Travel nursing meets at the intersection of healthcare and travel, blending a passion for exploring new environments with professional growth—all while you provide support and care for patients where it’s needed most.

But is travel nursing worth it? 

The answer ultimately depends on your personal preferences and goals. Fortunately, if you’re an experienced RN who’s thinking about a career as a travel nurse, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll explore key factors to consider before you start packing, including the basics and benefits of travel nursing, to determine whether the work environment and lifestyle are right for you. 

Understanding the Basics of Travel Nursing

Before you decide if travel nursing is worth it, it’s important to understand the basics. As a travel nurse, the core principles of nursing care remain the same, even when you’re moving from city to city. However, a traveling nurse is also expected to:

  • Adapt quickly to unfamiliar care environments
  • Collaborate with new team members 
  • Exercise their skill or specialty in fast-paced environments
  • Support staffing shortages in a variety of units on any given day  

And of course, you’ll repeat this exhilarating cycle every few months when you jet-set off to your next assignment. 

That said, let’s dig a little deeper into the fundamentals of travel nursing. 

Holding a Multistate License

A multistate license, or compact license, is your ticket to travel: It allows nurses registered in compact states to practice in all other participating states or territories. In other words, there’s no need to apply for additional licensure. 

But what if your home state (or dream destination for that matter) is not a compact state? You’ll need to apply for state-specific licensure to practice there. Check with your state’s nursing board to see if your state is a part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. 

Choosing Your Assignments

Since travel nurse assignments typically last up to thirteen weeks (though they can sometimes extend longer), it’s smart to start planning your travel nursing journey about six weeks before you’re ready to begin your first assignment. Planning ahead will help ensure you’re well-prepared for your next position (especially if you don’t want to take a lot of time off between assignments) and can make traveling less overwhelming. 

To choose an assignment that feels right for you, consider: 

  • Location
  • Compensation 
  • The possibility of career advancement 

Have you had your eye on a certain city? At Host Healthcare, our experienced recruiters are ready to match you with the perfect assignment based on your wants and goals. 

Tell us about yourself, your career aspirations, and a city you’ve been wanting to check off your bucket list, and we’ll guide you through the entire process—from finding your home-away-from-home to ensuring all of your paperwork and application requirements are completed on time. With ongoing support throughout your assignment, Host Healthcare has earned a reputation as a top travel nursing agency.

Working Short-term Contracts

As mentioned earlier, travel nurse positions typically last up to thirteen weeks (although some can be as short as two weeks or as long as twenty-six weeks). The duration and details of your contract will differ depending on the hospital, too. 

To that end, it’s important to always be sure you have a clear understanding of your contract before accepting a position.

Exploring the Benefits of Travel Nursing

Picture this: you’re expanding your nursing skills in new care environments, networking and building relationships with colleagues all over the country, and exploring exciting cityscapes. But the list of benefits is even longer than that. 

As a travel nurse, you can enjoy additional perks traditional careers just don’t offer. 

Freedom and Flexibility 

When travel nursing, you have the freedom to choose when and where you work. As an added bonus, travel nurses can also take extended time off between contracts. 

So, if you want to lounge on the beaches of Miami a little longer before you ship off to the snow-capped mountains of Vermont, you can—simply discuss extending your contract with your hospital and recruiter. 

Keep in mind that your ability to choose where you work can change based on demand and open positions in your desired location. Fortunately, with thousands of jobs across the country, Host Healthcare provides travelers with priority access to their top positions and locations. 

Relatively Higher Pay 

As a travel nurse, you’ll be filling short-term staffing needs in a variety of potentially challenging and fast-paced environments. For this reason, travel nurses are often paid a higher rate than staff nurses. 

Case in point: the average weekly salary for a travel nurse in 2024 is $2,340 or $10,142 per month. 

However, keep in mind that pay packages can vary based on state, and some locations have drawbacks despite the allure. For example, locations where you can make the most money also have higher costs of living, like New York and California. To that end, carefully consider your budget and weekly take-home before choosing your next location. 

Living and Working In Different Locations

Do you daydream of eating New York pizza and catching a Yankee game on your day off? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to chow down on authentic Mexican food after hiking the Rocky Mountain range. 

Travel nursing offers endless opportunities to explore every city you’re curious about.

Opportunities To Advance Your Career 

In travel nursing, your specialty is an essential part of your career, reflecting your expertise and experience. It’s not just a requirement—it’s what distinguishes you in the field. Your specialty not only opens doors to specific opportunities but can also enhance your professional growth and earning potential. 

Top travel nurse specialties include: 

  • Critical care
  • Emergency room 
  • Operating room
  • Labor and delivery 
  • Telemetry

Examining Work-Life Balance in Travel Nursing

Even though you’re traveling for work, curating a work-life balance as a travel nurse is essential to maintaining your own well-being. Weighing the pros and cons of travel nursing before you accept a position can help ensure you enjoy what you do and avoid burnout. But where exactly do you start?

Don’t worry—we’re here to guide you. 

Assess Your Flexibility and Adaptability

When it comes to the work part of work-life balance, you’ll be expected to perform tasks in unfamiliar environments, collaborate with new team members, and even assist in emergencies or understaffed units at a moment’s notice.

For this reason, flexibility and adaptability are crucial traits for any travel nurse who wants to thrive in this environment.  

Evaluate Your Comfort With Change

A new state, a new home, a new team every few months—change is inherent to travel nursing. While change and growth are part of what makes this profession so rewarding, it can nevertheless be difficult to adjust to. 

So, is being a travel nurse worth it? 

If comfort with change is one of your superpowers, then this career path might be right for you. 

Consider the Impact on Family and Relationships

Now, let’s consider more of the life side of your work-life balance. 

In addition to forming professional relationships, you’ll likely build lifelong friendships with peers and colleagues from all over the country. Even still, there may be days when missing home gets the better of you. 

To ensure you make time for socialization and adjust to the distance from friends and family, schedule regular dates to catch up on the phone. Or, share a cup of coffee over a video call. You can also always invite friends and family to come visit you in your exciting new city.

Tips for Vetting Potential Travel Nursing Agencies

Are you ready to take the next step into the world of travel nursing? Before you hit the road, it’s vital to partner with a trusted travel nursing agency. In fact, if you’re wondering if a career in travel nursing is for you, the right agency can help you clarify that question and more. 

Travel nursing agencies are the essential link between travel nurses searching for their next dream assignment and hospitals hoping to fill in-demand positions. 

As a travel nurse, you’ll work closely with agency recruiters, so it’s important to find the best-fit travel agency for you. Here are a few tips to vet potential travel agencies:

  • Does the travel agency offer benefits like medical and dental insurance?
  • Do they assist with housing?
  • Is your recruiter interested in who you are—not just as a nurse, but as a person? 
  • Are they upfront about important details like pay? 
  • Will you have 24/7 support throughout the application process and during your assignment?

To simplify the process of searching for the best-fit travel agency, consider partnering with Host Healthcare.

Make Your Career Aspirations a Reality With Host Healthcare

As an aspiring travel nurse, you have a lot to look forward to: the flexibility to choose when and where you work, plentiful opportunities for advancing your career, and the ability to explore new cities across the country. If you can adjust to working in different environments, collaborating with new team members, and spending time away from hometown friends and family, you may just thrive in this career.

At Host Healthcare, we’re passionate about guiding travel nurses through every step of their professional journey (and toward their next adventure). That’s why we offer day-1 medical, dental, and vision benefits, specialized housing assistance, 24/7 support, exclusive access to top positions at locations throughout the U.S., and more.

So, to answer the ultimate question: travel nursing…is it worth it? 

With Host Healthcare, the answer is absolutely. 

 

 

Sources:

Monti, Janice. “How To Become A Travel Nurse.” Nurse Journal, May 16, 2024. https://nursejournal.org/careers/travel-nurse/how-to-become/. Accessed, June 23, 2024.

“Frequently Asked Questions.” NLC, 2024. https://www.nursecompact.com/FAQs.page#2. Accessed, June 23, 2024.

Morris, Gayle. “Why Do Travel Nurses Get Paid So Much?.” Nurse Journal, May 12, 2023. https://nursejournal.org/articles/why-do-travel-nurses-get-paid-so-much. Accessed, June 23, 2024.

“RN Travel Nurse Salary.” ZipRecruiter, 2024. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Rn-Travel-Nurse-Salary#Monthly. Accessed, June 23, 2024.

Indeed Editorial Team. “9 Highest-Paying Travel Nursing Jobs To Consider Pursuing.” Indeed, April 18, 2024. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/pros-and-cons-of-travel-nursing. Accessed, June 23, 2024.