About Travel Nursing

What is Travel Nursing?
Travel nursing is a newfound freedom. As a traveler, you decide when and where you'll work. You can choose to spend the winter months enjoying the sunny, delightful weather of Florida, California or Arizona and in the summer you can cool off in New York, Washington or even Alaska. Stay for eight, 13 or 26 weeks, the choice is yours. As a travel nurse you'll have the opportunity to live in parts of the country you may have never thought to visit, you can take advantage of positions in all 50 states and even the Virgin Islands. And you can do things you always wanted to do - hike the Grand Canyon, see the bright lights of Broadway or scuba dive in the tropical waters of the Caribbean. Most importantly, you can do all of this while gaining a new outlook on your own abilities and earning an incredible compensation package.

Overview
Travel nursing suits many different lifestyles - from the young professionals looking for a little adventure to empty nesters who want to see the country, to others who are checking out unique places with their families during summer vacations. These days, nurses who travel have a wide range of placement choices. In fact, because of the current nursing shortage, hospitals in all parts of the country now consider travel healthcare professionals as a vital addition to their staffing model.

As a result of the increasing number of openings, travel nurses are well compensated for their work. Of course, the exact hourly rate will depend on a number of factors, including geographical region, experience and specialty. In addition, they generally are provided with free, private housing or a housing subsidy, as well as a full benefits package that includes healthcare, life and dental insurance, and a retirement program.

Once you've decided travel nursing is for you and have chosen your agency, all that's left is to select where you want to go. Will you base your choice on geographic location, earning potential, the hospital's reputation, or a combination of all of these things? The best part of travel nursing is that the commitment is short-term, so you can't really make a poor choice. If you don't love a place or an assignment, you have the joy of knowing you'll move on in as few as eight weeks. In the meantime, you have the opportunity to explore new places, meet new people and learn new ways of doing things.