2 answers
Chyanna
Student
Rochester, Minnesota
4
Questions
Updated
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How is it like working as a travel nurse?
Is it easy? Is it something you enjoy, do you think that this is an easy job? Is it worth it?
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2 answers
Shannon Kelley
various roles
49
Answers
Cranston, Rhode Island
Updated
Shannon’s Answer
Nursing has a steep learning curve. When you get your RN, you've only broken the surface. You'll need to eagerly learn for your whole career. An eager nurse can learn a lot by traveling. Seeing how different hospitals manage things differently is step 2. Step 1 is staying in one job for a couple years so you're really good at it. Then maybe take another position - move from med/surge to OR nursing, for example. Do that for a couple years too. This is how you build up the experience that's demanded. When you get to each new place as a traveler you'll have to go to classes to learn this hospital's rules, computer system etc before you start with patients. All of this training is worth the effort for nurses who seriously want to help their patients, traveling or not.
The term 'easy' is very subjective (i.e. different for each person). Nurses don't usually describe their job as easy. If it was, they'd be bored. Many nurses in their early career like to see different places before they own a house & have a family, so traveling is perfect for them. In every new place a nurse needs to find the grocery store, post office, fun things to do etc. which is fun if they have a good attitude. They'll also make friends at work to get information from. Once they show that they're eager to learn, other professionals will happily teach them.
An easy nursing job might be school nurse. They keep track of immunizations, help kids with chronic problems (e.g. feeding tubes) and help kids who are sick today or who get injured at school. Working in the office of a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist can be mostly paperwork & a little bit of clinical work. These are fine jobs, without the high pace & stress of the ER or busy offices in many cases.
I've known many travelers, and I was one myself, who enjoyed traveling a lot. You can accept or turn down any job offered to you. Sometimes a job will offer to make you a permanent employee. Sometimes there won't be any jobs available for awhile (or at least, none that you want). They money is quite good, but you might not have benefits depending on your placement agency. A place to live & transportation to each town are provided for you while you're on assignment. A nurse could work 5 years in a hospital, then give up their apartment and travel; save most of their income; work for 5-10 years and have a lot of money to buy a house when they want to settle down.
The point is still about the patients. The nurse has to take every patient seriously no matter where they are.
The term 'easy' is very subjective (i.e. different for each person). Nurses don't usually describe their job as easy. If it was, they'd be bored. Many nurses in their early career like to see different places before they own a house & have a family, so traveling is perfect for them. In every new place a nurse needs to find the grocery store, post office, fun things to do etc. which is fun if they have a good attitude. They'll also make friends at work to get information from. Once they show that they're eager to learn, other professionals will happily teach them.
An easy nursing job might be school nurse. They keep track of immunizations, help kids with chronic problems (e.g. feeding tubes) and help kids who are sick today or who get injured at school. Working in the office of a cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist can be mostly paperwork & a little bit of clinical work. These are fine jobs, without the high pace & stress of the ER or busy offices in many cases.
I've known many travelers, and I was one myself, who enjoyed traveling a lot. You can accept or turn down any job offered to you. Sometimes a job will offer to make you a permanent employee. Sometimes there won't be any jobs available for awhile (or at least, none that you want). They money is quite good, but you might not have benefits depending on your placement agency. A place to live & transportation to each town are provided for you while you're on assignment. A nurse could work 5 years in a hospital, then give up their apartment and travel; save most of their income; work for 5-10 years and have a lot of money to buy a house when they want to settle down.
The point is still about the patients. The nurse has to take every patient seriously no matter where they are.
Thank you, Shannon for the advice.
Chyanna
Melissa Mariñelarena, RN, MPA, CPHQ
Registered Nurse
1
Answer
Arlington, Virginia
Updated
Melissa’s Answer
Nursing is absolutely worth it! Nursing is one of the most challenging yet rewarding careers. As a nurse, you have the option to specialize or work in various areas of nursing like ICU, ER, OR, oncology, pediatrics, home health, geriatrics, primary care, as so many more!
Travel nurses are required to have at least a year of experience prior to taking a travel assignment. I did a travel assignment as an ICU nurse and although it was fun it was not easy. As a traveler you are expected to "hit the floor running"; therefore, you need to be comfortable in your nursing practice and speciality.
I've met a lot of travel nurses over the years and they love it! If you're flexible and love traveling and adventure definitely give travel nursing a shot!
Travel nurses are required to have at least a year of experience prior to taking a travel assignment. I did a travel assignment as an ICU nurse and although it was fun it was not easy. As a traveler you are expected to "hit the floor running"; therefore, you need to be comfortable in your nursing practice and speciality.
I've met a lot of travel nurses over the years and they love it! If you're flexible and love traveling and adventure definitely give travel nursing a shot!
Thank you for the advice.
Chyanna