Considering Travel Nursing? Weigh the Pros and Cons

As a career, travel nursing is unique. It lends opportunities to nurses that no other medical position can. Demand for travel nurses is on the rise, so there are plenty of job opportunities. One obvious benefit of this job is the chance to travel the country, or even the world. For some people it’s a dream job, but it’s not for everyone. Here are some of the pros and cons to help you make your decision.

The Travel

You get paid to travel the United States. If you’ve always longed to explore the country, travel nursing offers you the opportunity to take jobs in places you’ve wanted to see. Work in Hawaii and explore volcanoes and beaches in your off time. Live in New England when summer draws to a close and the leaves change.

Sometimes you’re not sure if you’d like to live in an area permanently. Travel nursing allows you to experience living somewhere without the long term commitment.

Travel nursing can be difficult if you don’t like change, or if you have family obligations you can’t leave behind.

The Benefits

Travel nursing agencies usually provide you with housing or provide a housing stipend while you’re working in an area they assign. Because pay is higher and stress can be too, travel nurse jobs pay more. You’ll put more wear and tear on your car, but you can also write off many of your expenses, so you pay less in taxes.

The Experience

Travel nursing looks great on your resume. It exposes you to new people, places and skills on a regular basis. You work in facilities across the country, and each experience adds to your knowledge base. In many fields, holding a lot of different jobs in a short period of time is a bad thing. With travel nursing, the experience you gain works in your favor. When you’re ready to stay in one place, you’ll have developed an extensive nursing background in a relatively short time.

When you’re ready to travel, Emerald City Medical Staffing can help you meet your career goals. See what careers we have available today.