Quit my permanent job to do travel nursing?

[Nur-C]

I'm in the midst of making some big decisions about my career and life.

I am strongly thinking of quitting my job and going to Travel Nursing instead. I've always wanted to, and it's now or never for me. I'm 41 and completely unattached, I do have a 6 year old son that will just be starting 1st grade. There is nothing holding me to the city I am currently living in, except my job in the CCU/ICU here at the hospital. The only people I know are people I have met from work. (I've worked here for 2.5 years and lived here for 2 years). Before I took this job, I worked agency per diem for 8 years, but was able to get full time hours easily, with a very good pay rate! I decided to take the permanent job when the economy went bad, and decide to specialize in critical care, (as agency I was a Med-Surg/Tele RN).

One of the things I was wanting to ask is what you do for insurance? Most of the Travel Agencies pay for insurance while you are on assignment, but if you go more than 1-2 weeks between assignments you have no insurance at that time. I think it would still be okay because I wouldn't take much more than that off (in theory).

So the reasons I want to do this is because I like the freedom of seeing and working at new places, I can decide when I want to take time off, and most importantly for more money. I want to make more money, get my credit right, and be able to save and have more money for fun stuff (with this job I can't save or get ahead). It's good money, but there's not much extra. At least with travel assignments I would make the same as what I'm making now or more, and still get my housing paid for, (which means all that I make doesn't have to pay rent or bills).

As far as my 6 year old, I really think we could be stable anywhere. My 19 year old moved out last week to start his own life, so I have a daycare dilemma facing me now as well. I don't trust home daycare, and want Scotty in a facility for daycare. There is no facility open past 6pm in this School District. I have move anyway, so I figure why not just go for it and Travel like I've always wanted to! I'm sure there are daycare facilities in that ARE able to accommodate 12 hour shifts for nurses. (anybody that has any info on good facilities for this please let me know this too?)

I really want to make this work for me, I can be flexibile where I need to be.

Okay lots of questions I have asked, please respond, negative or positive, I need all the opinions I can get, and all the encouragement I can get too! Thank you so much for you time!

[RNERHOUSESUPOR]

Personally I don't think it's a good idea for you. This is just my opinion from reading your post. I hit too many red flags as I was reading. Thinking that travel nursing is more money is really not correct. You may have more "income" to report to the IRS but you will have much more in expenses, depending on where you live and how you plan to get from assignment to assignment. You have a 6 year old. How many times have you needed to take time off because the child was ill? As a travel nurse there is no PTO. If you don't work you don't get paid. If you take too much time off during your assignment the company will be less willing to work hard to place you in another facility. (again just my opinion). There are jobs out there but getting one with more than two to three weeks out is difficult. Most places want you to start "immediately". Finally you really need to have your "credit" under control before you start to travel. There will be unexpected costs and some of them can be quite large. If you don't have a credit card with a zero balance and a nice limit you may be setting yourself up for a real financial disaster. I love travel nursing and enjoy the freedom it allows me. I would not do it if I were the primary care giver to a child though. It's difficult enough to find appropriate child care for a child during the summer, let alone trying to have someone available for a full 14 to 16 hours when a position is a 12 hour shift. Good luck in what ever you decide to do, but please make an educated decision and don't believe everything a recruiter may say to you to get you into a job.

Rod

[Nur-C]

Thank you Rod, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer me so quickly. I needed to hear things that way I think. I do still need to relocate, either closer to my family for childcare, or to a hospital/city that has a flexible daycare facility. Again, I thank you.

[gnursjr2]

I don't advise you to travel with a 6 yr old. It would be really hard moving to a strange town, looking for daycare etc., it would also be really rough on the child - I would imagine. There seems to be the general misconception that travelers are making all this big $$, but in actuality its the agency that makes the $$ off of you. My opinion - don't do it.

[RN Zeke]

Move closer to your family..You and your child need family as we all do. Maybe they could help with child care from time to time. The money just isn't here to take much time off, espically with expenses of a family.