyle.
Learn more about travel nursing as an ICU nurse in Nomad's ICU Travel Nurse Career Guide.