Travel nursing can be exciting and full of adventure! There are many advantages to taking on a travel assignment. Agencies may provide things like PTO, holiday pay, health insurance, tax free per diems, and weekly pay. Some of the top benefits that may be commonly overlooked include avoiding hospital politics, building your professional network, and experiencing new people, places, and things.
Avoiding hospital politics
Avoiding hospital politics is a welcome change for most travel nurses. Traveling allows you to stay out of unnecessary drama because your role is to help fill a gap in staffing. This permits you to focus on providing quality care to patients. As a traveler, your sole role is to take care of patients. This allows you to connect with your patients on a deeper level.
Building your professional network
Travel nursing provides a unique opportunity to expand and help build your professional network that most staff nurses will not have access to. While working at different assignments, you have the opportunity to meet a wide variety of medical professionals and patients. Doing this can benefit you by helping you advance your career, get access to job opportunities, and get career advice or support. Make the most of these connections by staying in touch with them during and after the assignment.
Experiencing new people, places, and things
Being a healthcare provider, you will constantly be introduced to persons from all walks of life. The high quality of care you give needs to remain consistent. During a travel assignment you will get to experience people, places, and things that may be new to you and therefore teach you how to adjust to an ever-changing environment. As you build your nursing skills, you’re also building your people skills, which in the long term, makes you a stronger caregiver.
While travel nursing can be fun and exciting, it is not for everyone. It is important to weigh the pros and cons and consult your loved ones before starting something that can be a big life change.
Aureus Medical’s Student Outreach team is a free resource that specializes in helping graduates learn what the requirements are to become a healthcare traveler. We will also provide you with tools and tips to prepare you for the journey even while in school. Reach out to us by email or by phone at 800-340-2619.
Christina Ewing is a Student Outreach Coordinator for Aureus Medical Group.