Travel nursing is a fast-paced but very rewarding career. It can provide you with experiences and memories you will remember for a lifetime, as you will have the opportunity to visit various places all over the country, and care for patients everywhere who need you the most.
Travel nurses get to meet new people while being exposed to different cultures and cuisines. These assignments will also allow you to work in a wide variety of healthcare settings, from clinics to Magnet hospitals, thereby building your skill set and expanding your resume. However, if you're thinking about becoming a travel nurse, you may want to take a look at how the profession is continuing to evolve. This is an exciting time in the healthcare industry, and you currently have the perfect chance to dive into the world of travel nursing.
The travel nursing industry was created in 1978 in New Orleans, Louisiana, when the city had a short-term population increase during Mardi Gras, according to Healthcare Traveler Magazine. All of the week's festivities had landed an influx of partiers in the hospital, and there were not enough nurses to take care of the patients. When a contract nurse arrived on the scene to help, this set a precedent for the countrywide nursing shortage in the 1980s. Having highly-skilled nurses at a short-staffed facility was the perfect way to handle the organization's temporary needs.
Travel nursing has continued to be very helpful for facilities all over the country. Today, nursing is one of the nation's top careers for projected growth, as the United States Census Bureau reports faster than average growth of 26 percent for the 2010-2020 decade. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the nursing shortage is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and healthcare continues to grow. For this reason, travel nursing will become an even more important component of the industry.
If you think you have what it takes to become a travel nurse, consider consulting a travel nursing agency today. As travel nursing has become an increasingly essential aspect of offering top-notch healthcare to patients, don't you want to be part of this exciting career?