Travel or Agency?

[ashleyb868]

I am a home sick nurse. I moved from Chicago to Colorado and now I want to go home, but I don't necessarily know if it's where I want to stay. I was thinking becoming a travel nurse and picking an assignment near my home in Illinois, and see where to go from there. At this point in time I would want to stay in that area for a while, would you recommend travel nursing or try for agency nursing? I don't know much about either so any input helps! Thanks.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Did you move to Colorado because you were unable to find work in the Chicago area? Do you have enough experience to be a travel nurse?

[ashleyb868]

No, I moved because I thought I would enjoy living here. Turns out it's a lonely world without family. I will have a year experience in critical care by the time I start traveling.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

@ Ashley, Are you familiar with the five stages of skills aquisition that nurses progress through in Patricia Benner's theory 'From Novice to Expert'? According to Benner a nurse with one year of experience is an advanced beginner and still reliant on mentors. After two-three years a nurse is at the competent level. In order to perform safely, it is often recommended that agency and travel nurses be at the competent, proficient or expert level. If after one year, you really want to return home, suggest you try to find a job with a hospital employer, so that you can continue to acquire skills until you reach at least the competent level before you work as an agency or travel nurse.