As stated above, I am wondering if travel nursing is the right career move for me at this time. I have been a nurse for 2.5 years, I have my BSN, I'm 23 years old, no kids, and in a potentially semi-serious relationship. Travel nursing has always sounded appealing to me. I love to travel and doing it as a career seems even better! However, my boyfriend stated that we would not stay together if I chose to travel. At 23, I want to focus on myself and do everything that I can before I'm tied down and unable to be as fun and spontaneous. In contrast to that, I'm in a relationship with a guy who could potentially be the real deal. I'm just not sure if I'm ready for a serious commitment at this time in my life. Is my love life and relationship more important than my love and desire to travel? Ultimately, only I can answer that question, but I would love to hear input on people who have had similar experience or life wisdom.
Sounds awesome! how do you make it work? Specifically, how do you have time with a full time job to travel to other states to work PRN? If you don't mind my asking, what is your home state?
Sounds awesome! how do you make it work? Specifically, how do you have time with a full time job to travel to other states to work PRN? If you don't mind my asking, what is your home state?
@lajollalove I work a full time in Florida and is easier than what you think after you get your full time schedule ahead you can tell your others nurse managers ( of course you have to build a network first so they can get to know you)
My chief give us the schedules two months ahead after this I let my others Chiefs know my schedule and they offer me deferents days and I just have to accept or just say "I can't "( I usually have time to look for plane tickets fares ahead of time) then I go there for a day or two and that allow me to make more money!
Is not that difficult to do, but you definitely will need an agenda.
And if you work 3/12 you can take five or six days of work in one week and then go and travel to another state and take some hours! Let's say you go to CA for 3/10 shift the hour range in CA in a PRN is 85$ to 105$ an hour so in three days you can make 3k ,the ticket is around 300$ and after a while you accumulate points and sometimes the plane ticket is cheaper, of course you need a place to stay there, that's why you have to make your network, or find out rooms that are for three days to rent not hotels
I have a friend that does the same he has a full time position in NJ and he travel to San Francisco Every week! He make more money! Cause NJ pays a lot more than FL, I want to get the NJ license as well.
it is very possible to do this for a while but you have to start traveling with an agency first In order to start doing this
So go ahead and take that position and don't think in anything else, you will learn a lot traveling
I hope this information make a little bit easier your decision
Hey, guys! Sorry I've been super busy and haven't logged on.
Okay, so I make decent money now working in Ohio. I make around $31 an hour between night shift and weekend shift differential. Currently I work in the emergency department and have been here for a year and 4 months. Prior to that I worked on the step-down unit for 1 year. So I have about 2.5 years total experience as an RN.
What worries me about traveling is being alone. I would not have anyone to travel with and with the way the world is now....that's a scary thought. If I traveled, I would want to get out and explore and I would more than likely have to do that alone. I would be afraid that something, or someone, bad would happen to me. So my main concern is traveling alone and my meger 1.4 years experience in the ER. I'd be afraid I would be thrown to the wolves and expected to know everything as a travel nurse, and the truth is I am still learning a lot and a novice in the ER.
You certainly don't have to know everything and a good recruiter will get you interviews at assignments that fit your skills. That said, there is much to be said to staying staff while the learning curve is steep and you are not an expensive hired gun expected to perform. I started traveling just before my three year specialty anniversary and am still happy still that I waited some 20 years later. You can test your readiness for travel by doing per diem at a different hospital. But by all means, wait until you feel solid in emergency medicine.
No matter what experience level you have you're going to feel unsure of what you know when going to a new assignment. I would just recommend getting a lower or equal trauma level facility than what your in now for ER or doing stepdown. Get a travel friendly facility, recruiters will know... todays climate is probably safer than 20 years ago but with the mesia of today you just know about everything that happens all the time. Traveling will only build your confidence which it sounds like you need.
You will meet plenty of people at new hospitals, just be friendly and helpful. People gravitate towards that and you will end up with lots of friends and experience in the end.
LaJollalove
18 Posts
Sounds awesome! how do you make it work? Specifically, how do you have time with a full time job to travel to other states to work PRN? If you don't mind my asking, what is your home state?