OPT Travel Nurse RN Jobs
Travel Nurse RN jobs on OPT require active RN licensure in the placement state, which means F-1 students must complete NCLEX-RN before their OPT start date. Most assignments run 13 weeks, fitting neatly within standard OPT authorization. STEM OPT extension does not apply to nursing, so your 12-month window is firm.
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INTRODUCTION
Join Our Life-Saving Team in West Lafayette, IN and take advantage of:
- Sign on bonus up to $25,000!
- $20,000 annual Travel Stipend!
We are on the lookout for passionate Flight Paramedics to join our elite crew!
If you've ever dreamt of making a real impact and being part of a life-saving mission, now is your chance! We are looking for talented paramedics to join our team of dedicated professionals. Join us in saving lives!
As a Flight Clinician with PHI Health, you'll be at the forefront of critical care, providing rapid response and advanced medical assistance to those in need. We need heroes like you to ensure swift and effective medical transport, especially in emergencies.
Who We Are:
PHI Health is the leading air ambulance provider in the United States. With an unmatched safety record and the best aviation, medical and communication specialists in the field, we set the standard in the air medical industry. We transport more than 22,000 patients each year from our more than 80 bases across the country, all while offering services and outreach education to local communities and leading healthcare systems. Our mission is simple: move communities to health while maintaining the highest standard of safety, period.
Responsibilities Include:
- Performs a wide range of specialized functions and complex assessments, diagnoses, therapies and emergency treatment of patients transported by rotor-wing and/or fixed-wing and/or ground.
- Documents appropriate and accurate information for assessment and treatment during stabilization and transport.
- Documents accurate and complete billing information of patient transports.
- Maintains and facilitates effective and timely communication between management, internal and external customers.
- Participates in activities to support PR and marketing efforts.
- Maintains knowledge base for flight paramedic role by attending mandatory meetings, chart reviews, equipment reviews, skill labs, clinical rotations, and continuing education sessions related to the care and transport of critically ill and/or injured patients.
- Completes all annual recurrent competency requirements.
- Maintains an active paramedic certification and all other certifications required by policy.
- Clinically functions under the licensure of the program's Medical Director. Indirectly reports to the program's Manager of Clinical Services and the National Director of Clinical Standards.
- Responsible for knowledge of and performing within the regulations and scope of practice of the local Department of Health Services.
Compensation and Benefits:
- We offer a range of competitive pay and benefits package to keep our teams happy, healthy, and invested.
- This package includes competitive pay, Shift bonuses, shift incentives, Annual Safety Bonus, Annual Employee Bonus, and much more.
- For our clinicians, you are eligible to receive our annual continuing education allowance.
Schedule/Location:
- Varied
- You will be required to travel to West Lafayette, IN
The Successful Candidate Will Have:
- Must have an active paramedic certification in the state employed.
- Minimum of three years (five years preferred) current Paramedic field experience in a busy 911/pre-hospital service.
- Current BLS, ACLS, PALS/PEPP and PHTLS/ITLS. NRP preferred. Instructor certifications preferred.
- FP-C within twenty-four months of hire.
- Flight or transport experience preferred.
- Must successfully complete the PHI Air Medical Group education/orientation program.
- Effective human relations skills required for interfacing with all levels of personnel and external customers.
- Must possess basic computer skills for e-mail, electronic charting, etc.
- Bachelor's degree in healthcare related field preferred.
- Must be able to pass pre-placement physical exam including functional capacity exam (strength and flexibility assessment, lift up to 100 pounds), drug screening and background screen.
- Must maintain body weight below 235 lbs.
Our Core Competencies:
- Safe. We are absolute in our belief in the tenets of Destination Zero and that Zero is not only achievable, but the only acceptable outcome.
- Efficient. We are focused on outcomes that are smart and responsible by making the best use of our resources to maximize overall productivity and achieve sustainable profitability as a high performing organization.
- Quality. We are committed to ensuring excellent organizational performance which produces sustainable and reliable outcomes.
- Service. We are dedicated to the service of our customers, our communities and each other.
The PHI Health Advantage:
For more than 40 years, our company has been providing critical air medical transport services across the country. As an organization, we outfit each aircraft we fly with the most advanced technology, subject our crews to the most rigorous protocols and training and pioneer the most-forward thinking safety program in the country.
Everything that we do comes back to the safety of our crew and our patients. Our accident rate is well below the national average and we were the first to receive the Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award. This belief has guided us towards a number of industry firsts and has given us the highest safety rating in the industry.
DISCLAIMER
The above Statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed, as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.
PHI, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Travel Nurse RN
Secure your RN license before OPT begins
State nursing boards can take 6 to 12 weeks to process applications after NCLEX-RN. Start the licensure application in your target state immediately after graduation so your license is active on your OPT start date.
Target staffing agencies that sponsor H-1B
Most travel nursing agencies hire on OPT without issue, but sponsorship options after OPT vary widely. Prioritize agencies with a documented history of H-1B visa filings for RNs, since nursing qualifies as a specialty occupation.
Understand the 13-week assignment cycle
Travel nurse contracts typically run 13 weeks. Map your remaining OPT time before accepting an assignment to confirm you can complete the full contract without your work authorization lapsing mid-placement.
Apply for Nurse Compact License if eligible
If your primary state of residence participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, one license covers 40-plus states. This dramatically widens your assignment options without filing separate licensure applications in every new state.
Report employer changes to your DSO promptly
Each new travel assignment with a different staffing agency counts as an employer change under OPT rules. Notify your Designated School Official within 10 days of starting with any new agency to keep your SEVIS record current.
Track your 90-day unemployment limit carefully
Gaps between travel nursing assignments count toward your OPT unemployment limit. Keep documentation of assignment end dates and new contract start dates, and pursue your next placement before the current one ends.
Travel Nurse RN OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as travel nurses in the United States?
Yes, F-1 students with active OPT authorization can work as travel nurses, provided they hold a valid RN license in the state where each assignment is located. Your OPT EAD card serves as your work authorization document. Each new staffing agency must be reported to your DSO as an employer update in SEVIS.
Does nursing qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month extension?
No. Nursing is classified under CIP code 51.3801, which is not on the STEM Designated Degree Program List. F-1 nursing graduates receive the standard 12-month OPT period only. Planning your post-OPT visa pathway, such as H-1B sponsorship through your staffing agency, should begin well before your OPT expires.
How do travel nursing assignment gaps affect my OPT unemployment limit?
Any day between assignments when you are not employed counts as an unemployment day under OPT rules. F-1 students on post-completion OPT may not accumulate more than 90 unemployment days. Back-to-back 13-week contracts with minimal gaps is the safest approach. Overlapping your job search with your current assignment end date reduces the risk of exceeding the limit.
Where can I find travel nurse RN jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT and visa-sponsored candidates, so every listing is filtered for work authorization compatibility. Searching on Migrate Mate lets you browse travel nurse roles at agencies that actively hire international candidates, saving time you would otherwise spend screening general job postings for OPT eligibility.
Do I need a new EAD or updated work authorization for each travel nursing assignment?
No. Your existing OPT EAD remains valid for the duration of the authorized period regardless of how many assignments or agencies you work with. What changes with each new agency is your SEVIS employer record, not your EAD. Report each new staffing agency to your DSO within 10 days of starting the assignment.