What is Travel Nursing?

Travel healthcare professionals are skilled healthcare workers who take assignments in hospitals and long-term care facilities that have short term staffing needs. Travel nursing started due to a shortage of registered nurses in various parts of the country. Travel nurses are usually hired through a staffing agency for a specific location for a certain number of months. Although assignment length can vary, typical travel nursing assignments last about 13 weeks. After an assignment is over, you might be asked to renew your contract and sign up for another 13 weeks or your assignment may just be completed. At that time, you can take another travel assignment somewhere else in the country or go back home.

Traveling is an excellent career choice for nurse aids, nurses, physicians, and physical therapists… who want to advance their careers, salaries, or lifestyles. Traveling gives you the opportunity to build your clinical competency through assignments at award-winning facilities — while visiting exciting new locations across the country.

Skilled Healthcare workers are in high demand, and there are often seasonal shortages or critical needs in certain specialties. A hospital may want to supplement their permanent staff if there is a temporary rise in patient population, or if they are having a hard time finding the right staff for a certain unit. They may even plan for extra clinical support during flu season or during a technology upgrade, when training may occupy much of the permanent staff’s time. Hospitals hire travelers to meet those short-term demands, usually in 13-week blocks, although the assignment may be shorter or longer. Many travelers enjoy their assignments so much, they renew again and again.

Advantages

One of the biggest advantages to working as a travel nurse is the chance to see different parts of the country. Since most travel nursing assignments are only about three months, you probably won’t have the time to get bored. Working in various healthcare facilities and possibly in different departments may keep the job exciting.

Housing: You may wonder how you will find a new place to live every 13 weeks. Most travel nursing staffing agencies set your housing up for you before you start your assignment. Agencies vary in the type of housing they offer. For example, you may be provided a private fully furnished apartment. In other instances, you may have shared housing with another traveler.
If you prefer to find your own place to live, some agencies will provide you with a housing allowance to pay for an apartment. Agencies may vary on whether they pay full utilities and expenses for you to get to your travel assignment.

Travel nursing may also provide a chance to learn new things. Different hospitals and medical centers use different equipment and have varied protocols. Working at different size facilities can also be interesting.

If you are a people person, having new colleagues and neighbors every few months may also be a benefit. You will have the chance to meet a whole new group of people and make friends all over the country.

Working in travel nursing also gives you the freedom and flexibility to choose when and where to work. If you want a few weeks off between assignments, you can arrange your schedule that way. If you prefer to work in warm weather states during the winter months, go for it.