3 Career Benefits of Travel Nursing
If you’ve ever wondered how you could make the most of your nursing education and experience, but also have a growing itch to travel more in the country, then travel nursing could be for you.
The benefits of travel nursing extend way beyond the opportunity to just travel and experience new places and cultures throughout the U.S. There are career and personal gains to be had as well.
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3 Major Benefits of Travel Nursing
1. Travel nursing salary and bonuses
Higher salaries. One of the many benefits of a travel nursing assignment is the compensation. In some cases, travel nursing salaries are higher than the pay rates for full-time permanent nursing jobs. Most compensation packages include a daily allowance for meals and incidentals and a guaranteed minimum number of hours for every assignment, which can include overtime pay rates.
Sign-on, completion and referral bonuses. Many travel nursing packages offer sign-on and completion bonuses of up to $6,000. You can also earn bonuses by referring your friends and colleagues for travel nursing positions. While specific pay details will vary from job to job, make sure to discuss this in depth with your travel nursing recruiter.
2. Travel nurse housing and expense reimbursement
Free, quality housing. One of the best benefits of travel nursing is cost-free housing. Many packages provide you with private, comfortable, fully furnished accommodations at no cost to you. Or, if you prefer, you can stay with friends or arrange your own housing and opt for a generous monthly housing subsidy instead.
Tax-free travel reimbursement. You don't have to worry about incurring expenses commuting to your assignment. Many, if not most, packages offer a travel tax-accountable reimbursement plan, which means you don’t pay taxes on reimbursements.
3. Insurance and retirement benefits for travel nurses
Medical, dental and life insurance. Whether you need immediate health coverage, an affordable option for your family, or would like expanded dental coverage, you can ask and negotiate for all of that in your travel nursing package. You can expect to be provided with basic life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance coverage at no cost; free life insurance is contingent upon medical plan enrollment.
401(k) retirement plans. Many travel nurse companies offer 401(k) plans — you can start contributing to a 401(k) plan with them on your first day of assignment. And, since every package is different and can be negotiated, it’s easy to discuss the specific amount you’d like to contribute by speaking with your travel nurse agency’s team of experts.
The diversity of experience travel nursing provides will appeal to many healthcare organizations. Don’t feel as if you need to put your career development on the back burner; advance your career through travel nursing opportunities!