Travel nurses work in high-demand areas supplying much-needed care to their patients. The arrival of travel nurses tends to result in improved patient outcomes and increased staff productivity.1 This is why travel healthcare companies are always looking for the right person for the job.
Have you always wanted to travel the country and explore new locales? The draw of travel nursing is obvious. But besides the adventure, our travel nurses experience myriad other benefits that help them hone their skills while enjoying an enhanced quality of life.
So, what does a travel nurse do and what makes travel nursing such fulfilling work? We’ve compiled some responses from experienced travelers.
Travelers Love the Job’s Flexibility
Flexibility is one of the primary reasons experienced staff nurses become travelers. Additionally, travel nursing gives capable caregivers the opportunity to make their schedules.
- On average, staff nurses receive just two weeks of time off per year. However, some report that it’s difficult to get approval for their chosen vacation days.
- Travelers, on the other hand, can decide for themselves how many vacation days to take and when to take them.2
There are many things nurses need and work-life balance is definitely one of them. Finding that balance can be difficult in our routine-driven world. Luckily, as a traveler, you get to choose when you work as well as how often you work. If you need time off after a contract, you’re free to take that time for yourself.
How does it work?
There are many types of travel nurses, and because they work on short-term contracts, they get to choose their work schedules. Say your family needs your help for a few weeks after you’ve recently finished a contract in Seattle. You can take as long as you need, then find another contract when you’re ready to work again.
One of our travelers says, “I love having control over my own time off. It helps with the work/life balance.” Another notes that their favorite part of working as a travel nurse is “being able to take as long as I want to travel and be with my family.”
Traveling Means New Places and New Faces
Not only do travelers get to decide when they work, but they also get to choose where they work.
Nurses are needed everywhere. Demand is constantly changing, meaning new environments become available to travelers all the time. Exploration is the name of the game for many of our travelers, and why wouldn’t it be? There’s nothing quite like trying something new in an unfamiliar environment.
Visiting unfamiliar places has a positive effect on our mental health. And as a traveler, you get to explore new neighborhoods, try new foods, and meet new people with every new contract.3
- One of our travelers shares that their favorite part of travel nursing is “exploring a new city, and all the coffee shops and breweries.”
- Many of our travelers note that their geographically dispersed experiences affirm our common humanity. Others make new friendships and professional connections in each locale.
- Travelers reap the benefits of an adventurous lifestyle while earning enough to live comfortably.4
Whether you choose to live a nomadic lifestyle or use your stability to maintain a home base, travel nursing enables a break from routine and an ongoing sense of discovery.
Nursing in Different Areas Develops Your Skills
As in all skilled work, there is always room for improvement as a nurse. Travelers are afforded some of the best opportunities to grow as caregivers because they can see how different symptoms affect different people across various regions.
One traveler notes, “My favorite part of travel nursing is the ability to see the same illness treated in different ways while I travel to new areas I have never been to.”
- The treatment of an illness may be completely different in the Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic Southeast.
- Exposure to a variety of remedies can undoubtedly help grow your skillset and expertise as a nurse.
- Where a staff nurse might treat the same illness the same way for years, as a travel nurse, you may be compelled to try a new solution for your patients.
Better practice means better care. Nursing is a constantly growing field, in that new information is added to it each year. This further deepens the understanding of patient ailments and their cures.
Travelers can compare and contrast the treatment they’ve given in different regions to ensure purposeful care for their current patients.
Take Your First Step with Host Healthcare
Host Healthcare is an award-winning travel healthcare company for good reason. We find our travelers opportunities that fit their needs. Furthermore, our focus on long-term partnerships with each of our travelers helps give them peace of mind before, during, and after their travel experiences.
If you’re looking to join a community of like-minded travelers, apply today and find your next travel healthcare job. We’ll ensure you’re meeting both your career and personal goals.
Sources:
- Registered Nursing. What is Travel Nursing? https://www.registerednursing.org/specialty/travel-nurse/
- Career Trend. What Benefits Do Registered Nurses Receive? https://careertrend.com/list-6736333-benefits-do-registered-nurses-receive-.html
- Psych Central. How Travel Can Benefit Our Mental Health. https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-travel-can-benefit-our-mental-health
- Indeed. Travel Nurse Salary in United States. https://www.indeed.com/career/travel-nurse/salaries
