Medely provided this article.
It’s tough working holidays as a travel nurse, but sometimes the benefits can outweigh the negatives and even inspire travelers to seek out travel assignments during the most wonderful time of the year. Sure, there are financial incentives to take on these shifts (and you can scoop up and enjoy all the holiday treats and gifts for the staff at your facility!), but there are other reasons to consider why being a travel nurse during the holidays will make you feel happy and bright.
Here are the top 5 reasons to travel nurse over the holidays:
1. The pay
When travel nurses decide that they are going to work holiday shifts, they can add some overtime, holiday pay, and even travel bonuses to their paychecks, depending on the services they use and the facilities where they work. Extra pay can sound very attractive to those who are on assignment anyway and are looking to extend or those whose travel assignment is already occurring over the holidays.
Note to the traveler: Make sure to educate yourself on what kind of pay each shift will involve. Do your research since every facility or contract will offer something different based on where you are and what kind of contract you signed.
2. The options
The holidays are generally a time when permanent staff will be figuring out their own schedules in order to take some time off. As those nurses and allied professionals take their much-needed breaks, it’s the perfect time for travel nurses to come and take those (often sought-after) shifts and assignments.
The holiday season is a busy time in healthcare. More patients tend to schedule elective surgeries during this time of year when they’ll already have some time off, more folks experience illnesses during the winter season, and holiday activities and injuries might land more people in hospitals, increasing the need for travel nurses in all kinds of facilities and locations. As those options grow, the locations where travel nurses can head to next also increase, giving them more geographic options as they consider their next move.
3. The experience
While working as a travel nurse during the holidays, you might be exposed to more complex patient cases and be able to learn from more diverse teams of healthcare professionals. And you’re already getting credit from higher-ups for taking on these holiday shifts.
It also might be the case that you’re the first to float, which can give you some eyes and ears into new areas and specialties. This will help you hone all of your nursing skills and help you gain more experience, more Facetime, and further your career.
4. The extended post-holiday break
Even travel nurses want to travel without a work assignment attached. Some travelers will work through the holidays so they can take an extended post-holiday break to travel. Savvy travel nurses will use the time to also take advantage of post-holiday flight deals and plan new adventures they might not have ever thought to take before.
5. The difference you can make
Nurses make a difference every day, but the extra care and compassion travel nurses can bring to their patients during the holidays can truly make a difference in someone’s life. Like travel nurses, those patients might not have friends or family around while they are receiving care. It’s the perfect time of year to share traditions and make connections with the patients who need it most during the holiday season.
Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nursing assignment. If housing is an issue, we have you covered with our housing page. You can search for what you are looking for.
