10 Compelling Reasons to Become a Travel Nurse

Nurses are often associated with working in a hospital or doctor’s office, but some nurses work in many settings as part of their normal routine. Travel nurses are healthcare professionals who travel to different facilities as needed, such as when there is a staffing shortage, to ensure quality patient care is delivered. These nurses might go from city to city or even to different parts of the country, depending on their assignments. Being a travel nurse offers important advantages compared to being a traditional nurse. Keep the following benefits of travel nursing in mind if you’re thinking about becoming one.

1. Earn More Money

Nursing tends to pay well due to the demands of the job, but you can typically make even more as a travel nurse. Working as a travel nurse means having to go from one place to another frequently, which can lead to a higher salary or bonuses. Depending on where you work, you might also be able to make more money in some locations than others. As a travel nurse, you might have the opportunity to boost your pay through overtime as well. Having a specialty as a travel nurse, such as working with senior patients, can also result in higher pay.

2. Flexible Schedule

Working as a traditional nurse usually means having roughly the same schedule. However, travel nurses have schedules that change often. Your travel nursing assignment might be longer in one location or work for shorter times in multiple locations. Having this flexibility means you should be able to attend family events or arrange to work a schedule that fits your situation better, such as having a shorter work week. Flexible scheduling can also make it easier to take breaks so you can recover from traveling so much.

3. High Job Security

Being a travel nurse means you won’t have to worry about being able to find a job now or in the near future. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses have a job outlook of 9 percent from 2020 through 2030, which is about the same as the average for all occupations. There is a high demand for travel nurses as there are nursing shortages in many areas of the world, and the need for healthcare services continues to expand over the years due to aging populations.

4. Meet New People

Being a travel nurse gives you the opportunity to meet new people all the time. You’ll be meeting new people through your travels as well as new people at the facilities you end up working in. This can help you expand your network of healthcare professionals, and depending on who you meet, this could lead to additional career opportunities in the future.

5. Avoid Workplace Politics

Workplace politics can happen in hospitals and medical facilities due to stress and other factors. This can make the work environment unpleasant, but you won’t have to worry about dealing with this as a travel nurse. Your assignments might only last for a few months at a time or run for even shorter periods. Even if you end up in a facility where workplace politics are present, you’ll only be there for a limited amount of time.

6. Get Other Perks and Incentives

When you work as a travel nurse, you can look forward to having access to perks and incentives you wouldn’t have as a traditional nurse. Travel nurses are sometimes able to receive travel reimbursements from travel nursing agencies. In some cases, these agencies can also help cover housing costs or even help you find new employment opportunities. In addition, many travel nursing jobs have health insurance and other offerings for employees.

7. Discover New Places

One of the most exciting benefits of being a travel nurse is getting to see a variety of new places. Depending on where you go for your assignments, you might get to visit major cities or scenic areas all over the country. This can provide you with a chance to experience parts of the country you might not have seen otherwise. With this type of career, you can lead an exciting life filled with travel while also maintaining a career providing exceptional care for patients.

8. Develop New Interests

Traveling as a nurse offers plenty of opportunities to explore new interests or take up new hobbies. You might start a new hobby as a way to pass the time while you travel, such as while you wait in airports or deal with travel delays. Having new hobbies also gives you something to do when you’re on a new assignment and don’t know anyone in the area yet. With a new hobby, you might also have a chance to make new friends who share your interests. If you’re near parks or other outdoor areas, you might discover a new interest in outdoor activities, such as hiking.

9. Find Career Advancement Opportunities

Being a travel nurse doesn’t mean you always have to work in this type of job. You can expand your job opportunities and work on advancing your nursing career when you’re a travel nurse. Working at different types of facilities and interacting with different kinds of healthcare professionals helps you gain insight into the healthcare field. You can develop new skills that open new doors for you in terms of your nursing career when you work as a travel nurse.

10. Help More People

People are often drawn to nursing out of a desire to help other people. When you’re a travel nurse, you’ll be able to help a greater number of people than a traditional nurse. Your job as a travel nurse will involve going to different healthcare facilities in order to help out. When other facilities need your services due to a shortage or other reasons, you’ll be able to ensure that quality patient care is being provided. Going from one place to another also increases the variety of patients you’ll be helping throughout your career.

Start Your Nursing Journey Today

If you’re interested in learning more about how to launch your travel nursing career, please contact Bryant & Stratton College. Our school offers several healthcare degree programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees in nursing. We can provide you with the information you need to choose a degree program and get started on our admissions process.