This is the time of year in the colder regions of the country that many of us are growing impatient for spring and warm weather. Within health care, there is a group of health care professionals-primarily RNs and therapists-that schedule their work around the 4 seasons and follow the sun. For those experienced medical professionals that have the flexibility in their personal lives to be able to basically move to another part of the country for 13 weeks, travel assignments are a great way to make a sizable income, avoid relentless snowstorms, power outages and never-ending grey skies.
Travel assignments are not for everyone. As previously mentioned, Registered Nurses and Therapists with family responsibilities will not be able to pack and leave for 13 weeks. To take on a travel assignment a health care professional needs a solid base of experience in their specialty area, as well as some great people skills to assimilate into a new group of co-workers- a sense of adventure is essential. I have known highly experienced RNs that are so tied to working in their specific unit that they became almost hostile when pulled to another unit to help out in a crunch-I’m taking about once every few years. Obviously travel nursing would never be on their radar. A close friend of mine, and fellow RN, has a sister that is a nurse practitioner and has been “traveling” for years and absolutely loves it. Aside from loving her work, it has afforded her a very nice life style. She has taken off months at a time to travel the world when not working-she is a true adventurer.
A nicely written article by Carol Dunbar highlights what nurses need to consider before pursing an adventure in traveling-this would also apply to Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, COTAs and PTAs that travel. http://www.nurse.com/travelmoving/travelinfuture.htm
So if you are an experienced health care professional, with a sense of adventure, maybe a travel assignment next winter is the way to go. Perhaps walking on a sunny beach in February instead of shoveling endless inches of snow is the way to go.
Travel assignments are not for everyone. As previously mentioned, Registered Nurses and Therapists with family responsibilities will not be able to pack and leave for 13 weeks. To take on a travel assignment a health care professional needs a solid base of experience in their specialty area, as well as some great people skills to assimilate into a new group of co-workers- a sense of adventure is essential. I have known highly experienced RNs that are so tied to working in their specific unit that they became almost hostile when pulled to another unit to help out in a crunch-I’m taking about once every few years. Obviously travel nursing would never be on their radar. A close friend of mine, and fellow RN, has a sister that is a nurse practitioner and has been “traveling” for years and absolutely loves it. Aside from loving her work, it has afforded her a very nice life style. She has taken off months at a time to travel the world when not working-she is a true adventurer.
A nicely written article by Carol Dunbar highlights what nurses need to consider before pursing an adventure in traveling-this would also apply to Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, COTAs and PTAs that travel. http://www.nurse.com/travelmoving/travelinfuture.htm
So if you are an experienced health care professional, with a sense of adventure, maybe a travel assignment next winter is the way to go. Perhaps walking on a sunny beach in February instead of shoveling endless inches of snow is the way to go.
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