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If high demand for skilled nurses, thriving communities, and access to arts and outdoor recreation are important to you, consider including Wisconsin on your list of prospective travel nursing assignments. Here are four reasons to consider travel nursing in America’s Dairyland.
1. Nurse Licensure Compact
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is a multistate nursing license that allows nurses to practice in participating states without having to apply for a new license each time. The multistate license makes practicing across state borders more affordable and convenient, and helps remove the cumbersome expenses and paperwork involved in securing multiple licenses. The NLC is designed to make the model of nurse licensure more flexible, adaptable, and fluid across state boundaries — increasing access to care while maintaining patient protection at the state level.
As an NLC state, it’s easy to take a travel nursing job in Wisconsin when you have your compact license. And if you don’t, taking a job in Wisconsin is a great excuse to get an NLC license!
2. Expanding healthcare scene
Wisconsin is home to approximately 150 hospitals and healthcare institutions and its healthcare scene is rapidly growing, creating a high demand for skilled nurses.
The state has three nationally-ranked institutions in 22 specialties. And an additional six institutions earned high performing marks in an additional 73 specialties, procedures, and conditions, according to U.S. News and World Report.
The nationwide nursing shortage is keenly felt in Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin Nurses Association, more than 10,000 nurses will be exiting the workforce as early as the year 2020. Further, the registered nurse supply to demand gap is predicted to be 35 percent, or 23,000 nurses, by the year 2040. Wisconsin’s nursing shortage is underscored by a population increase of 800,000 residents and 140 percent increase in the state’s elderly population over that same period. In an effort to combat the trend, Wisconsin’s healthcare community is pushing for actions such as loan forgiveness, sign-on bonuses, and competitive salaries for the state’s nursing workforce. This is good news for travel nurses, who will continue to be in demand to provide coverage for shortage gaps.
Additional efforts are underway to improve Wisconsin residents’ access to healthcare, especially in rural communities. Cumberland Memorial Hospital in northern Wisconsin secured a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development award of nearly $40 million to build a new facility. The loan will help replace Cumberland’s current 25-bed facility with a nearly 96,000 square-foot facility. The new hospital will serve patients in three counties, who would have otherwise had to travel up to 100 miles for needed care.
3. Best places to live
Wisconsin routinely ranks on lists of best places to live. In 2019, capital city Madison clinched the number three spot on Livability’s Top 100 Best Places to Live list. The honor cites Madison’s highly-rated hospitals, college-educated workforce, business-friendly environment, and its distinction as one of the “greenest” cities in the United States among the city’s merits. Madison’s reputation for great food and music scenes also add to its appeal.
Cost of living in Wisconsin is on par with national averages, with groceries, housing, utilities and transportation just below national norms.
4. Arts, entertainment, and leisure
From its coast line on two Great Lakes (Michigan and Superior) to the dense forests and rolling farmland in the state’s interior, and from historical sites to art museums — Wisconsin is a state for “adventurers, thinkers, farmers – and everything in between.”
Door County, situated on a peninsula on Lake Michigan, is home to charming coastal towns, lighthouses, beaches, state parks, and more than 300 miles of shoreline. Known as the “Cape Cod of the Midwest,” Door County’s towns house new art galleries and upscale boutiques while still maintaining strong ties to their past. Hand-laid stone walls, carefully tended cherry orchards, and community fish boils still hearken to this area’s founding years.
The Wisconsin Dells have earned the distinction as the “Water Park Capital of the World!®” This family-friendly destination, just 50 miles northwest of Madison, is home to indoor and outdoor water parks, as well as old-fashioned amusement parks that are sure to delight kids and adults alike.
Nature-seekers will want to hit the Wisconsin Great River Road – a 250-mile stretch of highway that parallels the Mississippi River. The route is among the most scenic drives in the country, and affords access to state parks, wildlife refuges, river towns and century-old inns.
Art aficionados will get lost in the more than 30,000 works of art on display at the Milwaukee Art Museum or tour the many Frank Lloyd Wrights homes and buildings in Wisconsin.
And for foodies, Wisconsin’s famous dairy products, abundant farmers’ markets, storied microbreweries, and time-honored recipes combine to make the state a veritable mecca for great food and fare. Enjoy fine dining at Milwaukee’s Bacchus, get your beer and brat fix at The Old Fashioned in Madison, or feast at a fish boil at the White Gull Inn in Door County.
Consider Wisconsin among your travel prospects
With a vibrant and growing healthcare climate, some of the nation’s best cities, and a wealth of natural beauty, professional and personal development are awaiting you in the Badger State. To learn more, please give us a call at 800.866.0407 or view today’s travel nursing jobs in Wisconsin.
Interested in learning more about travel nursing? Call us for more information at 800.866.0407 or view today’s job openings.
