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As a nurse, chances are you work long hours every day and don’t have time for other things – like traveling. Travel nursing can combine work time and play time into one adventuresome job – that just happens to pay very well. There are both good and bad aspects to travel nursing, so be sure to do your research to see if it might be right for you.
One good point is the ability to literally choose anywhere that you would like to visit – and go work there. Most of the jobs last for 13 weeks and all nursing specialties can work as a travel nurse — though you need to have at least a year of recent experience in your field.
The pay and bonuses are very good, but vary from region to region. The benefits are also excellent and cover housing expense, health insurance, professional insurance, and 401(k). Most agencies are starting to offer a completion bonus and a loyalty bonus if you stick with jobs from just their agency. Travel expenses are included, as are license reimbursement expenses. Housing options can range from an apartment close to work, to a recreational vehicle that you can call home and move from job to job.
All of these sound like the good points, so if there is a bad side, what is it?
Some people like to travel, but think having to move into new housing all the time is stressful. It might help to have a cozy RV, as mentioned above, to provide a “constant” in your life – if you like RV life.
If you have a hard time making new friends, having new neighbors all the time could be difficult. Another negative point for some people is having a new contract – and new pay structure – every three months. This can affect your budget in a big way. Another potential negative point is having to worry about where your next job will be. If you work for an agency, you can have a management secretary who will locate your next job for you.