5 Travel Nursing Myths
You've heard that travel nursing is a great way to earn more money, expand your skills and see the country, but are there a few common misconceptions holding you back? Let's debunk a few travel nursing myths:
Travel nursing is only for the young and fancy free - Yes, there are a lot of advantages to travel nursing when you're starting out in your career, like working in new facilities, getting experience with new protocols, and working in different types of facilities across the country. However many experienced RN's start traveling when they are further along in their careers. Traveling can be a way to start a new adventure, switch up your specialty, or simply avoid burnout after years in the same staff nurse position.
You have to change jobs and move every 13 weeks - Most assignments have the ability to extend, if you and the hospital agree, your assignments can be renewed fairly easily. Ultimately the choice is up to you, if the option is there, you can stay and really get to know a location or you can choose to try something new.
Travelers aren't treated well by permanent staff - The most common reason travelers are hired is to ease the burden on permanent staff who have been working short-handed. Most staff nurses really are grateful for the help. It can all depend on the attitude of a traveler, they must have a willingness to learn and to adapt to a new team and new facility. We often hear from many facilities how sad they were to see valued travelers leave, and how much they will be missed.
Too many assignments will look bad on my resume - Hospital employers know that multiple assignments are a sign of a highly successful candidate. RN's with more assignments on their resume are not only preferred by facilities but also by hospitals looking for permanent staff. An experienced traveler demonstrates a positive work ethic and is a valued member of the team.
Travel nursing does not provide steady income - If you're open to considering a variety of assignments and you're willing to do some advance planning, you can definitely arrange for a lucrative and steady travel career. There are many travelers that work year round because travel nursing allows you to go where the jobs are!
We know that becoming a travel nurse can seem overwhelming and that there are many myths out there about traveling. Apply now or contact one of our experienced team members with any questions to get you started!
