Last Updated on July 17, 2023 by Flavia Calina
Travel nurse fill gaps in staffing in healthcare facilities across the country. As such, they often earn higher pay than their permanent counterparts. With each assignment, nurses get a chance to experience a new setting. Whether it’s a bustling city or the ocean, each facility has unique experiences that will teach them skills they can use in their future careers.
Higher Pay
Travel nurses are often compensated more than staff nurses, particularly in high-cost-of-living areas. In addition, they are offered more pay for accepting assignments in areas facing shortages of registered nurses.
Additionally, travel nursing allows RNs to experience different hospitals and work conditions. They may be exposed to other electronic medical record systems, types of equipment and patient populations. These experiences can help them advance their careers.
Moreover, travel nurses have the opportunity to develop a large professional network in various locations. They can meet professionals and specialists nationwide and build lasting relationships.
Beyond the higher hourly wages, many travel nurse agencies provide health insurance and housing stipend. In most cases, agency-provided housing is fully furnished and close to the hospital. This makes it easy for nurses to visit friends and family between contracts. Depending on the nursing specialty, they also have the option to choose longer or shorter assignments. This flexibility in contract lengths and destinations is attractive to many nurses. It allows them to try out different settings and learn what they like and don’t like before committing to a long-term assignment.
Opportunity to Travel
One of the travel nurse benefits is that it allows nurses to see different parts of the country and experience life there. Nurses can choose where they want to accept their contracts and, depending on the hospital, where they want to live. Typically, agencies arrange for the nurse to rent an apartment or live in a “tax home” to reduce their tax liability and make housing more affordable.
The opportunity to travel also makes it possible for nurses to build up a network of professional contacts quickly. They will likely meet permanent staff at the hospitals they work at and other travelers and can use these connections to find long-term positions if they desire. The opportunity to meet so many people also means that they will learn a lot about how different facilities operate, and this can help them determine what type of facility they may want to seek out for their next assignment. It can also give them valuable information about what they do and don’t like in a workplace environment.
Less Stress
Many travel nurses choose to work with a staffing agency that can set up their interviews with the hospital administration, help find them fully-furnished housing that’s often free and located close to the hospital, and even give them meal stipends. This helps alleviate the stress that comes with working as a new nurse.
Travel nurses can build a huge professional network by frequently moving to new assignments. They make friends with permanent hospital staff and fellow travel nurses, which can benefit their careers.
They also experience different hospital systems, and some may be locations they want to move to long-term. However, it’s important to remember that the hospital or healthcare system may end your contract early if they no longer need you, which can be stressful. But your staffing agency will always try to find you another assignment if this happens.
Flexibility
As a travel nurse, you can dabble in many areas of nursing. This gives you a more well-rounded experience and allows you to find your niche. It also helps you decide better once ready to take on a permanent position.
Many travel nurses work with a staffing agency that will help them find assignments and provide them with housing and other benefits like health insurance and 401(k) plans. This reduces your expenses and increases your paycheck, deciding to become a travel nurse an even more appealing one.
In addition to the flexibility during an assignment, travel nurses can schedule extended time off between jobs. This allows them to visit family and friends, take vacations, or pursue other interests. It’s also a great way to learn more about the different parts of the country and explore places they may want to move to someday. This helps them avoid burnout and keeps their career fresh. It also teaches them how to adapt and think critically, skills they can carry into their permanent job.
Opportunity to Explore
Travel nurses earn a competitive compensation rate for their work and can choose open assignments in locations that appeal to them. In addition, they can usually take vacation time between contracts.
Nurses working in different facilities can gain a broader perspective of hospital administration, a key aspect of their career growth. For example, if they work in an understaffed NICU, they may learn to adapt their patient management and charting techniques to meet the unit’s needs better.
Travel nurses contract with their agencies to get a job assignment and receive taxable wages and a housing stipend. Top travel nursing agencies offer fully furnished, pet-friendly, centrally located apartment complexes near their contract hospitals. Nurses can also rent their private accommodations or share an apartment with another travel nurse. This flexibility allows nurses to save money for future assignments or purchase a bigger place in their desired location. The freedom to test out new areas can also help nurses determine if they want to live in that city long-term. Read more interesting articles on Today world info
