What is Travel Nursing?

What is travel nursing and how does it work? I’m Kristen Conrad of ANurseTravels.com and I’m here to explain one of the best decisions I’ve ever made to become a travel  nurse!  A travel nurse is a registered nurse that works through an agency rather than for a hospital or a clinic. Instead of being employed indefinitely by a health care institution, they will sign a contract to work for a set amount of time before either extending a contract or moving to a new assignment. There have been on-going nursing shortages for the past several years in America and according to a study done by the WHO (World Health Organization) this will continue until 2022.  Due to things such as an aging population, fewer nursing educators, and a high number of nurses leaving the profession. Travel nurses are a great way to help fill these shortages, especially while hospitals look for new hires or during seasons with more patients than usual (think cold and flu season).

Benefits of Travel Nursing

Traveling Nurse Kristen Conrad exploring London

There are also several benefits that come with working as a travel nurse. To start, travel nurses usually make great money. Rent, Cost of Living and benefits are some big financial factors to consider, travel nurses are typically compensated really well. Good pay AND you get to travel the country, what more could you ask for?

Another plus to working as a travel nurse is the flexibility. For someone who is interested in experiencing life in a new city, or is thinking about moving to a new city, travel nursing is a great short-term way to explore and experience a new place. That being said, you can also work as a travel nurse in your own backyard! This is a great option for anyone who is looking for a short term contract, someone who wants to be paid a travel nurse salary, or someone who is interested in trying out different hospitals in their area.

Another great benefit to travel nursing is in the job description- travel! For anyone who has an interest in traveling the country or seeing new cities, travel nursing is a great opportunity to do so. While staying a few days in a city may not feel like enough time to really enjoy the city, most travel nurse contracts are 13 weeks and you can typically stay longer.  This gives you plenty of time to try the popular restaurants, see the sites, and get to know the city locals. If you enjoy the city, you may even decide to try and extend your contract or sign a new contract in the city.

Overall, travel nursing is a great way to explore and travel, make a good salary, keep your nursing skills adaptable, and offer flexibility. If travel, money, and flexibility in your work are things that interest you, you may want to give travel nursing a try!

If you want to know more follow Kristen on Instagram and see her travels through Europe!

If you’re convinced travel nursing is for you, learn how to become a travel nurse from us.

Kirsten Conrad

 I moved to London from Texas in spring 2019. Here you can find out what I’ve been up to and also lots of real experience on what it is like to be an international travel nurse!

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I will blog about work, travel and lifestyle while living in the UK. Follow me on Instagram for updates on when I do a new blog post and feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.