Take Travel Nurse Job to Move Cities?

[schroeea]

Hi everyone!

So my boyfriend and I have been talking about moving to a different state because we can at the moment. I've been searching for new jobs and am coming across a lot of travel nurse positions at the hospitals in the area. It's not a major city, big enough, so it does make sense that there would be travel positions open. The problem I'm having now is not having a license in that state and not wanting to get licensed in that state until we know for sure that we're gonna take the plunge.

My question is, is there anything wrong with taking a travel nurse position to move to a different city to help me get settled and get my foot in the door at the hospitals??

Any thoughts are much appreciated!! Thanks!!

[Swellz]

A friend of mine traveled to California for two contracts before staying on perm there. The trick is that if you actually move to that state and give up your tax home in your "home" state, you lose your ability to get the tax-free stipends. For example, she paid rent to her parents for the six months she was in CA before taking a perm position and settling in CA. You can still do a local contract if you officially move and don't want to commit to a perm job though.

[NedRN]

Generally, you are better off just going staff immediately unless you are unsure what city you want to end up in. Moving (or being homeless) means you give up a major part of your effective compensation as a traveler. You also give up relocation allowances most hospitals will give you. Staff may pay more when you consider benefits. You also get a good orientation, something travelers seldom get. Expectations will be lower as staff, giving you a lot more elbow room and time to fit in.

Lots of travel positions available means there are a lot of staff jobs available too.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

I've known people who have done it both ways. I'm made two cross-country moves for permanent nursing positions, and each job paid the entire cost of my move ($3000-$5000). My current unit offers up to $12,000 signing bonuses for nurses with several years of experience in our specialty. That said, I've had friends who were moving to new cities with boyfriends/spouses and didn't know exactly which hospital system they wanted to work for, so they took a couple of local travel contracts to feel out the area and find the best fit.

As always, Ned makes some great points. From a financial and 'getting settled' perspective, it probably makes the most sense to take a staff job if you have any intention of staying in that city. If there are travel positions, there are probably also permanent positions, too.

Once you decide, I'd definitely get started on your license application. With the fingerprinting and background checks, the process can take several months.