Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Nurse
Imagine swapping your predictable 12-hour shifts for a career that offers high weekly pay and allows two-month vacations. Sounds too good to be true? For many, travel nursing has become a fast route to maximizing income and gaining professional freedom. But this booming field comes with its own set of challenges. Before you start looking for activities in your dream job location, let's break down the real pros and cons of being a travel nurse in the United States.
The pros: why travel nursing is booming
Is travel nursing worth a shot? Here are six reasons that could entice you to take this career path:
- Maximize your earnings - Travel nurses usually earn higher than permanent staff nurses. According to Indeed, staff registered nurses have an average base salary of $93,880 per year, while travel nurses make an average of $113,074 per year. Whether you're building your emergency fund, saving up for your retirement, paying off debts, or funding your next trip, travel nursing allows you to maximize your earnings.
- Experience flexibility between assignments - You get to choose the location, the contract, and the time off between assignments. When you’re a travel nurse, you can decide if you want to experience life in California or New York, work three months or six months, and go on vacation for two weeks or two months. Enjoy that countdown until the next vacation!
- Enjoy travel opportunities - One day you’re clocking in for a 12-hour shift in Texas, the next week you’re packing for a new contract in Florida. If you’re the type of person who loves to travel to different cities and states, travel nursing is for you. You’ll gain diverse clinical experience while exploring life in new cities.
- Expand your skills - Build a more diverse skillset than you ever would staying in one facility. Moving between different cities, roles, and healthcare systems forces you to adapt to new environments quickly. Beyond professional growth, travel nursing fosters personal transformation. By living away from home, you immerse yourself in the local culture and emerge as a more well-rounded person.
- Enjoy tax free stipends and per diem - A percentage of travel nursing pay is tax free, so at the end of the day, more money stays in your pocket and not back to your taxes.
- Have increased autonomy - If a facility is a great fit, you can often extend your contract; if it isn’t, you have the freedom to move on to a new opportunity the moment your assignment ends. No long-term strings attached!
The cons: the realities no one tells you
While the travel nursing opens up good opportunities and experience, it also comes with challenges. Consider these things when deciding if you should take this career path:
- Constantly adjust to change - New contracts, new leases, new faces, and the list goes on. Being a travel nurse means being adaptable to change. You’ll constantly juggle logistics, shifting climates, and diverse workplace cultures. The transition can be overwhelming at first, but once you find your rhythm, the experience is rewarding.
- Feel lost at first - Not sure where the instruments are or who to call? That’s completely normal! Policies, procedures, and processes may vary in different facilities. Always remember to ask questions when you’re unsure, because asking questions is better than making mistakes.
- Struggle for community - Trying to fit in is hard. As a travel nurse, you’ll constantly meet new people and rebuild relationships. As in any workplace, you will find your new friends who will be there to help you along your journey. When saving someone’s life, you want to know your teammates are as ready as you are.
- Endure the loneliness - One of the common hard realities of travel nursing is homesickness. Constantly moving to a new place, most of the time with no one to help you, can get lonely. Taking your time off after a contract helps in combating loneliness. Take as much time as you need to reconnect with family, friends, and things that feel like home.
Is travel nursing right for you?
With the pros and cons laid out, the next step is determining if travel nursing is the right move for you. Here are important factors to consider before making the commitment:
Financial situation - While travel nursing paychecks look big, they are weighted to cover the unique expenses of a travel nurse. Think double housing, licensing fees, and private health insurance. If you have a solid budget, these expenses are manageable, leaving plenty of room for profit.
Experience - Orientation in a new facility usually takes only one to four days. This forces travel nurses to be professionally independent. They are also usually the first to float to other units when staffing shortages occur. In these situations, your level of clinical experience truly matters.
Personality - Are you okay with not knowing where the supplies are your first few days? Can you deal with leaving your support system behind? Will you actually enjoy the “travel” part and moving every three months? Adaptability, emotional resilience, and an adventurous spirit are important traits while you’re in this job.
How to start your travel career with Nomad
Done weighing the pros and cons of being a travel nurse? Here at Nomad, starting your journey as a travel nurse is as fast as four easy steps:
- Create a profile - The first step is building your profile. The more information you provide, the quicker you can apply for jobs!
- Search and apply for jobs - Find and apply for jobs that align with your professional, financial, and personal goals in as easy as one click.
- Accept an offer - Found a job that ticks all the boxes? Receive an offer and a Nomad Navigator will help you with the next steps.
- Start traveling - Get your travel nursing career started and we’ll be there to support you throughout your clinical journey.
See our highest paying travel nurse jobs
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