Just because you have a degree in nursing doesn’t mean that you have to spend all of your working days at the same hospital or doctor’s office. Instead, you can become a travel nurse and switch up your location on a regular basis. Travel nurses get to have a lot more flexibility than traditional nurses. You’ll also get to enjoy a bunch of other benefits and potentially earn a higher income depending on the job. You can find out what it’s like to be a travel nurse by searching online.
Before applying for a job, you’ll have to get the proper education. An online search can tell you everything there is to know about becoming a nurse and having the right credentials.
Here’s everything you need to know about becoming a travel nurse.
What Is a Travel Nurse?
Travel nurses are registered nurses that pursue short-term roles at many different types of healthcare facilities. But rather than be employed by a single doctor’s office or hospital, they are employed by an independent nursing staffing agency. The agency sends the nurse to medical facilities on assignment that can take anywhere from eight to 26 weeks to complete.
As a travel nurse, you can expect responsibilities such as:
- Examining and speaking with patients about their health;
- Deliver information regarding a patient’s health;
- Taking part in medication and treatment delivery.
- Performing research, and;
- Communicating and collaborating with other professionals to address patient care.
Working for an agency rather than being tied down to a single workplace gives you the freedom to travel. The agency will send you to work at hospitals where nurses are in demand. This means you could end up in a new city, state, or country for short-term stints and enjoy the benefits of traveling at the same time.
How to Become a Travel Nurse
As long as you’re a registered nurse, you can become a travel nurse. These professionals are required to have the same level of education and credentials as nurses that are hired in hospitals and other healthcare settings.
To become a registered nurse, you will need to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in nursing. At the very least, you may be able to get employed with an associate degree in nursing. You’ll be able to apply for travel nursing positions once you’ve graduated and become a registered nurse.
Travel Nurse Salary and Benefits
There is a lot of money to be made in travel nursing. According to Indeed, the average base salary for a travel nurse in the U.S. is $114,436. This is significantly higher than the registered nurse average base salary of $82,492. Furthermore, some job listings have the salary marked as high as $10,000 per week.
So, why are travel nurses paid so much more?
There is an opportunity to earn six figures as a travel nurse because of high demand. Nurses are typically placed in medical settings where they are needed. To fulfill their needs, medical facilities are willing to pay more money. Travel nurses are often given financial incentives, such as sign-on bonuses, referral bonuses, and travel reimbursements.
Aside from a good salary, travel nursing comes with some nice-to-have perks. You don’t typically have to pay for housing since the agency arranges a place for you to stay. Plus, you’ll usually be given a stipend for food, mileage, and other expenses you might encounter on the job.
Personal Benefits
Travel nurses have the opportunity to grow not only in their career, but as a person. You’ll get to travel to new places on a regular basis and encounter new people along the way. Networking with these professionals could open more doors for you in the future.
Since you won’t be working in a permanent location, travel nursing could prevent you from getting burnout. You could also take some time off between assignments to refuel and spend time with loved ones. Since the contracts are short-term, you can rest assured knowing a new experience is around the corner.
An obvious benefit to travel nursing is getting to travel. You can spend your out-of-office hours exploring new cities, foods, and cultures. Enjoy checking places off your bucket list and perhaps even discover a place that you’d like to move to permanently.
Some additional benefits to travel nursing include:
- Flexibility on when to work;
- Lower cost of living;
- Developing new personal and professional relationships, and;
- Becoming a worldier individual.
Search Online to Learn More About Travel Nursing
Travel nursing is an excellent opportunity for registered nurses. There is flexibility in when you want to work, opportunity to live in new places, and you can expand your professional network. Plus, the job demand for travel nursing is projected to rise by nine percent over the next decade.
The high salaries could also make it easier for newer nurses to pay off their student debt faster. Additionally, you save on living costs thanks to housing and living stipends. As such, travel nursing can be the perfect way for medical professionals to engage in healthcare without committing to one workplace or city.
If you’re not already a registered nurse, search online to find bachelor programs to get started. You can also find job listings and agencies for travel nursing online.