10 Reasons Why You Should Be a Travel Nurse Today

Of all the nursing career paths to choose from, travel nursing is perhaps the most flexible one of them all. This post will talk about the different reasons why you should be a travel nurse today. Read on for more.

10 Reasons to Be a Travel Nurse

If you consider a different area of nursing to work in, a travel nurse is an excellent choice. Do you love traveling? How about exploring various locations? Perhaps you want a broader network in terms of work? If you answered yes, this job is the right one for you. Here are fifteen of the best reasons to become one. 

1. You get to travel around the country.

One of the main reasons many nurses sign up for this job is the job title itself, TRAVEL NURSE. It means you get to go across the country (or world) for it. Now, if this tickles your fancy, go ahead and find an agency that can help you get an assignment. 

2. Advancement in your career.

Like any other nursing career, there is also career growth in travel nursing. Of course, you get to grow this job at your own pace. With your experience as a travel nurse, many medical staffing agencies can help find you a job that matches your skills and specialty. So, don’t worry about not getting a job as there will always be one open for you.  

3. You get to enjoy the location of work.

One of the best things about this job is that you get to enjoy the location before saying you are done with it. A typical travel nursing assignment can last around three weeks to 3 months. If you enjoyed working in the health care facility you are assigned to, it feels more like a vacation than work. Not a lot of job has the same opportunity. 

4. There is job security in travel nursing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is an estimated job increase of 16% until 2024 in the travel nursing department over the next few years. That means your job is safe and secure even in the coming years. 

5. Contracts are flexible.

One of the reasons you should become a travel nurse is that the contracts are flexible. It means you are not stuck on one long contract as most assignments are short-term. That said, you avoid experiencing nurse burnout as you don’t have to deal with work-related stress all the time. 

6. Sign-up bonus.

Travel nurse agencies offer sign-up bonuses to nurses who want to become travel nurses. If you are looking for extra income while working, this could be an excellent opportunity to grab. 

7. You get low-cost or free housing. 

When you sign up as a travel nurse, your agency will offer stipends for your housing needs. Some agencies will even cover the housing expenses for their travel nurses, so you don’t have to worry about where to stay on your next assignment [1]. 

What’s even better is that you will live with other travel nurses or live close to them when you are assigned to a new location. There’s never a dull moment when you work this job.

8. Pay is great.

As travel nurses, your work is not full-placement; this means you get to enjoy a high salary. A travel nurse’s salary is 33% higher than the average staff nurse’s. An average income for travel nurses is $75,330 to $108,000 per year [2]. And if this sounds like a good deal for you, you better sign up as one soon! 

9. Paid health insurance

Since you are traveling for work, travel nurses can rest with the thought that your health insurance is paid. Many medical health agencies pay their travel nurses’ insurance before sending them out. It saves you time and effort securing one. 

10. Traveling is paid.

You don’t have to worry about your next assignment or what to pay for. Many travel nurse agencies secure that their nurses are not only paid for work but also for traveling. You can be in Hawaii for summer before you know it, given that you have an assignment there, of course! 

Bonus points as travel nurses:

• You can save enough money for your retirement.
• Your network expands as travel nurses can work with different people in the medical field. The more contacts you have, the more exciting opportunities await you. 
• Getting a multi-license is possible. Since you work in different states, you will need licenses too. Your travel nurse agency can help you acquire these licenses to get you going for work. 
• As you move around for work, there is always a chance for continued education. You never stop learning as a nurse, and this line of work is the perfect fit for you. 
• Some travel nurse companies offer referral bonuses to nurses who can refer others to sign up for them, and if your agency provides the same, then lucky you!

Working as a travel nurse is exciting and perfect for those who want to earn more. Hopefully, the list above convinced you enough why you should become a travel nurse today. Good luck!