Your specialized skills are needed in leading pediatric facilities across the nation. Nomad Health partners with highly trained nurses to provide the most rewarding PICU travel assignments available. Register today to begin your next adventure, or browse our extensive list of Pediatric ICU RN jobs below.
We are committed to fully supporting our traveling clinicians. That is why every Nomad PICU assignment includes a premium benefits package featuring medical, dental, vision, and malpractice insurance, plus a 401(k) with employer matching. We also take care of the details, offering housing and meal stipends, up to $750 in travel reimbursement, and coverage for your scrubs, licenses, and certifications. Getting started is simple: build your Nomad profile and apply in just a few clicks.
Taking on a role as a PICU travel nurse allows you to elevate your career through outstanding financial rewards and profound professional development, all within a highly specialized and in-demand field. It gives you the flexibility to provide life-saving care to critically ill children in diverse, fast-paced environments, empowering you to confidently advance your pediatric nursing journey while supporting patients and their families during their most vulnerable moments.
Competitive Pay – PICU travel nursing roles often provide substantially higher compensation than traditional staff positions. Depending on your experience and certifications, your earning potential can be highly rewarding, with average weekly earnings around $3,000 and top-tier assignments reaching up to $4,300 per week.*
Continuous Learning and Skill Mastery – Traveling accelerates your expertise in rapid pediatric assessment and complex critical care. You will care for diverse patient populations—ranging from infants to adolescents—managing severe conditions like trauma, sepsis, congenital defects, and organ failure. You'll routinely work with advanced medical devices, including mechanical ventilators and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, while fine-tuning crucial soft skills like age-appropriate communication and family-centered care.
Location Freedom – A major advantage of travel nursing is the power to choose exactly where you practice, from the city to the specific type of clinical facility. Taking on assignments in new areas lets you experience different healthcare systems and patient demographics that you wouldn’t encounter in a permanent role, putting you in total control of your schedule, location, and contract duration.
*Average pay of Nomad Health PICU travel nurse job postings as of June 22, 2023.
To embark on a career as a PICU travel nurse, you must first earn a nursing degree, such as a BSN or ADN, and pass the NCLEX-RN to secure your registered nursing license. Once licensed, you will need to gain at least 12 to 24 months of recent, hands-on experience in a pediatric intensive care unit. This time is critical for mastering complex skills like medication dosing with Clark's rule, using the Broselow tape for emergencies, and managing advanced life support protocols for patients at 1:1 or 1:2 care ratios.
You will also need active Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications. After building your clinical foundation, you can team up with a travel agency like Nomad Health to discover assignments that match your professional ambitions and personal lifestyle.
Learn more about being a travel PICU nurse in Nomad's PICU Travel Nurse Career Guide.