5 Reasons To Be A Traveling Nurse

So while I’ve already previously written about how great being a Traveling Nurse is and provided you with the statistics surrounding the position, I’d like to expand just a bit further and give the top five reasons why you should really consider this wonderful profession.

See New Places, Meet New People

As a traveling nurse, you have the opportunity to try out a new city every couple of months. Some nurses refer to their travel nursing careers as a ‘working vacation’. Nurses are able to work their shifts each week most nurses work three 12-hour shifts or four 10-hour shifts per week and then site see around the new city on their days off or on their long weekends! There are few career opportunities out there where one can see the country and travel, all while earning an income and fulfilling professional goals.

Many travel nurses have the option to extend their contracts to meet hospital needs. So, if someone loves the area they’re in and they aren’t ready to leave, they can stay longer! Travel nursing also creates a great opportunity to meet new people. Many hospitals use travel nurses consistently throughout the year, which creates the opportunity to meet other travel nurses. If a nurse is traveling alone, this is a great way to network and create some long lasting friendships across the country with people who have similar interests!

Make More Money

There are many financial perks to travel nursing. One of the great benefits to being a traveling professional is that, if you meet the qualifications (which most do as long as you maintain a permanent tax home), you are eligible to receive tax free benefits from your travel nursing agency. These benefits can include daily meals and incidental per diems; tax free housing in the form of a furnished one bedroom apartment or tax free daily lodging per diems; tax free travel reimbursement, and much more. The great thing about tax free benefits is that you can potentially take home more money after taxes than you would in a permanent, non-traveling position. Also, some hospitals or agencies will offer travel nurses higher pay rates or completion bonuses for certain critical openings. On many travel assignments, the opportunity to work overtime is also available!