Did you know that the coronavirus pandemic has caused a need for travel nurses like the nation has never seen before? With fluctuating caseloads, hospitals are scrambling to figure out the best way to meet their staffing shortages.
Enter travel nurses. Travel nurses are medical providers that go to hospitals and facilities experiencing staffing shortages and need nurses to fill in the gaps.
Have you ever thought about becoming a traveling nurse? Here are some of the biggest advantages to being a travel nurse and how it can help your nursing career.
1. Better Compensation
One of the biggest perks of travel nursing is that the pay is much more lucrative than your regular nursing opportunities. This is because they are in high demand, so they are paying for your flexibility and your ability to move quickly.
In addition, you will get paid more as a travel nurse because you will likely have to deal with staffing shortages. Make sure you know how to cope with high-stress situations.
You may receive even more pay if you are in a specialty that is hard to fill. For instance, some specialties such as oncology and emergency nursing are more difficult to find permanent staffing for.
2. Flexible Scheduling
When you start travel nursing, you will be asked about your availability. Based on what you need to make and how often you want assignments, you can choose any variation to suit your preferences.
If you have children, then it may be a good idea to do travel nursing based on your and your spouse’s work schedule and their school schedule. You can also decide when you want to take time off to go on vacation.
Nursing itself also has more flexible scheduling. Usually, you will do shorter weeks or three shifts of 12 hours each. This leaves multiple days off for long weekends.
Your options for flexibility depend on the agency that you choose and their rules. For example, you may need to notify them if you want to take a long break from travel nursing or stay in one place for longer than your intended assignment.
3. See New Places
You can outline your preferences when you sign up for nursing career options through a travel nursing agency. However, many agencies encourage you to reach outside of your comfort zone and explore places you may not have seen.
If you have always wanted to explore the world, you can do so while working as a travel nurse. In addition, nursing agencies usually offer you a travel and housing stipend, so you will not have to spend money on lodging.
You can go site-seeing and visit restaurants on your days off. You may just find your next vacation spot or somewhere that you want to move permanently once you settle down for different nurse opportunities.
For people who love to travel but do not always have the budget for it, travel nursing is truly the best of both worlds when it comes to work-life balance.
4. Job Security
Nursing, in general, is a very stable job, but travel nursing provides even more job security. Few people are willing and able to move to another location at the drop of a hat.
In addition, hospitals will offer higher incentives for nurses in order to keep attracting travel nurses to help fill the gaps. Many nurses from the baby boomer generation are retiring, leaving a gap in care for other nurses to fill.
Although you may not be able to build seniority in the traditional way that you would in a workplace, you can still count on growing compensation as a travel nurse.
5. Grow in Your Role
In a regular hospital setting, your nursing career options and promotion schedule are much more structured. However, by being a travel nurse, you can grow in your role in a much different way.
You will be able to dip your toes into specialties that you may not have thought of before. You may end up finding a skill set that you did not know you were interested in before.
If you ever decide that you want to go back to regular nursing, you can have many different options and directions to go from your experience as a travel nurse.
6. Avoid Workplace Disputes
One of the biggest drawbacks to any work situation is workplace disputes and politics. Sometimes stressful interpersonal relationships can get in the way of providing care for patients and good workplace relationships.
When you take travel nurse opportunities, you are much less likely to run into issues like favoritism or politics that can interfere with your job. You will be able to focus on your goal of giving the best care possible.
You can also learn about a variety of different workplaces. If you decide to switch to a more permanent nursing career, you will know which attitudes not to bring back to the workplace.
7. Work With an Agency
As a travel nurse, you will not have to reach out to hospitals or medical facilities to get work. Instead, you will likely work with an agency that can facilitate the transitions for you.
They will do all the heavy lifting when it comes to matching you with assignments that meet your needs and getting you the appropriate compensation.
When it comes to issues like scheduling, pay, and benefits, you can work with the agency rather than having to go through every hospital you work for to answer your questions.
So Many Benefits of Being a Traveling Nurse
If you want to change up your nursing career, nothing is better than becoming a travel nurse. With these advantages, you can explore many other aspects of your nursing career while having the time of your life.
Want to learn more about how you can leap into your next medical career? Check out a medical staffing agency or contact us today so we can answer all of your questions about how to become a travel nurse.
