Pros/Cons of being a Traveling Nurse....

BayouLPN · Apr 22, 2008

HI...not a travel nurse here but work in a family birth center. We use traveler's alot. I have enjoyed working with most of them. I don't know much about their pay ect. except what they have told me and of course they did not disclose their actual rate. But, yes, their pay is more than the regular staff. Their housing is included in their contract. They all said they love traveling. The ones with us signed 13 week contracts but I have heard of shorter and some have extended their contracts with us for additional weeks (increments they decided on). I cannot comment for all travelers but I think the cons would be much the same in alot of places. Upon hire, I was given a 2 day hospital orientation. They got a 4 hour. They are expected to know EVERYTHING that the regular employees do "since they travel they should know how to do this blah blah blah" They are often blamed for things that did not get done. The scapegoat, if you will. They most often work nights or the shift that others don't want. Good point ...they get their promised full-time hours, it usually in the contract that they cannot be called off. Bad point, one of our traveler's caught the VERY NASTY stomach virus that was going around and had to be out sick. Made her double sick because she had to pay her company back the day's wages. I am not sure if that meant she just missed a day of pay or if it meant that she missed 2 days pay. I have really enjoyed working with the ladies on the night shift. They are seasoned and have not minded answering questions or helping me out (I am new to this type of nursing) But, the more forceful personalities on the day shift have really given them a hard time. Didn't answer your questions like a real traveler might have...but hope this gives you some kind of perspective. I, too, have considered traveling after my son graduates and I have more experience under my belt. I am so jealous of one our ladies that is headed for Oregon in a couple of weeks!!! Congrats on nursing school and good luck.

elkpark · Apr 22, 2008

(Thread moved to Travel Nursing forum)

bagladyrn, RN · Apr 22, 2008

Hello. I'm a new member. I'm a 35 y/o mom who is in nursing school. My goal is to be an OB nurse. I'm very much considering being a traveling nurse when my daughter graduates from high school. I was wanting to hear from travel nurses or people who have done it in the past. How long are contracts? Is the pay better? Can you still work in L&D and travel? Just wanted to hear opinions from those who know. Thanks!

I'm a traveler and an OB nurse. Yes you can work L&D and travel - I've been doing just that for 11+ years (worked OB for 9 years prior to that). It helps if you work all of OB (L&D,PP,MB,NSY,ANTE, GYN) or as many of those as possible because it gives you more latitude in contracts.

The money (in terms of the hourly wage) can be better than staff in many places, or actually may be the same or a little less since as a traveler you don't get shift or weekend differential or the "premium pay" bonuses offered to some staff to induce them to work OT shifts. Yes, your housing is paid for - a big benefit. Remember, though that in order for that housing money to be nontaxed, you must still be maintaining your tax residence in your home area.

The issue of sick time mentioned above - with just about all agencies if you are out sick you do not get paid for that shift AND you must reimburse the agency for the cost of your housing for that shift (cost of housing divided by the number of hours in your contract). This really does make a certain amount of sense from a business perspective: the agency has already paid for the housing, and if you don't work a shift the hospital does not pay the agency for that shift.

Only one agency that I have heard of actually pays vacation days, although you can take time off between contracts without a problem.

Few people are going to get rich working as travelers, but it's a great way to see the country (that I'd never be able to afford on vacations only) and experience lots of new things both at work and when off work.

By the way - my son loved it when I did this when he went off to college - he got to spend school breaks in lots of fun places - New Years in Key West, skiing at Lake Tahoe, etc.