Travel Nursing vs Staff Nursing

Nurses Career Support

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Can anyone tell me the pros and cons of travel nursing and staff nursing? Why chose one over the other? 

Specializes in Med surg.

Travel nursing:

Pros: makes tons of money, have the freedom of taking time off when you want (can always put days off in your contract including holidays),  working the shift that you want because there are always tons of positions available, and gaining really great diverse experience. For instance I started telemetry, went to ortho, now I'm on a surgical floor (post of patients from neuro surgery, GI surgery, urological procedures), and now I just took a new contract as a wound care nurse. Get licenses to new states paid for by your company. You get to travel a lot 

Cons: the uncertainty of what your job will be every 3 months (but you'll always have a job it just may not be desirable to you). Not having PTO (but you make so much money you don't need PTO such as 3000 per week, or $115 an hour. You just have to save your money. No real tuition reimbursement although some companies do offer some reimbursement for certificates and college. Having to constantly adjust to new people and new situations (this may not be a con to some people)

Staff nursing: 

Pros: a sense of belonging, knowing where you'll be constantly, tuition reimbursement, having PTO, knowing the system and the flow of your unit

 

Cons : not getting that vacation time, lower pay 

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