One of the many options for career work for a registered nurse these days is to become a travel nurse. It offers many beneficial aspects and opportunities for those experienced and inexperienced nurses to enjoy. There is a shortage of nurses in facilities across the country these days, which opens many opportunities for a travel nurse to step in and help fill those gaps to ensure patients are still receiving the care that they need. Depending on the specialty that you have trained for, your position may be in even higher demand in some areas. It is always recommended to research opportunities to ensure that you will have the options you desire if you wish to become a travel nurse. Read on to see what we consider the top five benefits of becoming a travel nurse!
5: Flexibility
This benefit needs almost no mention, but we will still cover it as it is one of the top benefits we consider for a travel nurse. Typical assignments last for 13 weeks at a facility in the United States, during which time the agency and the hospital will, of course, expect you to attend every shift that you are scheduled. This being said you are free to arrange for time off during your contract. As a travel nurse you are not under any obligation to continually work and move from assignment to assignment, unless of course that is your desire! You are free to schedule extended periods of time off between your assignment so that you may take vacations, visit your friends or family, focus on schoolwork to advance your education or even pursue your own entrepreneurial interests.
4: Trial Run of New Locations
Another benefit of becoming a travel nurse, even for a short while, is to explore a new location with a new employer. If you are looking into moving cities or even into a new state, becoming a travel nurse can help you decide exactly where you would like to go. Taking an assignment in a city that you are researching will give you the opportunity to discover if the location will be a good fit for you in the long run. During your assignment you will have opportunities to meet your eventual coworkers, leaders and management to help decide if it will be the right location for you to move. You will also have time that you can explore your new city and discover if the location will be the fit for you and your family.
3: Build Your Professional Network
Moving from assignment to assignment, you will meet many new colleagues from permanent staff to other fellow travelers at the hospitals that you are assigned to. There will also be opportunities to meet many recruiters as you navigate through the industry to find the jobs that you want to work. This all makes travel nursing an amazing way to expand your professional network which will in turn help your career. Having a strong professional network can impact how your career advances and offer professional support when it is needed. Travel nursing offers one of the best opportunities to quickly build up a network that works for you.
2: Develop Your Career
Travel nursing offers opportunities for you to develop your career. As a travel nurse, you’ll work at a varied range of different healthcare facilities from small rural facilities to large urban trauma centers. As a result of such a wide range of opportunities, you will be exposed to a much broader set of working conditions than you would if you worked at one facility for an extended period. You will be trained on different electronic medical record systems, gain experience with different types of equipment and even possibly work with different patient populations. You will gain insight into certain aspects of facility administration by working at different facilities. Each facility will have an orientation period that you will need to work during which you will have opportunity to observe and learn different administrative approaches. This will give you a unique insight and perspective that will help you provide valued contributions throughout your career.
1: Travel Opportunities
The fact that you get to travel is the most obvious advantage of becoming a travel nurse. Completing those short-term assignments at the various facilities across the country will allow you to travel to new locations and immerse yourself in the local culture. Each assignment is another opportunity to see a new city, a new state and on occasion you may even be able to take assignments in foreign countries. This calls back to our number five, Flexibility, as you are free to stay on with an extended contract if offered and you enjoy the location or move on to a new facility and new location after taking a vacation! Be sure to watch for an upcoming blog about must-see National Parks during your assignment.
Ready to Become a Travel Nurse?
If you like the look of these benefits, then what are you waiting for? If you’re ready to start your journey to this exciting and dynamic career, contact Citadel Healthcare Solutions today!
