“Caring is the essence of nursing.”
~Jean Watson (American Nursing Professor)~
Are you already a nurse who loves traveling? Are you a person who loves to meet new people and make new connections? Or do you want to work flexibly with great pay?
Then you should consider travel nursing as your career option because it covers it all! Travel nursing is a potential career for registered nurses, offering endless opportunities, career enhancement, limitless adventure, and personal goal fulfillment.
With so many benefits that you might not get anywhere, it is more than just another job!
If this line of work interests you, consider going for Travel nursing Canada, where you get the chance to work anywhere in the United States as a travel registered nurse.
This article will give a big picture of why travel nursing should be a career option that you can look forward to, so without any further delay, let’s dive into it.
What is Travel Nursing
The travel nursing profession is for registered nurses who fill temporary needs in hospitals and medical facilities. When there is a shortage of staff, travel nurses fill those gaps to make sure that the patients get the required care.
Travel nurse agencies assign nurses to healthcare systems for shorter or longer contracts as per the requirements of patient-centered care.
Generally, a contract lasts for 13 weeks, however, it can range from 4 weeks to even 1 year, as per the need and location. Once the work contract term is completed, travel nurses can extend it or move to another location and facility.
Benefits of Becoming a Travel Nurse
You need to get a clear picture of travel nursing and its benefits before you decide to pursue it. The following is a detailed list of benefits you can get if you choose to become a travel nurse:
As the Name Suggests: You Get to Travel!
As you got the idea, a travel nurse gets to explore different locations around the world. The opportunity to work as a travel nurse turns out to be appealing to those who are adventurous.
One of the best advantages of choosing this profession is that you can complete your short-term assignments. After that you have the choice to work at any location in your country, you can even look for work in foreign countries as well.
Did you know?
Nurses Walk a 5K Every Shift.
This occupation gives you a chance to maintain your lifestyle goals and aspirations, by exploring multiple possibilities.
You will be traveling extensively; sometimes in Texas, California, or maybe New York. The possibilities are endless!
You will be not only working at different places, but it gives you a chance to explore the local area in your free time, which makes this career lucrative.
Flexibility and Freedom
Travel nurses get leverage in terms of flexibility and freedom as compared to staff nurses. Depending on their task, they can arrange their time and holidays before accepting contracts.
It means that you have the freedom to choose the schedule of your contract in advance, in case you have plans. Plus, it will be convenient for you to take a week off or a couple of days’ holiday if needed.
Earn Handsome Salary
If you choose travel nursing as an occupation, there are chances of earning more money than staff nurses.
As per ZipRecruiter reports, the average annual salary travel nurses make in the United States is $121,710, with a monthly wage of $10,142, and an hourly wage of $59.
The reason for such high pay is the increasing demand for healthcare and the shortage of these professionals.
The following statistics represent the average salary of travel nurses.
No Workplace Politics
Does anyone like politics in the workplace? The answer is straight NO!
As everyone is aware, there is no workplace free of an office political environment. But, travel nursing is certainly an exception in this aspect.
In addition, being on a short-term employment contract is beneficial. Travel nurses are not required to stay in one place. Thus, they hardly face any politics or workplace drama.
Since they are not conditioned to keep working at a particular location, they can do their jobs; and look after their parents.
Chance to Meet New People and Make Connections
You will get the chance to meet new people from different walks of life while traveling to different locations for work.
You will be making new connections with your colleagues or maybe outside the work, you never know!
Cherry on top, you will have friends from different countries as well, and maybe in future you will be visiting them for vacation, isn’t that great?
The possibilities are endless, maybe a connection can turn out to be a way to future career opportunities.
Grow Professional Network
When you start out working in different medical facilities at multiple locations, you will interact with a variety of people. It will eventually expand your network, helping in your career progress.
Invest your time in connecting with other nursing professionals. As they can refer you for future opportunities where you can be considered as a potential candidate.
Save on the Cost of Living
If you are concerned about saving on the cost of living, travel nursing might be perfect for you.
Many nursing facilities offer private housing at no cost, which eliminates the day-to-day living expenses drastically.
If your primary goal is to spend low on living expenses, consider staying in such a location.
Work in Diverse Settings
Travel nursing requires you to work in diverse settings. With new job environments, opportunities will be abundant for you.
Sometimes you will be required to work in big facilities, however, there will be instances when you might be working in rural hospitals, or maybe community centers.
As you will be working in diverse locations, it will give a boost to your resume and help you find more and better opportunities.
Do you know?
Travel nurses can take their family and pets along with them, which is not normal in the case of other professions.
Advantages of Having Licensure and Further Education Fee Covered
Most of the travel nursing agencies reimburse you for licensing fees and certifications related to your course.
These companies even keep track of upcoming renewal licenses like state licenses, and basic life support (BLS). On top of that, they sponsor education courses available for travel nurses.
Future Outlook of Travel Nursing
The job opportunities for travel nursing are only going to increase in the future. As per the forecasts by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job opportunities for travel nurses are expected to grow at a faster rate in 2026, compared to any other profession. It says that there will be a need for around 1.1 million nurses to avoid the shortage.
Another factor is the growing number of aged population, and people nowadays tend to live longer.
Thus, the demand for healthcare services is only going to rise in the future. As the demand is only going to increase, more nurses will be required to fill the gap.
Conclusion
Travel nursing can be the perfect choice for anyone who loves to explore different locations. There are so many benefits associated with this profession such as the chance to meet new people, freedom and flexibility, great pay, and many more.
This guide was intended to give a comprehensive picture of a travel nursing career, we hope this will help you make a wise decision.
