First time travel-OB

[eiramac27]

I have a little over 1.5 years experience in nursing. I have worked in small hospitals, so I was able to work in various areas in OB (antepartum, L&D, postpartum, newborn, GYN/plastic surgery). I live in St. Louis Missouri area currently and have lived in areas where I don't know anyone at first. I have wanted to do travel nursing once I got more experience.

I work a full time night position at a small hospital currently. I have been talking with recruiter about local PRN assignments and I have just been told about 13-26 week assignments in Boston at Brigham and women's. It would be float pool. I need to inquire more on Monday, as I am not sure how the hourly wage, housing options/stipends, and tax benefits work.

Questions:

I have only been at my job 6 months amd like it there. Work well with my co-workers and they are supportive. I like the self-scheduling and am able to get extra hours at times. Another co-worker (was over a year for her) took an assignment as a travel nurse & folks were supportive. A few nurses had left for a time and came back. They had also been there longer before they left for awhile and came back. If I stay on good terms, have you ever heard of nurses coming back to their main full time job? I know it depends on lots of things, just wondering how common it is.

I'm wondering if I should be patient and just work PRN jobs with my main job. I would prefer to go out west like Arizona or colorado for an assignment. My recruiter said she would look into options for me. I'm single with no kids or pets. Lease at apartment is to November though. Thanks!

[NedRN]

It really depends on the turnover at your current hospital for if and when you can come back as staff. But L&D is always in demand generally.

You can also inquire if you can stay on staff as per diem if you have any doubts about travel. This can be tricky if they want so many shifts per month, but often you can negotiate for so many shifts per year. Keeping such a relationship also helps strengthen your tax home (required if you want to get tax free housing and per diems while on travel assignments) if you were planning on keeping up your current apartment. If you bail from where you live now, you will be itinerant (no tax home) and all compensation will be taxable.

[eiramac27]

Thank you for your response. I may try to so the local pRN job with temp agency so that way I can stay at main job. I need to have 2 years experience before I can go prn at my Main job. I'm pretty sure I'll be looking into prn options once I am qualified. Thanks!