Have Degree But... Do I Really Want To Travel?

Have Degree

I received my nursing degree in May 1992 and have worked medical, surgical, rehabilitation, transitional care, psychiatric, and emergency units. For the past eleven years, I have been doing my prep work for travel nursing, but is now the right time?

I have always wanted to do travel nursing, but didn't think that I could until my son got out of high school in six year. And then... things fell apart at work, and my child kept on getting into trouble at school so that he could go to the library and be by himself to do his work.

Well, if public school isn't working for my son, and my current employment isn't working for me... Maybe I will get a chance to do travel nursing five years before planned.

I started looking on the Internet to find out if I qualify for travel nursing, and how much the pay rate is. I wanted to know not only the advantages of travel nursing, but also the disadvantages.

Why Travel Nursing?

I know some nurses who spend time as a travel nurse in an attempt to find a permanent home, and other just want a change of scenery. Travel nursing allows you to see the world, and still work as an active nurse.

I have always worked in a small hospital, what will it be like to work in a larger hospital? Is there any difference between a small hospital and a large hospital in attitude? If so, how will the large hospital attitude affect me? These are all the questions that I look forward to answering in my travel nursing experience.

I have always lived in the Western United States, why is life like in the Eastern United States? I have a friend who lives in Virginia, where my ancestors are from... I can't wait to make my scheduled Virginia journey in the Spring of 2005.

Some people travel because the pay is better, but is the pay

that much better? Is the pay that much greater that I can uproot my family every three to six months for this adventure in life?

Travel nursing also allows a nurses to pay off their bills quicker than staff nursing jobs, especially if you find a local company to ravel with; therefore, staying at home and earning that extra housing stipend a month.

No matter what your reasons are for looking into travel nursing, there are plenty of options out there, and it is definitely worth exploring this great adventure.

Written by Epstein LaRue, RN, BS, author of Highway Hypodermics: Your Road Map To Travel Nursing, Love At First Type, and Crazy Thoughts of Passion. http://www.epsteinlarue.com/


About the Author

Epstein is a traveling nurse and published author of 4 novels, including Highway Hypodermics: Travel Nursing 2007.