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Travel nursing in North Carolina: 4 reasons to go now

North Carolina mountain range

What does your dream travel nursing assignment look like? Hitting the trail or adventuring in the great outdoors? Sharpening your skills alongside the nation’s preeminent healthcare providers? Bustling cities with nightlife and fun? Weekends at the beach? Whatever your wish list, chances are that travel nursing in North Carolina can make it come true. With its thriving economic climate, world-class healthcare institutions, and wide variety of outdoor environments, North Carolina features many factors to create a fulfilling and fun travel nursing assignment.

As you consider your list of prospective assignments, read on to learn more about opportunities in the Tar Heel State.

1. Nurse licensure compact status

One of the major draws to North Carolina for travel nurses is its status as an enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) state. The eNLC is a multistate nursing license that allows nurses to practice in participating states without having to apply for a new license each time. Not only does a multistate license help simplify the usual paperwork and costs involved in relocating as a nursing professional, it allows nurses more flexibility in choosing a state that provides the best job opportunities, as well as an affordable cost of living.

North Carolina country road

2. Quality of life in the Tar Heel State

North Carolina routinely ranks well above average on quality-of-life indexes. In 2022, the state ranked 13th in the U.S. for a high quality of life by U.S. News and World Report’s list of Best States. Quality of life is a measure of comfort, health, and happiness by a person. The survey evaluated all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia on eight key elements of well-being, including healthcare, the economy, opportunity, and the natural environment.

The state’s two largest cities, Charlotte and Raleigh, secured the twenty-sixth and ninth spots, respectively, on USA Today’s ranking of America’s 50 Best Cities to Live In. These cities boast prosperous economies and among the largest brain gain — that is, more college graduates staying in the state than leaving — in the country. And in fact, the city of Raleigh is ranked first in the U.S. for its quality of life.

North Carolina city

3. Sharpen your skills in the Research Triangle

North Carolina offers travel nurses a wealth of opportunities for professional development. Of the state’s nearly 150 hospitals, four are nationally ranked and deliver care through more than 52 nationally ranked specialties, according to U.S. News & World Report. North Carolina’s “Research Triangle” — anchored by the cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill — boasts some of the most prestigious research and educational institutions in the country. The Research Triangle has among the highest physicians per capita and is home to two of the nation’s top medical teaching and research hospitals, UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University. The Duke University Health System has earned Durham the nickname “The City of Medicine, USA.”

North Carolina beach

4. Country roads and coastal vibes

From the Appalachian Mountains in western North Carolina to the Outer Banks off the state’s Atlantic coast and everything in between, the state offers a diverse range of activities and destinations.

The scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, also known as “America’s Favorite Drive,” winds through North Carolina’s High Country. The region is also home to the historic Biltmore Estate and Winery, the Vanderbilt family’s mountain retreat.

For coastline lovers, North Carolina boasts more than 300 miles of barrier island beaches, including Topsail Beach and the Crystal Coast. And history enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to the coastal town of Kitty Hawk, the site of the Wright brothers’ inaugural flight.

Between the mountains and the sea, North Carolina’s metropolitan areas are home to NBA, NFL and MiLB teams, award-winning restaurants, exciting nightlife, and more craft breweries than any other Southern state.

Include North Carolina on your list of travel assignment destinations

As you evaluate the factors most important to you in a travel assignment, consider North Carolina among your list of prospects. Travel assignments in this NLC state have the potential to advance your career and hone your nursing skills, while you enjoy — and perhaps even expand — your recreational interests.

For more information about travel nursing, or to speak with a recruiter, give us a call at 800.866.0407.

About the author

Allison Riley

Allison Riley is a public relations professional with more than 10 years experience in healthcare and corporate communications. She lives in New York City with her better half and two wonderful daughters. She and her girls are currently contending for world's slowest recorded stair climb to a fifth-floor apartment, and she enjoys writing so she can just finish her sentence already.

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