Your First Travel Contract: A 12-Item Checklist From Recruiters Who Place Travelers Weekly

The first travel contract is the hardest one. After the first, you know what to ask, what to pack, and what red flags to watch for. Before the first, you have to take a recruiter's word for everything. This checklist is what we wish every first-time traveler had in their hand before signing.

Before you sign

1. Verify the pay breakdown in writing.

You should have, in writing: hourly taxable rate, lodging stipend amount, M&IE stipend amount, OT rate, guaranteed hours per week, total weekly gross. If anything is "we will figure it out," do not sign. See our pay calculator post for what a clean breakdown looks like.

2. Confirm guaranteed hours.

Travel contracts should have a minimum guarantee (typically 36 hours/week). Without one, the facility can call you off and pay nothing. With one, they pay even if they call you off. Big difference over 13 weeks.

3. Read the cancellation clauses.

Both directions. What happens if the facility cancels you? What happens if you have to leave? Pay attention to the penalty schedule — first 2 weeks vs. mid-contract are often very different.

4. Confirm shift type and length.

12-hour days, 12-hour nights, 8-hour rotating, 4×10s — clarify before signing. "Variable" should worry you. So should "as needed."

5. Confirm float requirements.

Will you float? To which units? How often? Float to ED from Med-Surg Tele is a different job from your hire job. Get it in writing.

6. Confirm time off you have already requested.

Pre-approved time off (PTO) before you sign. After you sign it gets harder. If you have a wedding/funeral/vacation in week 8, get it documented in the contract addendum.

Before you start

7. Pack the documentation binder.

Bring physical copies (not just digital):

• Driver's license + 1 backup ID
• Social Security card
• License (RN, allied)
• BLS / ACLS / PALS / specialty certs
• Vaccination records (the full set: MMR, Tdap, Hep B, varicella, flu, COVID)
• TB test (PPD or QuantiFERON) within the last year
• Physical exam form signed by a provider within 1 year
• Drug screen result
• Recent skills checklist
• Recommendations / references

Most facility credentialing systems are stricter than agency credentialing. Have everything physical AND in cloud storage.

8. Sort housing logistics 3+ weeks out.

Furnished month-to-month rentals (Furnished Finder, Airbnb monthly, traveler-specific sites) book up fast for popular markets. Three weeks before start is the deadline; two weeks is panic mode. Confirm: cost vs. stipend, parking situation, distance to hospital, lease terms, any pet policies if you bring a pet.

9. Plan the drive (or flight).

Most contracts have a one-time travel reimbursement. Use it. Build in a buffer day before contract start — show up the day before, do a hospital drive-by, find the parking lot, and sleep in the right time zone.

10. Pre-call the unit if you can.

Ask the recruiter to put you in touch with the unit manager or charge nurse before your start date. Even a 10-minute call where you introduce yourself and ask about the patient population goes a long way for the first day.

On day 1

11. Document everything from minute 1.

Orientation hours, badge issuance, computer access, EPIC/Cerner login — keep a running note. If your computer access takes 4 days to get, that is 4 days of training time you might be billed for as a "no-show" if you do not document. Travelers without paper trails lose disputes.

12. Don't be a know-it-all.

You are good at what you do. The facility's protocols, EMR shortcuts, and unit culture are still new. Ask questions, learn names, and let your competence show through your work — not through being the loudest voice in report. The unit's permanent staff has seen 50 travelers come and go. Be the one they remember positively.

What to expect emotionally

The first week is hard. New EMR, new commute, new coworkers, new bed, no friends. By week 3 it is fine. By week 6 you are looking at extension or your next contract.

That dip in week 1 is normal. Power through.

The bottom line

Travel nursing is mostly logistics, then competence. Get the logistics right before you sign, show up prepared, and your first contract becomes the foundation for a career.

Browse open contracts when you are ready, or talk to a recruiter if you want a human walk-through.