Across the country, nurses are in high demand, and hospitals everywhere are looking for nurses to fill open positions. Because of this, new and experienced nurses see many opportunities with travel nursing as a career. Aside from just traveling around the United States to new assignments, there are various other benefits of being a travel nurse.
Here are the top 10 benefits of becoming a travel nurse!
1. Get Paid to Travel the Country
The most obvious benefit of travel nursing is being able to travel basically anywhere in the country while maintaining a full-time nursing job. Whether you’ve always wanted to live close to a beach, in the mountains, or in the heart of a large city, travel nursing lets you experience living in all parts of the country.
With a shortage of nurses affecting the whole United States, travel nurses can go nearly anywhere. At OneStaff, we have openings all across the country, so you can request your desired assignment location. If you’re not sure about where you want to go, here are some things to remember when deciding on a travel nurse assignment.
2. Flexibility to Pick Your Schedule
When you become a travel nurse, you have the ability to find an assignment based on your wants and needs for your schedule. If you want to avoid night shifts, have a shorter assignment, or even want a placement closer to home, you have the flexibility to do that. Nursing is a tough profession, so when the time comes that you need a break between two contracts, you can decide when and for how long. Ultimately, you are there to work but you have the ability to request time off at the time of interview. Assignments can vary widely, so a travel nurse staffing agency can help you choose the perfect assignment.
3. Earn Higher Pay
Like with any job, you want to know you’re getting paid a competitive salary for the work you do. A nurse’s job is hard, and they get paid well for all they do. As a travel nurse, you might be able to earn more than other nurses in similar positions at the same facility based on the needs of the hospital at any given time. Your pay will be outlined in the contract for each new assignment, plus you may receive a stipend for housing and meals.
Every contract is different, and many factors can go into your pay. The length of your contract, your specialization, and the location of the hospital can all affect your pay and benefits. If you’re looking for ways to increase your earning potential as a nurse, becoming a travel nurse could be the solution.
4. Learn from Healthcare Facilities Across Many States
No two hospitals are the same, so as you travel, you’ll encounter and become proficient in many different types of charting software. You will also be exposed to different policies and procedures that may vary from hospital to hospital. These may not seem like a big deal, but they expand your experiences and capabilities as a nurse.
Even though no two hospitals are the same, they can have similar issues, and your experiences in a wide variety of hospitals can help. The vast experience that you gain working at many different hospitals around the country will come in handy as you continue to apply for nursing positions.
5. Network with More Nurses
Going from one hospital to the next means you get to meet new people—a lot of new people. This includes nurses. Meeting so many other nurses help you build an impressive network of hospital staff, which could help you find open positions and land jobs in the future.
A larger network of nurses can open doors for you professionally. From it, you can learn more about a certain specialization or manager-level role that interests you. A network will also be looking out for you, so they can offer their advice or helpful tips, and if the opportunity presents itself, an opening you may be interested in.
6. Help More Patients
In healthcare, nurses are on the frontlines to directly help patients in need. For many that pursue nursing as a career, they do so because of their calling to help people. When a hospital calls for a travel nurse, it means their patients and fellow nurses are in need of help. Travel nurses are brought in to provide extra support to the existing staff to boost patient care.
Oftentimes, hospitals need extra help due to increased caseload, policies, or lack of nurses in their area. When you join on as a travel nurse, you become part of the team, and you will see the impact you have on every patient.
7. Work in Various Floors and Settings
Travel nursing jobs are not only for certain positions, like the ER or Med Surge floors. Any department in a hospital that needs extra help can use travel nurses. There are opportunities in almost every part of the hospital, even the more popular departments like pediatrics and surgery.
Nurses wanting to explore a new department of a hospital should consider travel nursing. You can try a department that you may have some interest in for the length of your contract and decide for yourself if it’s the right field for you. If not, there are always other departments in need of extra help.
8. Job Security and Career Advancement
Hospitals all across the United States are in need of quality registered nurses, and the demand keeps growing every year. In fact, the job outlook for nursing is projected to grow 7% between 2019 and 2029, almost twice as much as most other professions. With a nationwide shortage of nurses, travel nurses have many opportunities to choose from without having to worry about securing their next contract.
Once you take the opportunities being a traveling nurse brings, you also develop a unique perspective of all different kinds of nursing. You will gain experiences in different fields and specialties, which can help you decide the field of nursing that is right for you.
9. Receive Housing Stipends
When you travel for vacation, you know that lodging can be a big expense, but is it the same for travel nursing? You’d actually be surprised to find out it’s not! Typically, travel nurses receive a stipend for their housing to help cover some or all housing expenses.
At OneStaff, we offer all eligible contract employees a housing stipend. You can use that to find your dream spot, or we also have a Housing Department, should you want our help/ expertise finding a place to stay with our wide network of extended stay options. We want our employees to have a say in their accommodations, so either option is available. When it comes to choosing the right travel nursing agency, you’ll want to check out their benefits regarding housing.
10. Support from Your Travel Nurse Staffing Agency
Before starting your travel nursing career, you’re going to have a lot of questions. For some of these, you can rely on your family, friends, and even coworkers for guidance. But one option people often forget about is their travel nurse staffing agency recruiter.
Your travel nurse staffing agency, specifically your recruiter is there to help guide you along the entire journey. At OneStaff Medical, we are there to provide any support we can, whether it’s for benefits, travel, housing, or just someone to talk to.
When nurses decide to pursue a career in travel nursing, they need a travel nurse staffing agency that caters to their needs. The team at OneStaff Medical works to understand exactly what you’re wanting to get out of every experience and find you the perfect assignment. If you’re ready to work with one of the best nurse travel companies, give us a call at 877-783-1483.