Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN
As the title suggests, the job description and health care niche for traveling physical therapy nurses is a unique blend of nursing and physical therapy with the added excitement and learning experiences that come with a career in travel. After graduating from nursing school and passing their nursing boards, the aspiring physical therapy nurse must then complete a physical therapist nursing program approved by the American Physical Therapy Association. The specialized training focuses on teaching the nurse how to restore patient function, increase mobility, manage pain and teach patients how to function with disabilities, especially in long term care settings.
Once graduated and certified, the traveling physical therapy nurse works alongside physical therapists in hospitals, long term care facilities, rehabilitation settings and many other clinical settings. This position is an exciting opportunity to combine the therapeutic care and critical thinking model associated with nursing, along with the rehabilitative functions of the physical therapist. In typical patient care scenarios, nurses are not directly involved in patient rehabilitation programs, handing off this responsibility to physical therapy when acute care is complete. A position as a traveling physical therapy nurse gives nurses the opportunity to follow through with patient care, watching as they take the next steps in restoring their desired quality of life.
For those wishing to explore this area of nursing, there has never been a better time to contact a travel agency recruiter. The demand for physical therapists, nurses and physical therapy nurses is high and expected to reach even greater heights as the aging population creates more and more new patients.
Christine Whitmarsh is a Registered Nurse with a BSN from the University of Rhode Island. She is a freelance health journalist and medical writer and a contributor to Travel Nurse Source and Allied Travel Careers.
