Med Surg Travel Nurse Jobs in Illinois

Outside it. Illinois hasn't implemented the compact, so a multistate or compact license doesn't authorize you here, and every traveler applies to Illinois through IDFPR for an Illinois license. It's the same route whether your home license is multistate or single-state, which surprises people. Start the application before you shortlist jobs; it's the slowest step you'll face.

BLS is always required, and some units also require ACLS. Add one to two years of recent med-surg experience and you match what most facilities look for. Each contract sets its own exact list, and your recruiter can verify those certification requirements for you before submission.

As Chicago plus everything else, priced by unit need, cost of living, and shift. Chicago stipends track city rents; Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, and the downstate markets pair lower costs with rates that climb when floors need to fill; nights add a premium anywhere. The live chart above ranks weekly pay by city. How a specific offer is assembled varies by facility and contract, so put those questions to your recruiter.

Steadier than the raw numbers suggest. Illinois has one of the largest license files in the country, but a license count isn't a headcount of nurses working, and the state's med-surg floors handled hundreds of thousands of admissions last year. Turnover, leave, and census swings keep openings cycling, heaviest in Chicago and consistent downstate. Since the Illinois license is your slow step anyway, use the wait to pick a market.