By The Gypsy Nurse

August 8, 2018

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Step #1: Determine Why Travel Nursing is Your Goal

WHY Choose Travel Nursing?

If you aren’t sure why to choose travel nursing as your next career step, you need to sit down and really think about it.

If you’re not sure, here are some reasons why travel nursing is a hot career choice:

Flexibility

Travel nurse contracts vary in length, location, and in position. You can decide why you need a travel nurse contract and then decide where and when.

Time off work

Another huge reason why nurses choose travel nursing? Travel nurses can request in their contract for specific dates off of work or arrange complete contracts around personal time.

Meet new people and create new friendships.

Travel nurses have the opportunity to meet people and make friends from all walks of life while traveling. This is one of the most talked-about benefits that our travel nurse network group members rave about.

Experience new locations

Most travel nurses love exploring new places. Another great why for travel nurses is the fact that they can do more than spend a night or two in really exciting locations. Instead, they get to experience each place like a local!

Better pay

Lots of people ask why nurses travel far away from home, and this is a simple answer. Travel nurses generally make more money than staff nurses do. This is especially true if you’re willing to go to a “less desirable” location. Don’t be afraid of working a travel nurse contract off the beaten path. Some of the best experiences are those you never expect.

Expand your nursing skill set.

Most nurses know that having a varied skill set helps you long term. You will expand your nursing skills and develop new skills like organization, adaptability, and critical thinking.

Explore a location before settling down.

Many travelers choose travel nursing as a segue into a full-time job in a new location. Being able to scout out a new place before making a long-term commitment can be a huge perk.

More Reasons Why Nurses Travel:

  • A need or desire to be in a particular place for a period of time.
  • Family scattered across the country.
  • See the country
  • Broaden your children’s horizons.

Once you know why travel nursing is your choice for a career, you will be better able to communicate with your recruiters as you move through the next steps of the guide. It’s also going to make it easier for you to make a decision on the next contract location or agency selection.


In our Travel Nurse Guide, we will show you how to become a travel nurse step by step.  Following our travel guide will help you be successful in your travel nursing career.  If you have any questions that aren’t covered in the guide, please feel free to add them in the comments section at the bottom of this page, ask them in Travel Nurse Network – The Gypsy Nurse, or use our website to search for additional content.

The travel nursing guide is best utilized in order, and the next step will be linked at the bottom of each page.


By The Gypsy Nurse

August 8, 2018

39470 Views

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Step #2: What Will You Get Out of Travel Nursing?

The benefits of travel nursing vary depending on the person. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what you want to get out of your travel nursing career.

To help guide you, we’re going to help you nail down what perks you want most in your travel nurse career. In order to effectively communicate with your recruiter, it’s important to know what is most important to you!

Remember that handy list on why you want to travel from Step #1? Let’s turn that page over and make another list. Brainstorm your personal wants and needs. Don’t worry about making it perfect right now. Just jot down everything you can think of that you could want or need out of travel nursing!

What You Can Get Out of Travel Nursing

When looking at your personal desires and considering what you can get out of travel nursing, it’s important to decipher between a need and a want. Needs are more pressing, while your wants should be items that feel more flexible to you.

Examples of Wants:

  • 12 or 8-hour shifts
  • Teaching facility versus non-teaching
  • Small or large hospitals
  • Location
  • Overtime availability
  • 100% guaranteed hours (Many people think every travel nursing contract has guaranteed hours–but a lot have some level of a call off policy)
  • Types of housing available

Examples of Needs:

  • Salary
  • Shift
  • Time off during your contract for non-negotiable events (weddings, baby showers, etc.)
  • Health insurance
  • Start date

As you can see, some of these items could go on either list. So, how do you determine what benefits you really need to glean from travel nursing?

You will have to weigh the pros and cons.

Let’s walk through some example scenarios:

You might want to start on September 1st but need to be finished with a contract by a certain date due to a family event in a different state than the contract.

You might want to be in California but most importantly need to be somewhere on the West Coast because your daughter is expecting her first baby.

Now that you have a brainstorm list go back through it and highlight items that are true NEEDS. This list can also change over time! When you are ready, you can return to the introduction or move forward or back using the article links below.


Ready to start your travel nurse career?

Find your Next Gypsy Nurse Contract right here on The Gypsy Nurse!