With the holidays quickly approaching and the great glittery ball preparing to make its descent, the season of resolution-making is upon us. If you’re still figuring out what your goals are for 2016, we have a proposition for you: consider travel nursing. Let’s take a closer look at why there’s never been a better time to try travel nursing, along with a few ways in which travel nursing is the perfect New Year’s resolution.
The Time Is Right
You may already be aware that we’re facing a critical shortage of nurses in this country. With a third of the nursing workforce approaching retirement age and more people in the health care system than ever before due to the Affordable Care Act, the need for skilled, qualified nurses is at a 20-year high, according to a recent USA Today article. And it’s not done climbing yet: Demand is expected to rise by another 10 percent in the next year alone.
While this shortfall comes with great responsibility, it also comes with unprecedented opportunities. Due to the shortfall of hospital staff nurses, travel nurses are in critical demand at hospitals and health care facilities in need. In other words, with talents like yours increasingly sought-after, your career path is wide open.
Three Reasons to Try Travel Nursing in 2016
All of which begs the question: is travel nursing right for you? Consider these three resolution-friendly reasons to try travel nursing in 2016.
1. Professional Development
Each travel nursing assignment offers a dynamic new environment. From rural hospitals to top urban teaching and research facilities, travel nurses are constantly learning new skills and techniques. If and when you decide to return to a staff nurse job, you’ll have plenty of new line items for your resume.
Not to mention that “boring” and “travel nursing” are not words which typically go together. Prepare to be challenged in the very best way.
2. Save More Money
Not only are travel nurses well compensated in the form of everything from generous hourly rates to referral and completion bonuses, but they also receive free furnished housing (or a housing stipend) and health insurance.
Factor in the ability to request assignments in areas with low costs of living, and travel nurses can easily keep their expenses low.
And who doesn’t want to end 2016 with more money in the bank?
3. Travel, Travel, and Travel
Traveling is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, and yet few people will make good on this goal. Travel nurses, meanwhile, have unparalleled opportunities to follow the travel bliss.
Whether you’ve always been fascinated by the charms of New England or California calls to you, the increasing demand for travel nursing means that you’ll have your pick of open positions all over the country.
And who knows? You just might find the perfect place to settle down.
But the reasons to try travel nursing don’t end there. From unprecedented freedom and flexibility to minimizing exposure to workplace politics, travel nursing offers a refreshing change of pace and defense against nursing burnout.
Now is the perfect time to reflect on the year behind while making plans for the one ahead. Will your future include a life-changing switch to travel nursing?
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