Are you filling out a job application? Are you required to fill out a document called a “skills checklist?” If you are unsure about what this is, or the best way to fill it out, we can help! Almost every travel nurse job application includes a travel nurse skills checklist. These checklists are designed to assess your skill level and predict your performance in the nursing role. You are responsible for filling them out and assessing your own skills. We’ve detailed what a skills checklist is and how best to fill them out below!
What is A Travel Nurse Skills Checklist?
A skills checklist is designed to be a self-assessment. Each specialty of travel nursing has its own skills checklist. For example, if you are applying to be a stepdown nurse, you may have to fill out a specific skills checklist for stepdown nursing. Agencies use skills checklists to assess a candidate’s experience. One specialty may value certain skills over others. However, a different specialty may not even value those same skills. Travel nurse skills checklists are usually all formatted the same. They ask a series of questions and have you rate yourself on a numerical scale. An example of a question for a hospice RN might be “What experience do you have with NG tube insertion?” The answer options will be on a scale from 0 to 3. The rating 0 corresponds to no experience and the rating 3 corresponds to high experience. Almost every travel nursing application includes a skills checklist. This checklist, the application, and references usually comprise the entire job submission.
Travel Nurse Skills Checklist Details
These checklists can sometimes be over five pages. Many current job postings ask your recent experience with certain nursing technologies. These questions are so the agencies and hospitals are sure you are up-to-date with all of the related procedures and instruments in your field. These kinds of questions are very important when applying for a travel nursing position because agencies want to make sure you are the best possible candidate for the highly-competitive job. As the travel nursing field changes, you will have to keep your skills checklists updated. You usually won’t be able to use the same checklist for multiple job applications, as they will differ. However, once you save one skills checklist, you can usually use it to help you fill out other similar checklists later on.
When and Where to Fill Out a Travel Nurse Skills Checklist
Though you will typically fill out a skills checklist when applying for a job, you can fill one out anytime. This may be helpful in determining your own experience and skills you still need to work on. After you fill out the skills checklist, you will see where your strengths and weaknesses are. The checklist will give you an idea of what to work on in order to have a competitive checklist when applying for jobs. Remember, the travel nursing field is always changing. Be sure to continue to fill out skills checklists in order to remain proficient in the latest technology! The most accurate checklists to fill out on your own for career assessment will be on job applications. You can download a checklist from an application without filling out the application if you are just assessing your skills for your own knowledge.
Hopefully, you now feel more confident in properly filling out a travel nurse skills checklist. You will greatly benefit from assessing your skills even before starting a job application! In order to find a skills checklist from a job you would potentially want, you can browse our list of travel nursing opportunities! Once you find the job that’s right for you, start filling out that skills checklist.
