This article was provided by TheraEx Staffing.
Looking back, what happened these past two years is almost unbelievable. Who would have ever thought our lives could be flipped upside down so dramatically and so quickly. One day dropping the kids off at school, lunch with friends, or visiting grandma and grandpa was completely fine to do; the next, we were advised to stay safely at home. For some of us, we hoped it would just be a couple of weeks break, then a couple of months, and now we know not much different from our new lives of working from home or wearing masks when we leave the house. It’s been a social distancing and social media kind of world for some and working to keep our own and others head above the water for others.
All of our work changes and experiences were different.
While for some of us, we were forced to work from home, others were braising themselves to work in order for society to continue moving forward. However, for nurses, it was the beginning of the longest stretch of intensity, commitment, and exhaustion to save as many lives as possible.
Nurses and doctors were called to the frontlines immediately. They were the ones who experienced the continuous influx of sick patients, worked around the clock, and did everything within their power to save as many lives as they could. They were and continue to be our superheroes.
However, it may not be very well known, but these influxes created nursing shortages around the country. Along with bed shortages for patients, the shocking number of people needing help became tiresome and difficult to manage; therefore, hospitals were searching for extra employees to lend an extra hand. This is where travel nurses come in.
If you are unfamiliar with the position, a travel nurse seeks out jobs around the country via a travel nursing agency. These nursing positions in hospitals became available due to staff shortages for reasons like flu season, surges in seasonal periods, or unforeseen situations that may occur in hospitals (for example, coronavirus). Nurses often take on 13-week contracts (which can be renewed or passed on to find a new area to work in), work in their specialty field, enjoy bonuses, build up their resume and learn to help those of different cultures and needs.
Travel nursing is not a new job since the pandemic started, but has definitely grown since it began.
They have been a part of health care for decades and had represented an appealing side of nursing for those who wanted to mix work with a little adventure. Since the pandemic, the adventure side hasn’t 100% been able to be utilized, yet nurses have been taking this opportunity to pay off student loans or any debt that they have been currently struggling with.
As of February 2021, 50,000 travel nurses have been working around the country, and despite vaccine distributions today, the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. It may be a curious question as to why, but what we have to remember is the virus was the front runner in hospitals. Those who had previous conditions or conditions that occurred throughout this time were put on the back burner. Whether this was justified to patients not wanting to be in hospitals while the virus was rampant or patients being sent away because there wasn’t any other option, a catch-up time frame is inevitable. This will leave hospitals in dire need of more help in order to assist those that weren’t able to be helped before. That’s a lot of help needed.
With the need for extra hands come pay surges.
While travel nurses initially received competitive salaries, now hospitals are handing over hefty paychecks to meet the need of patients. Originally, pre-pandemic, travel nurses had the potential to receive $50 an hour along with their company-paid housing and other benefits. However, now with the urgent need, salaries have jumped incredibly high. At the beginning of September 2021, Newsweek states, “The average pay for traveling nurses is now at about $3,000 to $5,000 per week, a dramatic increase from the $1,000 to $2,000 per week salary before the pandemic.” A whopping increase for those who need to jump into the deep end of hospitals in need. Yet, these numbers are the average of what you could potentially earn. While some may be prepared to pay you $3,000 – $5,000, some hospitals are ready to fork out $8,000 to aid in the high demand. It absolutely depends where you go and what hospitals require you the most.
If you are a specialty nurse, your specialties don’t go unnoticed. You, too, can jump onto the travel nurse train and utilize your skills in hospitals around the country. Whether you are a medical assistant, respiratory therapist, surgical technologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or even an emergency room nurse, you too can benefit from the perks of travel nursing while fighting the coronavirus.
Are travel nurses needed now more than ever?
Absolutely! Just because the end of the pandemic seems to be getting a little bit closer does not mean that every other illness and disease simply disappears. Nurses will be left to deal with the side effects of the coronavirus, the repercussions of patients who have had to put their health on pause, and anything new that steps into a hospital. Not to mention the pandemic was and still is, coming in full force.
We’ve all had an unimaginable couple of years throughout this pandemic. For nurses, it has been a rollercoaster that has had an infinite number of loops. With the help that is needed in hospitals and around the country, there is no better time than now to take the leap and get into the travel nursing industry. Along with great pay and the experience you can gain by working in different hospital settings, you are helping hospitals handle the constant arrival of new and sick patients. We hope the pandemic is over soon, but for now, travel nurses can come to the rescue.
Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Need housing for your assignment? Click here to view our housing page.
