Travel Nursing

 I started travel nursing about a year and a half ago. It was something I always wanted to do but could not garner up the courage to make it happen. I lacked the confidence in my ability as an RN, and the fear of the unknown kept me at bay.

It's no secret that nurses are leaving the profession, there are a plethora of journals and surveys that support my claim. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. In some hospitals it seems as if 60-70 percent of ERs are being staffed by Travel Nurses. I see nurses going back to school just a year post graduation. Nurses are even following the money by  going the CRNA route. Conversely, nurses are deciding to quit their stable jobs for Travel Jobs paying top dollar for their services. A  nursing survey conducted by AMN Healthcare conducts an annual survey for nurses. They have been since 2009. The survey results from the 2023 AMNHealthcare  survey are simply startling.

Some things jumped out at me from this survey, of the 18,000 plus nurses they surveyed, 94% continue to complain about staffing shortages. How scary is that! I see it everyday. I’m a radiology echo nurse now and every time I walk through the ED the charge nurse asks me if I want to sign up for overtime. It’s a real thing guys. In my area I have to cover other areas all the time. It's just one of those ongoing situations that we deal with. I’m at the stage in my career where I am just desensitized to it, but that does not solve the problem. Because it leads to dissatisfaction as this survey highlights.

“Only 15% of nurses employed in hospitals say they will “continue working as I am” in one year. 36% of hospital nurses say they will continue working as nurses but seek a new place of employment.”  Yikes! The survey highlights some other notable points but the consensus among those interviewed seems to be that a great majority of nurses are not happy in their careers. Or, nurse burnout seems to be this recurring theme. 

Some nurses however, are just ready to embark on other challenges and hobbies.  I know some nurses that wanted to invest, and they did just that. One colleague of mine now works per-diem and couldn't be happier. Some  want to try different business ventures. Many nurses honestly had enough and need a lengthy break like myself.

I won’t give a Pros and Cons List...

I say all this to Segway into why  I finally decided to embark on this new path. I  was ready to take my life back and achieve some life goals I had for myself. I needed extra money to pay down some debt and create my personal financial safety net. I wanted to invest in stocks I've followed for years, and wanted to travel as a nurse, because I  finally felt that I was ready for what it had to offer.  

So one day I found this random travel company and took it from there. I did my research, I followed fellow travelers on You Tube. Nurse Mo, a Travel RN guru in my opinion, was influential for me. I saw her turn her skillset into a lucrative career.  Today, she is doing something completely different and I believe Travel Nursing opened up that door for her to chase some other dreams she had.https://www.iamnursemo.com/

I wanted my time back. I work my 3 contracted shifts a week, and the rest of the week is mine to do as I please. I'm paid almost double in one week that I usually get every two weeks. My monthly income doubled without having to squeeze in overtime.  I'm not obligated to do every other weekend, so my time with my kids is quality time. I am able to meet new people, and also learn from these various assignments.  You learn what your capable of. You adapt better than you give yourself credit for, and gain exposure to new challenges.  

If you budget correctly, and stay proactive in securing contract extensions, you can take a month or two off to travel. It works for me but it may not for you. You have to do your homework, you have to budget health insurance, and you have to to be willing to take a chance. Talk with your accountant, grasp an  understanding how the stipend works and just go for it. Everyone's situation is different, this is a personal choice I made for me.