What to check before accepting a travel nursing assignment

1. Licensing and compact privilege

• Confirm the assignment state on the compact state checker — compact or not?
• Confirm your own license reads multistate (not single-state) on Nursys.
• If the state is non-compact, start the endorsement process early — board processing times vary and can gate your start date.
• Confirm your primary state of residence is still accurate — privilege depends on it.

2. Scope of practice and credentialing

• You practice under the assignment state’s nurse practice act and scope — check it for your role.
• Ask about the facility’s credentialing timeline (BLS/ACLS, health records, competencies) so it does not slip your start.
• If you are an APRN, remember the compact does not cover APRN authority — that is a separate, state-by-state approval.

3. Contract terms worth a second read

• Pay package: how the taxable hourly rate and any non-taxable stipends are split, and what happens to stipends if you are eligible or not.
• Guaranteed hours: whether the contract guarantees hours and how missed/cancelled shifts are handled.
• Cancellation: the agency’s and facility’s cancellation terms — before start and mid-assignment — and any penalties.
• Housing: agency-provided housing vs a stipend, and who carries the lease risk.
• Float and shift terms: floating requirements, on-call, and schedule expectations.

We are an independent licensing reference, not a financial, tax, or employment adviser — treat the contract points above as prompts to ask your agency and, where money or taxes are involved, a qualified professional.