Travel nurse job description template: contract terms, unit, compact license lines and how to describe pay
On this page
- Name the assignment, not just the specialty
- License lines: the compact and single-state licenses
- Describing pay without giving tax advice
- The travel nurse job description template
- From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
- Common mistakes in travel nurse job descriptions
- Before you publish
- Questions people ask
"Travel RN, ICU, 13 weeks, top pay!" A travel nurse has seen that posting hundreds of times, and it answers almost none of their questions: which state and facility type, which unit and patient population, the shift and hours per week, whether hours are guaranteed, the floating and cancellation policies, which licenses are accepted, and how the weekly pay breaks down. Travel postings also carry risk that permanent postings do not: a license line that ignores the compact, or pay advertised in a way that makes tax promises the agency cannot keep. A useful travel nurse job description names the assignment and the unit, the contract terms, the license lines, the onboarding requirements and a plain breakdown of pay. Below are the assignment types, the license lines with sources, how to describe pay without giving tax advice, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the call, use the travel nurse screening questions.
Not legal or tax advice. The licensing points below were checked against NCSBN and the Nurse Licensure Compact, and the tax home reference against IRS Publication 463, as of October 2026. Stipend eligibility, tax treatment and overtime calculations depend on facts this page cannot know; consult counsel and a tax professional, and tell candidates to get their own advice.
Name the assignment, not just the specialty
| Assignment | What the contract looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard med-surg or telemetry | A set contract at a community or teaching hospital, three 12-hour shifts, floating to sister units | Recent acute care experience; comfort floating within a defined group of units |
| Critical care (ICU, ED, OR, L&D) | High-acuity unit, specialty certifications, sometimes required orientation shifts | Recent specialty experience, often a set minimum; specialty certifications the unit lists |
| Rapid response or crisis contract | Short notice start, short contract, higher rate, possibly extra hours required | License or compact privilege ready now; complete compliance file |
| Local contract | Contract work within commuting distance, usually without travel stipends | Unit fit and schedule; clear statement that stipends do not apply |
| Non-hospital (clinic, dialysis, school, corrections) | Different hours and pace, often weekday schedules | Setting-specific experience; the license the setting's state requires |
Then get the details from the facility or the managed service provider before posting: unit and bed count, typical patient ratio (as reported by the facility), charting system, floating rules, orientation shifts, the cancellation policy, and any requirement on how recently the nurse has worked in the specialty. If the client will not share them, say so in your notes and ask before the nurse is submitted.
License lines: the compact and single-state licenses
Where the license must be. The Nurse Licensure Compact FAQ says nurses must be licensed in the state where the patient is located at the time care is provided. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for registered nurses (last modified August 27, 2026) likewise says RNs must hold a license issued by the state in which they work.
Multistate licenses. The NLC covers RN and LPN/VN licenses and currently includes 43 jurisdictions (nursecompact.com). A nurse whose primary state of residence is a compact state can hold a multistate license and practice in other compact states. Primary state of residence is about legal residence, shown by documents like a driver's license, voter registration or federal tax return, not where the nurse owns property. A nurse who lives in a non-compact state cannot hold a multistate license and needs a license from each state where they practice. A nurse who moves permanently to another compact state must apply for a license in the new home state; the FAQ covers the timing.
How to write it. For a compact state assignment: "Active [state] RN license or a multistate RN license under the Nurse Licensure Compact." For a non-compact state: "Active [state] RN license required by start, or eligible with an application in process; [agency] [will / will not] reimburse license fees." Verify every license on NCSBN's free Nursys QuickConfirm service.
Describing pay without giving tax advice
Travel pay is often a mix of a taxable hourly rate and other components such as housing or meal stipends, travel reimbursement and bonuses. Whether a stipend can be paid tax-free depends on the individual nurse's circumstances, which is why posting copy should describe the structure and stop there. The IRS explains the underlying idea in Publication 463: your tax home is your regular place of business or post of duty, and a person with no regular place of business and no place where they regularly live is treated as itinerant, with a tax home wherever they work. That is context, not a determination about any nurse.
In practice, a clear posting:
- Shows the total weekly amount as an estimate and labels it as one, with the hours it assumes.
- Breaks out the hourly rate, each stipend or reimbursement, overtime and differentials, and any bonus with its conditions.
- Says that stipend eligibility depends on the nurse's own situation and that they should talk to a tax professional.
- States the guaranteed hours, and what happens to pay if the facility cancels shifts.
- Meets the pay transparency rules where the job is posted; see pay transparency for staffing agencies.
The travel nurse job description template
Travel RN — [Specialty / Unit] — [City, State] — [N] weeks
[Agency] for a [teaching hospital / community hospital / clinic]
Start: [date]. End: [date]. Shift: [days / nights], [N]x[N]-hour
shifts, [N] hours a week. Guaranteed hours: [yes, N / no].
ESTIMATED WEEKLY PAY (example breakdown, based on [N] hours)
- Hourly rate: $[N] per hour (taxable)
- [Housing stipend: $[N] per week, if eligible]
- [Meals and incidentals stipend: $[N] per week, if eligible]
- [Travel reimbursement: up to $[N]]
- Overtime: $[N] per hour after [N] hours
- [Completion bonus: $[N], paid (when), conditions (list)]
Stipend eligibility depends on your circumstances; please get
your own tax advice.
THE ASSIGNMENT
[N]-bed [unit] at a [type] facility. Typical ratio [1:N], as
reported by the facility. Charting in [EHR]. Floating: [units you
may float to]. Orientation: [N] shifts. Cancellation: [policy for
facility and nurse]. [Extension possible / not expected.]
YOU MUST HAVE
- Active [state] RN license or a multistate RN license under the
Nurse Licensure Compact [compact state] / active [state] RN
license by start [non-compact state].
- [N] [months / years] of recent [specialty] experience as an RN.
- Current BLS, [ACLS / PALS / NRP / TNCC].
- [Specialty certification, if the unit requires it.]
- Completion of onboarding before start: [list of requirements
handled after the offer].
NICE TO HAVE
- Experience with [EHR].
- Prior travel or contract assignments.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| License | "Where is your primary state of residence, and which licenses are active now?" | Not scored: verified on Nursys | A clear home state and license list that matches the assignment state's rules |
| Recent specialty experience | "When did you last work in [specialty], and what was your typical assignment?" | Experience match | Dates, unit type and ratio close to the assignment |
| Adaptability | "Tell me about your first shift at a new facility. How did you get up to speed?" | Learning fast | Specific habits: finds the charge nurse, learns the escalation path, asks about policies early |
| Floating | "You're floated to a unit you've never worked. What do you do before taking report?" | Safety and boundaries | Asks about the patient mix, flags competency gaps, accepts a fair assignment |
| Contract history | "Have you ended a contract early or had one canceled? What happened?" | Reliability | A straight answer with context; no pattern of walking off |
To find candidates by license and specialty, see the boolean search strings for travel nurses. For a permanent staff posting at the same facility, start from the registered nurse job description template.
Common mistakes in travel nurse job descriptions
"Compact license required" in a non-compact state
A multistate license does not authorize practice in a non-compact state. Write the line for the assignment state.
A single "up to" weekly number
A headline total with no breakdown and no hours behind it erodes trust once the contract arrives. Show the parts.
Tax promises
"Tax-free stipends" as a blanket claim is advice the agency cannot give. Describe the structure and point to the IRS guidance.
Leaving out cancellation and floating
These are the terms experienced travelers ask about first. Get them from the client before posting.
Before you publish
- Facility type, city, unit, shift, dates and weekly hours are at the top.
- The license line fits the assignment state's compact status.
- Pay is broken down, labelled as an estimate and free of tax promises.
- Guaranteed hours, floating, orientation and cancellation terms are stated.
- Pay transparency rules for the posting location are met; EEO statement and accommodation contact close it.
Questions people ask
Which license does a travel nurse need?
A license valid in the state where the patients are. NCSBN says nurses must be licensed in the state where the patient is located when care is provided. A nurse whose primary state of residence is in the Nurse Licensure Compact can practice in other compact states on a multistate license; for a non-compact state, or for a nurse who lives in one, a license from the assignment state is needed.
How should a travel nurse posting describe pay?
Show the total weekly amount and break it into its parts: the hourly rate, any stipends or reimbursements, overtime and differentials, and any bonus with its conditions. Say plainly that stipend eligibility depends on the nurse's own situation and that they should get their own tax advice. Check the pay transparency rules for the posting location as well.
Can the posting explain the tax rules for stipends?
Keep it general. The IRS explains the idea of a tax home in Publication 463, but whether a particular nurse qualifies for tax-free stipends depends on their circumstances, and a recruiter is not their tax advisor. Link to the IRS guidance if you mention it, and suggest the nurse speak with a tax professional.
What contract terms belong in the posting?
Start and end dates, shift and hours per week, whether hours are guaranteed and what happens if the facility cancels shifts, the floating policy, the cancellation terms for both sides, and any requirement to complete onboarding before the start date. Travel nurses compare these terms as closely as the pay.