{"id":5779,"date":"2022-11-09T16:29:18","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T16:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/?p=5779"},"modified":"2022-11-09T16:30:11","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T16:30:11","slug":"travel-nurse-career-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivian.com\/community\/travel-nursing\/travel-nurse-career-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel Nurse Careers: Is Travel Nursing Right for You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re passionate about the work you do as a nurse, but your daily routine has become stale, it might be time to consider whether a travel nurse career is right for you. Travel nurses fill in temporarily when hospitals and other healthcare facilities experience staffing shortages for various reasons. They may work in one community for an extended period or move around to different cities or states every few weeks. Travel nursing can be highly lucrative and professionally rewarding, not to mention you get to travel essentially for free, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s right for you. We\u2019ll help you answer this question and other <\/span>frequently asked questions about travel nursing<\/span><\/a> with a little help from an experienced traveler.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is a Travel Nurse?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Maybe you\u2019ve heard of travel nursing or even know someone who has done it or is currently doing the job, but you still may not have a solid idea of <\/span>what travel nurses do<\/span><\/a> and why they\u2019re needed. In a nutshell, travel nurses do the same jobs as staff nurses, only on temporary contracts at different facilities around the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nurses can <\/span>find travel nursing jobs<\/span><\/a> on Vivian\u2019s jobs marketplace and work with a travel staffing agency that partners with healthcare systems seeking travelers to fill their scheduling gaps, traditionally for 13 weeks at a time. Travel nursing isn\u2019t for everyone, and you must ask yourself several questions to learn whether you\u2019d enjoy a travel nurse career.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do You Have the Flexibility to Travel?<\/b><\/h3>\n

While traveling offers a great deal of flexibility to the nurse, travel nurse recruiters and employers often expect travel nurses to have a significant amount of flexibility themselves. Recruiters and employers seek applicants who can take on jobs quickly, sometimes with as little as a week\u2019s notice. They want applicants who can cover the required shifts, work the entire contract, float between units and\/or facilities, adapt to new ways of doing things fast and be flexible on the job.<\/span><\/p>\n

With experience, you learn to adapt quickly and provide the versatility needed on the job, but what about before the assignment begins? Being available for assignments and getting to them on time may require a great deal of flexibility, especially <\/span>early in your travel nursing career<\/span><\/a> when you have fewer assignments available due to your inexperience.<\/span><\/p>\n

Travelers with family may face even greater challenges regarding flexibility. Can they leave their families whenever an assignment arises, or does it take time to arrange for someone to stay with them? If you <\/span>travel nurse with your family<\/span><\/a>, can you pack everyone up and take them across the country on short notice? Even furry, four-legged family members can put a kink in how quickly you can jet off to a new assignment. However, you can work around these constraints with the <\/span>right agency and recruiter<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFlexibility is a key factor as to why people choose travel nursing as a career,\u201d said Jeremy Commisso, former cath lab and critical care travel nurse, turned founder and CEO of <\/span>Nurse First Travel Agency<\/span><\/a>. Nurse First is<\/span> a travel nurse staffing agency that prioritizes and advocates for nurses\u2019 needs first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a new travel nurse requires a certain level of flexibility as far as location and time commitments, but it also offers a lot of flexibility in terms of getting assignments that best fit your lifestyle preferences, nurse specialization and family\u2019s needs,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have a choice on all these preferences, which is great but can be overwhelming. This is why it\u2019s important to always communicate with your travel nurse agency because they can help choose the perfect placement for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Do You Have What It Takes to Be Alone?<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Travel<\/p>\n

Traveling alone to unfamiliar places can be scary to some people. Will you know how to navigate a new city and stay safe while traveling on your own? If you can\u2019t take your family with you, are you okay with being alone much of the time? Can you handle the loneliness and be okay with just seeing your family and friends over video chat for several weeks?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have an assignment your family cannot travel to, it might be difficult at first,\u201d Commisso said. \u201cBut with creativity and consistency, the absence can become more bearable.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As a travel nurse, you\u2019re typically at each assignment for a short period, so making friends at each new location can be difficult. Assignments at facilities with understaffing issues are often hectic, with little time off, making it even more difficult to <\/span>have a social life between shifts<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because travel nurses typically earn more than perm nurses, staff members might not be all that friendly. Adding a hostile work environment to the mix can make you feel alienated and enhance your loneliness.<\/span><\/p>\n

In September 2022, Zippia reported that the employment of travel nurses in the United States totaled nearly 1.7 million, with about 84% of them women. If you choose to travel alone, talk with experienced travel nurses to learn how they adapted and ensured their safety. However, you don\u2019t have to go alone if you don\u2019t want to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMany people still believe that travel nursing isn\u2019t a possible career opportunity for those who have families,\u201d said Commisso. \u201cThere\u2019s a misconception that travelers are always on the go and don\u2019t have the capacity to make time for their loved ones, which is simply not true. Travel nurses have the flexibility and control to make their careers work for them regardless of their circumstances.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He explained that some travelers only work during specific seasons or in certain regions, while others travel with their significant others or families. Taking either route may mean you don\u2019t have to adapt to being alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith an increase in hybrid and remote work for more traditional fields, having a travel companion join you is becoming even more popular among travel nurses,\u201d Commisso said.\u00a0\u201dFor travel nurses who have young children, some nurses may choose to accept contracts when their children are on breaks and their families can come with them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, extended and short-term assignments allow nurses to determine how long they want to be away and whom they want to bring. This is why it\u2019s important to stay in communication with agencies and recruiters because they can help accommodate all the travelers’ needs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Another false narrative that Commisso pointed out was that the only way travel nursing could be profitable is if the traveler takes contracts across the country. However, he said many local opportunities exist that allow travel nurses to work and earn good money while remaining at home with their families.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cons of a Travel Nurse Career<\/b><\/h3>\n

Everyone has heard many times that <\/span>travel nurses earn more<\/span><\/a> than their <\/span>staff equivalents earn<\/span><\/a>, but is the extra money you make really worth being constantly on the move and away from family and friends? Let\u2019s look at three potentially significant drawbacks to help you determine whether a travel nurse career is a good move for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Multiple License Requirements<\/b><\/p>\n

Travel nurses must have an active license in each state where they plan to work, which requires advanced planning and additional funds to obtain and maintain each license. However, if your primary state of residence adopted the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) and you meet the <\/span>Uniform Licensure Requirements for a multistate license<\/span><\/a>, you can practice in all other Compact states without further licensure requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

The eNLC made it easier for nurses to travel, but not all states have joined. As of October 2022, <\/span>35 states were part of the Compact<\/span><\/a>, with one more enacting the eNLC but still awaiting implementation. Thus, at the time of this writing, 15 states and Washington, D.C., weren\u2019t part of the Compact. If you take any travel assignments in these areas, you must apply for licensure by endorsement and receive a single-state license valid only in that state.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, many travel nurse agencies help you obtain additional licenses and may even pay your licensing fees. On the downside, you must keep track of when each renewal is due, and you\u2019ll likely have to pay the renewal fees yourself if you want to maintain the license for possible future assignments.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. The Many Logistics of Traveling<\/b><\/p>\n

Moving constantly from one assignment to another can become exhausting and stressful. Even if you work with an agency, you\u2019re often responsible for making your own travel arrangements. If you take the housing stipend, you\u00a0<\/span>also<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must secure temporary accommodations at each new location.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although your agency may reimburse you for travel expenses, you usually pay these expenses up front and must wait for your reimbursement, tying up a potentially large amount of funds. Unfortunately, many agencies only pay half your travel reimbursement on the first paycheck and hold onto the other half until the last paycheck to encourage you to complete your contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s even worse than waiting on your money is many agencies cap travel expenses, and this amount seldom covers the actual cost of getting to your new assignment. Not only are you footing part of the bill yourself, but now you must go to the additional trouble of saving receipts for unreimbursed expenses so you can claim them as deductions on your taxes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Besides the monetary issues, other factors related to constant traveling that could increase your stress level include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n