Are you a nurse looking to take your career to the next level? Or perhaps you are a nursing student who is still exploring options and considering pathways? If so, you may want to look into becoming a travel nurse. Travel nursing offers an array of opportunities and benefits that can’t be found in traditional nursing roles. Let’s take a closer look at how being a travel nurse can help you reach your professional goals.
What is travel nursing?
Travel nursing is a job in which you travel to different hospitals and care for patients. You stay at each hospital for a few weeks or months, then move on to another hospital. Most of the time your shifts are 12-hour shifts. The staffing agency that hires you pays you a salary, so there is no hourly rate like in other jobs.
Travel nurses get paid well and receive benefits that are normally offered by full-time employees (i.e., health insurance). They also have access to professional development opportunities through the staffing agency’s training department, which helps them get promoted within their field faster than they would otherwise be able to do so on their own initiative alone.
Top 10 perks of being a travel nurse
There are many perks of becoming a travel nurse today and the position continues to be in high demand. The list below are some of the most popular reasons why nursing professionals and students have chosen the path to be a nurse that travels across the country.
1. Free lodging
Free lodging is a huge perk of being a travel nurse.
- If you are a new travel nurse, you may not have the option to choose your housing. Your employer will probably place you in company housing, which can be an apartment or house shared with other nurses and staff.
- If you are an experienced travel nurse, then your options are more open. You may even get to live on campus at a hospital or clinic!
2. Subsidized or free health benefits
When you’re a travel nurse, you may be eligible to receive subsidized or free health benefits. This usually depends on your assignment and company, but it’s still worth checking out. If this is something that interests you, make sure to ask the following questions:
- What are the costs associated with my plan?
- What is covered by the plan? (Coverage varies depending on each individual plan.)
- Am I required to pay any deductibles or co-pays before insurance kicks in? (Some plans offer coverage for certain things immediately after signing up.)
3. Free or subsidized airfare
You may be eligible to get free or subsidized airfare to and from your travel nursing assignments. Travel nurses who have been on the job for six months or longer can usually fly for free with their employer’s assistance, and some companies will even pay for any special service charges that you incur during travel. If you need to make a last minute change in your assignment or if you want to apply for a new position, some employers will subsidize your airfare so that it costs less than flying commercially. If you’re lucky enough to be a member of the military, then your employer may pay all of your travel expenses (including meals) when requesting off-site assignments.
4. Supplemental insurance
Supplemental insurance is a type of coverage that provides additional protection to your primary health care plan. If you’re not sure what supplemental insurance is, here’s the definition:
Supplemental insurance is an extra layer of protection that provides additional benefits to your regular health insurance policy. If you have a high deductible or copayment on your primary health care plan, getting supplemental insurance can help alleviate some of those costs.
You might think this sounds like something only doctors and dentists would need—but in reality, travel nurses have lots of reasons for purchasing supplemental coverage as well! In addition to covering co-pays and deductibles for medical services (such as lab work), good supplemental plans will also cover prescriptions (if applicable) and other expenses associated with traveling such as lodging and meals away from home. Plus, some companies offer special incentives related specifically toward nurses like discounts on membership fees at fitness centers around town or free classes where they can learn about healthy lifestyle habits.”
5. Tax breaks
Unlike regular employees, who are taxed at a higher rate than travel nurses, many tax breaks are available to travelers. For example, the cost of travel can be deducted from your taxable income up to $4,000 per year as a “miscellaneous itemized deduction” if you itemize your taxes. This means that if you make $45K per year and spend $50K on travel expenses—with both being deductible—you would only pay taxes on $5K rather than $45K.
6. Flexible work schedule
As a travel nurse, your schedule is completely flexible. You can work as little or as much as you want, which means that if you want to take some time off between jobs or switch positions and locations, there’s no one standing in your way. In addition to the freedom of setting your own hours, being able to choose where you work and what hospitals you go to means that there are more options available than under traditional employment.
7. Lucrative pay and bonuses
Travel nurses can earn up to $75,000 a year, which is great for those who want to make a living as a nurse but don’t want to commit to one location. Nurses who are in demand and have good reputations may also get bonuses at the end of their contracts, usually based on performance. Bonuses can come in the form of cash, vacation time or other perks like being able to choose where you live or having your employer pay for your relocation expenses.
8. You will get to travel and see the country
Travel nurses get to see the country, and maybe even experience different cultures. You will get to travel and see the country, but there is also time for exploring at your own pace. When you are not working, you can explore on your own or with friends. This gives you a chance to meet new people and make new friends as well.
Travel nurses get to learn about different cultures from all over the world!
9. You will have job security and expand your network
You will be able to build a network of contacts. You will have job security and expand your network. You can work for different companies, but you can also work for the same company for a long time.
10. You will learn new skills
Traveling, especially as a nurse, is full of opportunities to learn new things. When you are in a new facility and working with different staff members, you will get to see how each place does things differently. You can even start asking questions about what they do and why they do it that way. If there is something that would make your job easier or more efficient—and it’s not in line with the way they normally do things—ask yourself if this could help you become better at your job or even save lives someday down the road!
Being around people who speak other languages gives you an opportunity to practice your language skills too. For example, if you are working in Ireland but don’t speak any Irish Gaelic yet, take some time during breaks or after work hours (or both) and go talk to some locals who might be willing to teach their native tongue! Learning another language will open up so many doors for you on this journey as well as after graduation from nursing school!
What do you need to become a travel nurse?
The first step is to get a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. There are many different types of degrees, but the most common is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Although not mandatory, it’s usually recommended that you have at least one year of experience as a registered nurse before becoming a travel nurse.
If you want to become a travel nurse, consider having these requirements met before applying.
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing.
- At least one year of experience as a registered nurse.
How hard is it to become a travel nurse?
First, you need to be a registered nurse. To be able to apply for the job, you also need to have at least two years of experience in your field. Then, once hired by a travel agency (such as Travel Nurse Across America), you’ll need to provide them with a copy of your current license and CPR certification. Finally, before beginning this exciting new career path with its many benefits and advantages over traditional work environments—like no long commutes!—you’ll undergo an extensive background check that ensures that you are fit for duty as a travel nurse caregiver.
Final thoughts
So, how hard is it to become a travel nurse? It’s not hard at all! As long as you have the right training and the right certifications under your belt, then you are good to go. The only thing that can hold you back is time—but don’t worry about that too much because we have plenty of resources on our website that will help guide you through this process!