It is critical for travel nurses to have a file of up-to-date documents and forms. Nurses have several forms they are required to send to their travel agency upon being recruited. The most recent versions of the following forms should be scanned into your computer and saved in an electronic folder, or organized together in paper form so they can be easily accessed and faxed to your travel agency:

• Copies of nursing licenses for every state you are licensed in.
• Front and back copies of your certification cards (BCLS card by the American Heart Association and any further certifications needed based on your specialty—PALS, ACLS, NALS, etc.). Make sure you have signed the cards before you send them.
• Copies of your Social Security card and driver's license. Be sure to copy the backside of your driver's license if you have any change of address listed there.
• Resume, skills assessment, letters of reference and previous evaluations. Check and double check that your resume and skills assessment are up-to-date and include your most recent experience and skills.
• Vaccination records. The immunizations required are rubella, varicella, hepatitis B, measles, mumps and an annual influenza vaccine or titer test showing immunity.
• Annual physician statement from your doctor.
• Annual TB test—if the TB test is positive, documentation of a clear chest X-ray is required (chest X-rays are usually valid for 2 years, but some facilities have different time frame policies).
• Record of Tdap vaccine (many hospitals are now requiring this).

Having an electronic version of these documents is often easier than paper documents because they can be quickly e-mailed to your travel agency. It is also advisable to back-up your electronic versions on a USB storage device or online drop box—this way, if the documents are somehow deleted from your computer you do not have to rescan them.

Health Providers Choice (HPC) will work with nurses to organize their documents and forms once the information is sent to the agency. HPC will help travelers put together their documents and information to create a portfolio that they can submit to facilities when applying for assignments.