Travel Nursing: A Defining Moment in a Nursing Career
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By Aaron Moore, MSN, RN-BC, travel nurse expert
Recently I had a colleague retire. She has worked over 30 years as a nurse and has earned her time off! During her last shift, I got to talking to her about her decades in nursing and some of her favorite memories.
I was not surprised when she said travel nursing and a medical mission were among her fondest memories in her nursing career.
This is a repeating narrative I hear from those who have taken a risk and tried travel nursing. Rarely have I met a nurse who didn’t thoroughly enjoy their time traveling.
Yes, it may seem hard to make that initial step, but it’s sooo worth it.
How to get started in travel nursing
Decide to take that first step. Starting anything new is the hardest part: taking chances and not being afraid to fail. I had a great partner (my wife) who encouraged me and made it easier to take a leap of faith.
I’ve also met many driven nurses who wanted a change and took the chance. None of them ever said they regretted their decision.
So, what can you do to take some of the fear out of getting started in travel nursing? It begins with knowledge.
Get to know more about travel nursing. Talk to someone who is currently traveling or has worked as a travel nurse in the past. I guarantee there are a few nurses you know and trust at your facility who have traveled before.
Next, do some online research; read a travel nursing blog (wink, wink) or peruse a few travel nurse websites. There’s so much information right at your fingertips.
Narrow down your search of travel nurse agencies to two or three, including those recommended by your friends, and give them a call. Trust me, a recruiter will call you back ASAP. Have a few questions ready when they call so you can compare and contrast what each person has to say. Talk about your goals, pick a recruiter who you can trust and start building a great relationship.
Once you get to know more about travel nursing, any jitters you feel will go away.
I’ve been a nurse for 15 years now, and I don’t know where I’d be without travel nursing. Like my retired friend, I can look back and see my traveling as a defining moment for my career. I took a chance when I gave up a job I loved and moved away from family to try travel nursing, but it became my greatest adventure.
I would definitely recommend it for those of you who are still on the fence.
READ MORE of Aaron’s travel nursing blogs by clicking on the Ask the Expert section.