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You may have heard myths about travel nursing, including having to leave your family behind, working nonstop or living with another traveler. Fortunately, none of these are true — and we’ve explained several other myths as well.
Read on for 10 misconceptions — and the facts — about travel nursing.
1. Travel nursing is only for younger nurses. Hospitals often like more experienced travelers so they can help mentor their staff if they have new graduates in their unit. While many of our nurses have only a few years of experience under their belts, I happen to work with several travelers who use travel nursing as a way to visit their children and grandchildren across the country. Traveling is a great adventure no matter what age you are.
2. Staff nurses don’t like travelers. Generally speaking, travel nurses are welcomed by the staff. Hospitals often bring travelers on because they are short-staffed and need help to keep ratios down and provide relief to their staff.
3. Travel nursing is not a stable career. The truth is, traveling can be a steady career! There are more travel jobs available than ever before. If you are flexible on location and willing to work with your recruiter to explore the best available opportunities, it’s 100 percent possible to continuously work and have a successful career as a traveler. If you’re on assignment and love the hospital you’re at, you can ask to extend your contract. And even if that isn’t an option, there are still ways to stay in the same area, possibly even the same housing, by working with your recruiter to explore other jobs in the same city.
4. You can’t travel with your family. Lots of nurses travel with their families! It can be a great way to spend a summer vacation. Think of all of the exciting places your children can visit and what they can experience by exploring the country. If you’re traveling with preschool-aged children, there are nationwide services that can help you find the best childcare options in the area you want to travel. If you take agency-provided housing, you can request a two- or three-bedroom apartment to meet your family’s needs.
5. Travel nurses steal jobs from local nurses. When a hospital decides to use travelers, it’s usually due to a staffing shortage because they are not able to find enough nurses in their local market. They may also bring travelers on because they need temporary help for seasonal needs. Either way, this is not to replace local nurses; it is to assist the local nurses who are already employed.
6. Travelers get the worst shifts. There is a long-standing myth that travelers cannot request any time off and will get the worst schedule and daily assignments. In general, hospitals appreciate you being there and try to schedule you as they would their permanent staff. It’s important to remember, however, that as a traveler you are there to help the facility, and flexibility is definitely required. During the interview, you should find out how they do scheduling and what they expect of travelers so there are no surprises when you get there.
7. Travel contracts are always only 13 weeks. It’s true that the industry standard for travel contracts is 13 weeks, but contract lengths vary, with some as short as four weeks. Also, travelers often choose to extend their contracts, so a 13-week contract can become longer, if you desire.
8. Travelers often have to take shared housing. Most agencies offer private housing options. If you are taking a shorter contract, you may be offered an extended-stay hotel. But for the most part, your agency will be able to accommodate you with a private apartment, often with excellent amenities. Your housing coordinator can show you pictures of the apartment community before you move in so you feel comfortable with it.
9. You can’t get good benefits as a traveler. If you do your research, you can find the agency that has all of the benefits that you are looking for. Many agencies offer day-one insurance and have more than one plan that you can choose from, so you can select the coverage that’s right for you. Some of the other benefits you can look for are family healthcare coverage, life insurance and 401k.
10. Being a traveler means being away from home and my friends and family. If you want to travel but not be across the country from your loved ones, you can find an assignment close by that allows you to go home. By working with your recruiter, you can look for facilities that may be willing to accommodate block scheduling, allowing you to work shifts and then enjoy the comforts of home on your days off.
Traveling is an exciting way to explore new areas of the country, visit family and friends, and have the freedom to choose when and where you want to work. With the right agency and recruiter, you can find exactly what you are looking for!
