Travel nursing can be an exciting field for nurses looking for new challenges and the ability to travel to new places. A travel nurse fills in a staffing or skill gap at hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities for a short-term contract. With an ongoing labor shortage in nursing, travel nurses play an important role in our healthcare system.
The need for travel nurses has grown over the last few years. During Covid, the demand for the role spiked. Up to 10% of the total nursing workforce was made up of travel nurses. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand has now stabilized so that 5% of all nurses travel.
To incentivize nurses to join the ranks of travel nurses, healthcare facilities often add a premium to their compensation rates. On average, travel nurses make $2,058 per week (higher than a non-traveling nurse) and can make $107,016 per year. Pay can vary widely by state and specialty. For example, Nevada is the highest-paying state and Emergency Department nurses are the highest-paying specialty. If you’ve ever thought of trying out travel nursing, read on to learn more about the opportunity as well as its pros and cons.
Travel Nursing 101
Any Registered Nurse (RN) can become a travel nurse. All you need to do is have completed a nurse training program, pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and apply for licensure. Generally, you apply for a license in your home state and do not need to reapply for each state you work in. However, only 39 states honor each other’s licenses. The other 11 states require nurses to be licensed in their state. In terms of experience, many positions do require a minimum number of working years. This can make it difficult for recent graduates to become travel nurses right away.
Travel nurses are generally employed through short-term contracts. On average, a travel nurse position is contracted for 13 weeks, but they can range from 8 to 26 weeks in tenure. If the nurse and the healthcare facility want to continue the engagement, some institutions offer contract extensions. Since the contracts are individually negotiated, travel nurses can also plan their employment to include breaks between contracts.
Healthcare facilities across the country need additional help, so nurses have a wide range of locations available to them. Nurses can either select specific states and locations they want to live in, or they can sign up for emergency assignments to move wherever demand is highest.
Contracts, Finances, and Benefits
Travel nurse contracts are either negotiated directly with the institution or with a travel nursing staffing agency that can help you find and manage your assignments. Many nurses opt to work with a staffing agency, as an agency can make the process much easier.
Regardless of whom the contract is with, most travel nurses are offered a set weekly pay that can vary depending on the details of the engagement. Make sure to read the fine print since weekly pay rates can be inclusive or exclusive of per diems, housing, insurance, and other costs. You’ll want to calculate the exact take home pay in advance to understand each contract’s compensation.
Generally, most travel nurse positions offer full-time benefits to contract workers. These typically include paid sick leave, health insurance, 401(K) plans, and life insurance. Talk to your staffing agency to make sure your contract includes all the benefits you want.
The Pros & Cons of Being a Travel Nurse
Being a travel nurse can be an exciting opportunity, but it’s not for everyone. Many nurses enjoy the opportunity to travel and live in new place across the U.S. The increased weekly pay is also a benefit for nurses looking to increase their total compensation. Some nurses use the increased compensation to afford longer breaks between contracts. Substantial and regular time-off can also help nurses avoid burnout and keep engaged with their jobs.
Travel nursing also offers benefits to one’s career. With the travel comes new opportunities and different patients, doctors, and situations. Nurses who move to various healthcare facilities have a broad range of work experience and can collect and share best practices and new techniques across institutions. Lastly, contract work expands their professional networks. If a travel nurse decides to eventually commit full-time to an institution, they have built an expansive network of professional contacts across the country they can reach out to.
For some individuals, however, travel nursing can be a tough career to enter. Constant travel can be a stressful experience that heightens anxiety and loneliness. Planning housing and logistics, while managing the paperwork of new contracts can feel overwhelming. Other nurses find the continual search for new contracts another frustrating part of the job. And lastly, if a nurse wants to work in one of the 11 states that do not accept other state licenses, the licensure process can be lengthy and tedious.
If you’re concerned about the stress of managing paperwork or continually searching for new contracts, consider working with a staffing agency that specializes in travel nursing. With a recruiter at your side, they can be your partner in managing the load.
Ready to Get Started?
If you want to explore the possibility of working as a travel nurse, contacting All Medical is a great first step. As a specialized talent firm, we have access to wide range of available contracts across the country, and our team can guide you towards the right position for your skills, experience, and preferences. If you’re ready to get started, contact All Medical Personnel today.
