Traveling Nurse - The Benefits

By Peter Johnson

If you are passionate about being a nurse, and love to travel, then a career as a traveling nurse could be ideal for you. Working as a traveling nurse has many unique benefits. You can travel around the country you live in, or indeed any country where traveling nurses are in demand. The jobs or assignments are often very flexible- lasting from anywhere between a couple of weeks to a year. The pay is often fantastic, and can be increased by selecting shifts with un-sociable hours (night shifts etc).

Traveling nurses are most certainly the best paid nurses. These are just some benefits that may be available to you exact benefits will vary depending on the traveling nurse agency that you choose. Generally in the  US, the pay can range from $21 to $48 an hour- this is obviously based on your skill level, years of experience and location ( A traveling nurse working in a capital city will most likely be better paid than a nurse in a smaller town or village). Agencies often offer sign on bonuses and completion bonuses as well (A bonus given to the traveling nurse upon completion of the assignment). Some even offer bonuses when you renew your contract for at least 13 weeks. There are loyalty bonuses available at some agencies that offer different monetary bonuses, housing upgrades, paid vacations, and more. Referral bonuses are often offered for nurse that you refer to agencies.

With health benefits specifically being a massive issue in the US, being a traveling nurse will often include healthcare perks. Most have fully paid medical insurance with the options to add your family at your expense. They also can have many add ons such as Life insurance, vision and dental insurance, disability insurance-both long and short term, and accident coverage insurance.

Many offer retirement plans such as the 401K after just a month of service with them. Some even offer roadside assistance packages such as AAA. Most offer continuing education reimbursement as well.

Traveling is a benefit of being a traveling nurse. Some nurses may see the traveling side of the job a negative, but this is obviously dependent on the nurse in question.. A job as a traveling nurse allows you to work in new areas. Often times these are areas that you normally would not consider for a vacation because they are not high tourist areas.  You can see places across the United States as you work.

There are many benefits, rewards, and bonuses available to those who decide to become a traveling nurse- due to the flexibility required in this type of work. The extras seem to be endless as there is a high demand for nurses who are able to travel for their jobs. These traveling nurse jobs can take you away from your family, pets, and loved ones so a hard consideration into whether the job is right for you is necessary before committing. It is also vital to investigate the traveling nurse agencies you are considering joining- this can be done easily via the internet. Ask the agencies to speak with some of the traveling nurses that are already a part of their company.

Becoming a traveling nurse is a fantastic option for a nurse who has worked in the one job for a period of time. It provides an opportunity to have different challenges and grow as an individual through new experiences. A traveling nurse job could be just what you are looking for right now.