5 Common Travel Nursing Myths You Should Stop Believing

Debunking Travel Nurse Myths

1. You have to change jobs and move every 13 weeks. Most assignments have the ability to extend. If you and the hospital agree, many assignments are renewed multiple times. Ultimately, the choice is up to you, if the option is there, you can stay and really get to know a beloved location, or you can choose to try something new.

2. Too many assignments will look bad on my resume. - Hospital employers know that multiple assignments are a sign of a highly successful candidate. In our experience, RNs with more assignments on their resumes are not only preferred by facilities hiring travelers but also by hospitals looking for permanent staff. An experienced traveler can handle anything that even the craziest shift throws at them. As a traveler you’ll also have the chance to work at magnet hospitals, university medical centers and other prestigious facilities -- which you may not otherwise have had access to.

3. Travel nursing does not provide a steady income. If you’re open to considering a variety of assignments (in case that dream job is not available at the moment) and you’re willing to do some advance planning, you can definitely arrange for a lucrative and steady travel career. We have many travelers who work with us year-round. Travel nursing gives you a unique ability to go where the jobs are -- where the pay is higher or the cost of living is lower. Look to work with agencies that have nationwide availabilities so you’ll have more positions to choose from. And make sure you have a recruiter who understands your priorities. If you do decide you want a few weeks off (or more), traveling gives you that option. You can’t always say that about a staff position.

4. Travelers aren’t treated well by permanent staff. The most common reason travelers are hired is to ease the burden on permanent staff who have been working short-handed. Most staff nurses are grateful for the help. In some ways, the first day as a travel nurse is no different from the first day at any other job, the more you can do to help out and keep a positive attitude, the easier it will be to integrate into your new team. We hear from many employers how sad they were to see a valued traveler leave their facility, and how much the staff will miss them. If it turns out that you and your assignment (for whatever reason) are just not the best fit, know that it isn’t forever! Tell your recruiter what you’re looking for in your next position and hang in there!

5. Travel nursing is only for the young and fancy free. Yes, there are lots of advantages to travel nursing when you’re starting out in your career, like working in new facilities, getting exposed to new protocols, deciding first-hand what kind of hospital or unit you’d like to work in. However, there are also many who start traveling when they are further along in their careers. Maybe their kiddos have left the nest, and it feels like the right time to travel. Maybe they want to travel with a retired spouse, or a pet, or a friend. No problem, many RNs do that. A full-service travel nursing agency should be happy to advise and arrange housing for all of those situations. Traveling can even be a way to ease into full-time retirement: take an assignment, take a few months off. You get the idea.