Whether you’ve recently earned your nursing degree or craving a professional change of pace (and a long-awaited change of scenery), the day in the life of a travel nurse may have piqued your interest. If you feel stifled by stuffy office spaces and choirs of copy machines, it may be time to nosedive into an overseas opportunity.
Luckily, there are resources like Fusion Marketplace that can help you capitalize on all the benefits that come with this profession. With the help of a staffing agency like this, you can defibrillate your travel nursing career and place your stethoscope on the heart of the healthcare sector.
For those travel nurses navigating a career crisis, rest assured that the demand for registered nurses is expected to grow significantly by 2026. With many medical institutions already lacking the staff to adequately care for their patients, travel nurses will become even more valuable to floundering healthcare institutions.
Still not convinced this is the career path for you? Consider these seven must-know benefits of being a travel nurse. Some might be obvious, but others may be unexpected, making the job even more appealing than you first thought.
Paid travel
At the risk of stating the obvious, traveling to exotic locations is one of the most notable benefits of being a travel nurse. Unlike restrictive 9-to-5s, you get paid to board an international flight headed for your dream job. If overseas travel isn’t for you, there are ample opportunities to explore your home country many working professionals could only dream of.
The job also reimburses you for all travel expenses, allowing you to pick up and go whenever you need.
Flexible scheduling
Since hospitals and clinics hire travel nurses for varying periods, you can reap the added benefits of flexibility and set your own schedule. Many places will approve requests for long weekends or shorter daily hours. With this optimal flexibility in mind, you can tend to household chores, work out, and schedule me-time.
Better compensation
Travel nurses often have better compensation packages than on-staff nurses might. Especially early on in your medical career, being a travel nurse can significantly boost your initial pay rate. If the ability to dart off to an exotic location wasn’t enticing enough, the additional financial padding might do the trick.
Job security
No matter where the healthcare industry is, there will always be a need for travel nurses. As a travel nurse, you’ll have unparalleled job security. Even if the institution you currently work for doesn’t need you anymore, there is surely another healthcare facility that does.
Experience different work environments
Being a travel nurse gives you access to a wide variety of working environments. From ICUs to free clinics, working in different places will provide you with a perspective that many nurses lack. Hospitals value unique experiences, giving you more flexibility to choose future assignments.
Networking
Working in a variety of different places grants you the opportunity to network with other healthcare professionals. If you eventually want to transition into a more permanent position, you’ll have a whole list of people to contact from your previous assignments.
Even if you want to continue as a travel nurse, the people you meet will often know of other hospitals that need help.
Avoid workplace drama
Since travel nurses are only on the job for an average of 13-weeks, you can avoid the pesky workplace drama that can make your job harder to bear. When you’re frustrated with someone or something, just remember that you’re not there forever.
It’s always important to keep your stress and overall well-being in check. Luckily, being a travel nurse with a nomadic lifestyle is a cure-all for workplace tensions.
Wrap up
By now, you should have a much better idea of the perks of being a travel nurse. While the thought of moving to a new place every few weeks might be intimidating, think about all of the opportunities within your grasp.