Is Travel Nursing the Right Career for You?
Travel nurses are registered nurses from different educational and clinical backgrounds and usually work for independent staffing agencies. They are sent to various healthcare facilities to fill in temporary employment gaps.
When the nursing field was faced with a nationwide staffing shortage, many facilities had open vacancies that need to be filled as soon as possible. However, because of the staffing shortage, these openings remained open which left the existing nurses exhausted due to overworking. Travel nursing became a popular solution to this problem as it helped fill in the short-term employment gaps of many healthcare facilities.
Importance of Travel Nurses
A certain nurse-patient ratio has been identified that helps lower patient mortality and increase patient safety. While many states are already passing legislation to impose mandatory staffing ratios, the fact remains that there are not enough nurses to fill the open positions. This is where travel nurses come in. Travel nurses play a vital role in a healthcare team because they help bridge the gap between demand and supply in the nursing field.
Furthermore, nurses from different geographical locations, care areas, and educational background provide the nursing practice a great deal of variety. After all, sharing practices and ideas can help improve patient care.
Are You an Ideal Candidate to Become a Travel Nurse?
A travel nurse should possess these characteristics to excel in this role.
- A free spirit who enjoys traveling and exploring new towns, cities, and organizations.
- Enjoys the freedom and flexibility of creating their own work schedule and choosing the duration of their employment.
- Does not back down from challenges, such as always being the new nurse or having to move in a different state or overseas.
- Sees learning and new experiences as a challenge that will help build their knowledge base and contribute to their career growth.
- Enjoys learning new things, as each assignment takes travel nurses to different health care facilities that have their own workflow, organizational system, and standards of practice. Some of them are also using a higher level of technology.
As a travel nurse, you will need a supportive family and friends because you will always be packing up and moving from state to state. On the flip side, you get to form new relationships wherever your job takes you.
Travel nursing is a profession that needs someone who values freedom and the opportunity to learn. With Concentric Healthcare Staffing, you have the chance to travel and work and be exposed to numerous healthcare facilities while maximizing your earnings.
