See the Country
with a Travel Nursing Career
A travel nursing career has it all. You get to see the country, meet tons of new people, and have the experience of a lifetime. You can do all this while making more money than you would as a staff nurse.
Travel nurses usually work with a particular travel nurse company. Within that company, you will work with a recruiter. Having a great recruiter is the key to getting good contracts, living in suitable apartments, and making the right salary.
In a travel nursing career the amount of time you spend in one area will depend on the contract you sign. Most contracts are three months in length. Some contracts are longer though. For example, contracts to work in HAWAII (and yes live on Waikiki Beach) are usually at least 6 months long. If you are interested in an international travel nursing career, expect contracts lasting a year or even more. Many hospitals will allow travel nurses to re-sign contracts for up to a year. That being said, I have friends who have worked as a “travel nurse” for over 3 years on the same unit. It will all depend on how short staffed the hospital you choose to work in is. Travel nurses are hired to work on a particular unit in a hospital. If you are planning to enter this type of nursing however, you must be prepared to be flexible. Travel nurses are usually the first to be moved to another floor during a shift to help with staffing shortages. That is seen as one of the major disadvantages to working as a travel nurse. Want the real scoop from those that have been there? Sign up for Scrub Top Soup below and get monthly newsletters containing all types of nursing information including tips from travel nurses here and there.
While you may get used and abused as a travel nurse, you will get paid well for it! Travel nurses, as a rule, always get paid more than staff nurses. Some places even give sign-on bonuses for contracts as short as 3 months. Click here for more advantages of being a travel nurse.While this career option is not for everyone, I know many people who did it for a just a few years and it made them better nurses than they already were. Pick your travel company carefully, and if your recruiter is not working hard enough for you, find a new one. As with anything in life, it is all what you make of it.
Click here for information on Nursing jobs on cruise ships Click here a very informative page all about travel nursing careers. Click here to go to the home page
|
