RNs love travel nursing because it allows them to work in new cities and climates. It also showcases their adaptability.
Working at different healthcare facilities, from top research hospitals to rural community centers, broadens nurses’ skill sets and introduces them to various techniques. However, travel nursing can come with its challenges.
Flexibility
The travel nursing industry is incredibly flexible, allowing nurses to work in many locations. Travel nurses complete temporary assignments at hospitals and healthcare facilities, ranging from rural clinics to major trauma centers. One of the travel nursing benefits is that they can choose their locations based on personal preferences, available opportunities, or in response to a hospital’s staffing needs.
Many travel nurses take advantage of the flexibility by traveling to areas experiencing a nurse shortage. This enables them to amplify their impact on patients and their communities. Travel nurses also connect with new people from different cultures, neighborhoods, and interests, often forming friendships that last well beyond their assignment.
Travel nursing can be a great option for individuals who want to experience a variety of work environments, but it’s only right for some. Nurses must assess their ability to quickly adapt to changing work environments and responsibilities while balancing the demands of a new location and home life.
Additionally, travel nurses must be able to maintain their vehicles and keep them in good working condition to get to assignments. They may also have to pay for their housing or receive a stipend to help offset housing costs. If these are concerns, a travel nurse can always ask their agency to source housing with different compensation packages.
Higher Pay
If you love nursing but want to spend more time at home with your loved ones, traveling nurses can enjoy a unique career path that allows you to do both. There’s a common misconception that travel nursing pays less than staff positions, but the exact opposite is true. Travel nurses receive high pay rates that often exceed those of permanent nurses with the same qualifications and experience.
Nurses are paid hourly, but the rate varies by location, specialty, and other factors like shift and urgency. The highest-paying travel nurses specialize in rare or high-demand areas such as neonatal intensive care and trauma units. A travel nurse’s compensation package may include tax-free housing, a stipend to cover rent, meals, and other living expenses, and a lucrative healthcare benefits package.
In addition to boosting their paychecks, travel nurses also gain valuable professional experience in new facilities. Working in a new environment shows employers you’re adaptable and ready to take on any challenge. Travel nurses find that the experiences they gain from national travel nurse jobs and crisis management roles can help them in future staff nursing positions as it demonstrates their ability to work in high-pressure and high-stakes situations.
Professional Development
As a travel nurse, you will work in various facilities and locations. Whether working on a Native American reservation, in the Virgin Islands, or even in a teaching hospital, each assignment provides a new experience that will expand your knowledge and skills. Embracing this type of professional growth is vital, especially when you are looking to build your nursing resume for long-term career goals.
Moreover, working as a travel nurse gives you valuable insight into facility administration. If you have ever wanted to see what it’s like to work at a Magnet or teaching hospital, this is your chance! Having the opportunity to experience all types of facilities also helps you narrow down your preferences for where you want to settle down in a permanent nursing position.
In addition to standard perks such as health and dental insurance, 401(k) matching, and housing stipends, travel nurses receive some additional benefits. These include travel and license reimbursements and, often, a free private housing option. With all the benefits that travel nursing offers, it is no wonder many RNs choose this type of career. It allows them to hone their clinical skills, see the country and even grow personally. And who doesn’t want that?
Personal Adventure
Travel nurses can explore a variety of destinations across the country and beyond. Whether you’re drawn to bustling cities like New York or San Francisco, small towns with charm and slow lifestyles, or beachy tropical destinations, there are limitless opportunities to check out a new place and experience life to the fullest.
In addition to seeing different parts of the country, travel nursing can be a great opportunity to learn about different cultures and experience unique environmental settings. Whether you’re a skier, hiker, scuba diver, or a lover of history museums, each new assignment can be an adventure you will remember.
Each travel nursing assignment also presents a unique challenge to help you grow professionally. Each location will require adapting to a new patient population, healthcare system, and clinical practices. Hence, it’s a chance for you to build on your skills and develop a more expansive toolbox of professional knowledge.
As you complete more assignments, you will expand your professional network and make industry connections. This network can prove invaluable if you pursue a long-term position or want to advance your career in a particular specialization. In addition, meeting and working with a diverse group of nurses from many different backgrounds can be an invaluable asset.