Why Being a Travel Nurse is Beneficial Travel nurses are an ever popular trend in the medical field today. Nursing shortages and popular vacation resorts have created an increase in the demands for nurses. When there are no available nurses locally, travel nurses are often called on to fill current positions. Traveling nursing careers offer change, and the opportunity to visit new places and meet new people. Travel nursing may not be for everyone; however it may be worth investigating if you have an interest. What is a Travel Nurse? A travel nurse is a nurse who is hired to work in a specific location for a limited amount of time. Travel nurses typically work 13 week periods in one area, and move around the country depending on where they are needed. Because the demand for nurses is so high, there are often shortages in certain areas, and a traveling nursing will be hired to come in and work in a specific position for a short amount of time. Travel Nurses are able to choose between several jobs in a variety of areas lasting for different lengths of time. This allows traveling nurses the freedom to choose where and when they work. The freedom to choose where and when you work is a great benefit that allows travel nurses the ability to take time off when they want and not be stuck at the same job day after day. Travel Nursing Advantages The major benefit of travel nursing is that you get to choose where you live and work. If you are tired of your current location or want to get away from cold weather for the winter, you have the ability to find a job in a different location and move for a short period of time. You are able to make money from wherever you like and are able to change locations and assignments regularly if you choose. With a travel nursing job, you also have the ability to vacation where you work and explore new cities and parts of the country or world on your time off. You have the opportunity to see new places and test them out for a while to see if you would want to eventually live there permanently. Travel nurses earn competitive wages and are able to provide a comfortable life for themselves. Typically, the cost of travel and living arrangements are included in the job so you don’t need to worry about paying high prices for rent. These perks are a great way to save money and focus on working and enjoying the city you are working in. If you have an adventurous spirit and
enjoy moving around and exploring new locations, you may be the perfect fit for a travel nursing position. Related: Nursing Technology Problems and Solutions Common Questions About Travel Nurses How long is each assignment? Most assignments are between 8 and 26 weeks long. Sometimes the facility offers you the option to renew if you want to stay longer! That allows you to decide where and when you want to work. Can my family come? Yes! If you choose to travel with family, you may be asked to pay for part of your housing, but this is a great way for family to travel together. The great news is even the furry member (cat/dog) of your family can come. Pets are welcome in many cases. Can I pick my city? Depending on your nursing specialty and what is in demand, you can pick where you want to go! Your preferred city may not immediately be available, but there are many great travel opportunities and maybe your favorite city will eventually come available. What’s the pay like? Because of the high demand, travel nursing often pays very well. In addition, travel nursing agencies pay for your housing while on assignment. Your compensation varies based on skill level, specialty, and facilities. Also many travel nursing companies have great bonus programs and provide retirement, medical, and dental benefits. If an assignment is cut short due to low census (low patient count), do I still get full pay? If your assignment is cut short due to low census you typically will not get paid. However, your recruiter will attempt to find you a replacement assignment and the number of shifts allowed to be canceled will be written in your contract. Can I travel with another travel nurse? Yes. Many traveling RNs select assignments together. You can request to work in the same hospital, same city, share an apartment or apartment complex. How will working as a travel nurse affect future employment? Traveling as a nurse actually increases your skill level and could make you a more eligible candidate for future nursing jobs. Here’s why: 1) Short travel nursing assignments around the country expose you to different regional nursing procedures. 2) You may have the opportunity to work in a wider variety of specialties. 3) It’s impressive to future employers when a travel nurse can
drop into a clinical environment and successfully care for patients quickly and with high quality. Related: How to Prepare For Your First Week of Grad School Can I take a travel assignment close to my home? Many facilities and agencies have a radius rule that does not allow you to take a travel nursing assignment within 50 to 100 miles from your home. This rule is in place to keep permanent local RN’s from switching to higher paying travel nursing contracts. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work far from your friends or family. In fact, about 80% of first time traveling nurses works within their home state or a neighboring state, according to the National Student Nurses Association. And many nursing schedules give you multiple days off, making it easy to travel home for a visit. What are standard travel nurse hours? Standard hours are five 8s, four 10s or three 12s, making it easy to travel home during your days off. How long has travel nursing been around? Will demand for travel nurses fall? Travel nursing companies started operations in the 1980s as a result of nursing shortages. Demand for travel nurses has been strong since then. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates a shortage of 1 million nurses by 2020. As medical facilities need more RNs the need for travel nurses will grow, possibly faster than the number of nurses in general. Finding A Travel Nursing Position Most travel nurse assignments last 13 weeks, so if you decide you don’t like where you are working your commitment is minimal. If you do like your job and location, many nurses are offered extensions at the end of their assignment. After finding an agency that fits your needs and all of your paperwork is complete, it’s time to choose an assignment. Many people have an idea of where they would like to travel. There might not always be options in the specific city you choose but it is almost guaranteed that there will be some in the state you choose, so keep an open mind when choosing an assignment. To work in other states it is necessary to have an RN license for that particular state. Ask your recruiter about compact RN licenses which allow you to work in many states without obtaining that specific license. If you do not have a compact RN license make sure you have enough time to acquire that state’s license before your start date. Be sure to verify if a contract is required. If indeed you have to sign a contract, be sure you committed to your new assignment.
The Travel Nurse Interview Once you have selected where you want to work, you will be able to compare offers and interview at various locations and decide which position is best for you. The interview process for becoming a travel nurse is much simpler than it is for a staff position. Usually a nurse manager from your staffing agency will interview you; sometimes the manager of the unit will, but that doesn’t happen all of the time. In most instances, they will have already looked at your skills checklist that you completed with your agency and have determined whether or not you are qualified for the position. Remember, this is also an opportunity for you to decide if you want this position so write down specific questions you want to ask them, like how often they have travel nurses at their facility, what the cancellation policy is, if you will have to take call, and if there are opportunities for overtime. Travel nurses receive many benefits including housing near or at the facility in which they will be working, competitive salaries, insurance, and retirement plans. In addition to the benefits, many travel nursing companies will offer sign-on bonuses once you complete your first assignment. If you are a RN who is interested in working in a new area as a travel nurse, fill out the form to start working with a staffing agency who can help you find the nursing job you have been looking for.
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