8 Reasons to Try Travel Nursing

Being a nurse is a rewarding yet challenging career path. There are many details to consider, including specialties, workplaces, and schedule preferences. One of the best ways to discover your perfect nursing position is to try travel nursing. It’s an immersive experience that will allow you to experience different environments, specialties, and procedures while providing you the flexibility and opportunity to do what you love on your terms. Even if travel nursing is not your forever career choice, here are 8 reasons to try it at least once.

Higher Pay

Competitive pay is one of the most popular reasons to become a travel nurse. Nurse shortages are common in health facilities, and travel nurses are the best solution for the facility to meet demands promptly. This allows them the flexibility to look for long-term staff (or even tempt the travel nurse into staying) without compromising the quality of care. At the same time, high demand, shorter contracts, and lack of facility-provided benefits allow for higher wages. That, in addition to stipends (non-taxable income), makes for lucrative pay.

Travel Opportunities

Traveling is an inherent perk for travel nurses. You get to go to new places you want to visit while having a job to support your lifestyle and fun. The shorter contracts mean that you can travel around multiple locations, moving on when you feel ready to go. It’s also a great way to do a trial run for a possible place to settle without the risk of getting locked into a place or facility you won’t enjoy in the long run.

Career Opportunities

Not having a set location to look for a job significantly increases your opportunity to find the occupation you want. Some places naturally have higher demands for employment and fewer open positions. By opening more markets and employment opportunities, travel nursing also pads your resume by allowing you to gain experience in your chosen field, making you a competitive applicant in the long run.

Diversity

Nursing, in general, is a demanding profession with a high burn-out rate. Doing the same job in the same setting can often contribute to even higher frustration levels. In this sense, travel nursing allows for flexibility in locations, settings, work environments, and tasks that keep you interested and fresh. Travel nurses get to work in different facilities for a shorter time, allowing them to learn, develop, and do the work they love without the burden of a stifling routine.

Flexibility

A major benefit of travel nursing is the flexibility of working where you want when you want. While regular contracts call for set working hours and time off, travel nursing is based on shorter-term contracts, allowing you to take a break for however long you need between assignments. The different contracts also allow you to pick what shift you work.

Meeting New People

Travel Nursing is also a great way of extending your personal and professional network. The shorter contracts in different locations and facilities will allow you to get to know other people in your field and meet interesting people along the way. If you’re looking for your community or want to create valuable professional connections, travel nursing is the job for you.

Job Security

Job security is another major benefit of being a travel nurse. Staff shortages are common for health facilities, and even if the place you are at right now doesn’t call for more nurses, there will always be multiple other facilities in the same or different locations that can use your expertise. Also, especially when you partner with a staffing agency, you will have a dedicated advocate for your well-being and success.

Control Over Your Career

Workplace politics and upheavals are a major cause of burnout. Being a travel nurse means having shorter contracts, more opportunities to change facilities and settings, and less burdensome workplace politics and drama – if the facility no longer works for you, you don’t need to stay.

In conclusion, even if travel nursing isn’t your forever job, you should try it in your nursing career. It will allow you to learn and gain experience while affording you the flexibility to enjoy traveling and working on your terms.

Resources:

Bryant & Stratton College. (2022). How to get an internship in healthcare. Bryant & Stratton College. https://www.bryantstratton.edu/blog/healthcare-degrees/how-to-get-internship/

Nexus University. (2021). Top 5 reasons to try travel nursing at least once. Nexus University. https://www.nexusuniversity.com/top-5-reasons-to-try-travel-nursing-at-least-once/

Trusted Health. (2022). 10 pros and cons of travel nursing. Trusted Health. https://www.trustedhealth.com/blog/10-pros-cons-of-travel-nursing

UnitiMed. (2023). Top 10 reasons to become a travel nurse. UnitiMed. https://unitimed.com/top-10-reasons-to-become-a-travel-nurse/