essay about travel nursing

Travel Nurse Career Essay Example

To different people, the term success has a variety of meanings. Some people regard success as being rich or having happiness. Others may define success as achieving all of your goals in life. According to Amanda Perini success in travel nursing means to be satisfied with your pay and to be exited to save people’s lives on a day to day basis. In travel nursing success is much more than just signing contracts. It is a career that mixes both stress and patience. Travel nursing is a career of caregiving, with multiple salary benefits, although certain certifications are required, education is the number one thing you will need in this profession. Travel nurses are hired to occupy vacant positions around the world, usually on a short term basis. In order to become a successful travel nurse be ready to work in any type of environment or healthcare setting including hospitals, residential care settings, and even private settings but those settings are usually for nurses who are specialists in the field. Travel nurses can spend days, weeks, months, and even years working in one community by filling shortages at hospitals and other facilities. Many professionals stay on whatever they are assigned to, most contracts come out of the United States, so if you are not into international travel there is no problem.

To become a traveling nurse it takes usually one of three different education paths. The first path includes earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing, the second path nurses take is to get an associates degree in nursing. It is also possible to earn a diploma from an approved nursing program. Obtaining an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree in nursing is required to become a traveling nurse. “Those interested in the specialty of travel nursing should first pursue a nursing degree through a two or four-year university (RegisteredNursing). After completing a nursing program a successful completion of the National Council Licensure Examination is required to obtain a license. Trying to get a job at a travel nursing agency might prove to be difficult if you have not had any hands on experience yet, most agencies require at least one year  of hands on experience in a chosen nursing field. Travel nurses usually take up most of the same responsibilities that registered nurses do just in different settings and scenarios that you may not be used to. “Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families” (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Duties of traveling and registered nurses’ are established on the setting of where they work and even the patients they take care of. 

Depending on who you are, the benefits of becoming a traveling nurse can become strong disadvantages. It is important to know these before throwing yourself into a challenging workforce. For example one of the biggest benefits of the job is that it allows you to travel across the country, but let’s say u don’t enjoy change, this could be the first sign that travel nursing might not be the right career for you. One of the most commonly talked about benefits is how much money you make as a travel nurse. This is tricky because there are no guarantees of extra money, but different variables can determine whether or not you will be getting more money. These variables include where you work and who you work with. Housing is a huge concern for most traveling nurses. “There are a few options available, and it depends on the travel nurse agency or company regarding how accommodations are set up. Some companies provide housing like an apartment or duplex. Some companies offer a housing stipend, or a fixed amount of money each month to apply towards housing” (RegisteredNursing). Different agencies offer different benefits, for example some agencies might offer a higher hourly pay instead of housing benefits. This is why it is important to research agencies before you sign a contract. Salary for nursing is a big deal because the job is very demanding, so people hope to be compensated. “The median annual wage for registered nurses was seventy five thousands dollars in May of twenty-twenty. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less” (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The lowest ten percent of nurses earned less than fifty-three thousand dollars and the top ten percent earn over one-hundred thousand dollars, so the availability for career growth is there. 

Nursing in general is a very demanding job, but travel nursing takes things to a whole different level. The demands of travel nursing is what can stray people away from taking this career path. “Nurses who work in hospitals and nursing care facilities usually work in shifts to provide round-the-clock coverage. They may work nights, weekends, and holidays. They may be on call, which means that they are on duty and must be available to work on short notice (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Nurses and travel nurses will almost never take work back to their home, what they will have to is rush to the hospital from their home because they are on call. With everything going on currently in the world current demands of nurses have skyrocketed. “With two years of hospital experience at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood FL, Perini’s first travel nurse assignment placed her at the front lines in New York in March twenty-twenty. Smack dab in the heart of the coronavirus crisis, she describes the experience as extremely challenging, however she loved it” (FIUOnline). Specifically the demands of a travel nurse rely on the type of nurse they are and the contract that they have signed. Most commonly the complaints that come from travel nurses are usually about them being unhappy of the contract that they have signed.

How relevant is travel nursing and how long will it be around? The relevancy of nursing should not decline because people are constantly getting hurt and getting sick causing them to go to the hospital or other healthcare facilities. “Travel Nursing is all about longevity, it can be sad sometimes because it is necessary to leave relationships that you have built in certain facilities but the job is all about packing up and moving on to the next people who need help” (Amanda Perini). Around two-hundred thousand openings for nurses are projected each year on average. The demand for healthcare services will certainly increase because of the growing number of elderly patients who are in need of assistance. Travel nursing is not as well known as standard nursing, but it should grow on a great scale due to nursing shortages across the country. Many standard nurses in rural areas are even leaving their jobs for travel nursing jobs because of the benefits. Travel Nursing is definitely relevant in today’s society and should stay relevant in the future because of all the benefits that come along with the career.

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TravelNursing

Why Nurses Choose to Travel: RNs Discuss the Advantages

By Susan Schneider, contributor

Nurses across the country are discovering the extraordinary advantages that travel nursing offers. They are enthusiastically embracing this unique career path which provides a chance to explore new regions of the United States, experience diverse practice environments and form new and lasting friendships—all while enjoying competitive pay, great benefits and free housing.

Travel nurses can choose assignments in any of the 50 states. Nurses can base their assignment selections on professional opportunities, financial incentives, climate preferences, hobbies, proximity to family or friends, sightseeing interests or the desire to try a destination before making a permanent move.

As thousands of nurses are discovering, there are many reasons to choose travel nursing as a career option.

Endless Opportunities and Adventures

Travel nurses can decide what kind of lifestyle they want to experience and change their criteria assignment to assignment. Maybe a bustling city like New York, San Francisco, Chicago or Los Angeles sounds exciting. Or, perhaps the charms of a small town in the rural south or Midwestern farm country has appeal.

Some travel nurses base their assignment choices on the weather, living the life of a ‘snowbird’ and enjoying a year-round mild climate. Other traveling RNs select their assignments based on hobbies such as hiking, scuba diving, surfing or the exploration of historical sites. Justin Howe, RN, who travels with nurse staffing agency American Mobile Healthcare, decided to combine his love of nursing with his love of the outdoors when he chose to leave his hometown of Hershey, Pennsylvania, to work as a travel nurse in California.

“I love being outdoors, so the consistently nice weather in San Diego is perfect for me,” he said. “I love the ocean and I’ve even picked up surfing; it’s a great place to try new things.”

The chance to explore possible places to put down roots or eventually retire is something many people spend considerable money and vacation time on. For travelers, it’s part of their daily adventure.

After living and working in Midland, Texas, her whole life, ICU registered nurse, Margo Kerby, decided to trade the wide open spaces of the Lone Star state for the tropical beaches of Hawaii by signing up with American Mobile Healthcare.

“I ended up in tears when I realized how lucky I was to be there and to have the opportunity to experience the kind of life I was living,” she said. “So many people live their whole lives to be able to take a vacation to a place like that, and there I was living and working in paradise.”

Professional Experiences and Growth Opportunities

Travel nurses can choose from a smorgasbord of practice environments ranging from large-scale teaching facilities and renowned research centers to small hospitals and clinics in rural facilities and everything in-between. They have the opportunity to work with different patient populations and cases, and to be exposed to new technology and cutting-edge procedures.

Coquet Williams, RN, an ED nurse with travel nurse staffing company NursesRx, grew up in the rural Midwest and chose travel nursing to gain exposure to different locations and clinical environments.

Her first assignment was at Eisenhower Medical Center in the desert city of Rancho Mirage, a sophisticated facility in an affluent Southern California community.

“It was a wonderful facility that gave me the opportunity to work with a patient population that I never would have experienced otherwise.” Williams said.

Williams chose her next assignment at a small 26-bed hospital on a Native American reservation on the Utah/Arizona border.

“I was given more autonomy than I’d ever experienced,” she said. “I found the challenges and diversity of cases to be very stimulating. It was so different than anything I’d done before.” Kimberly Bland, an ICU registered nurse from Charlotte, North Carolina, has been traveling with NursesRx since 2002.

“As a travel nurse, the things you experience can vary greatly from one region of the country to another,” she noted. “This includes diseases and special cases, and the way different units operate. Traveling allows you to gain a vast amount of knowledge—more than anything you can be taught in school. This makes you more marketable, both as a traveler and when you want to take a permanent job.”

Because they are not on staff, travel nurses don’t become embroiled in politics or management issues. If a practice environment isn’t an ideal fit, a new assignment is just a few weeks away. And while a staff nurse’s résumé might suffer from frequent job changes, a traveler’s résumé reflects impressive flexibility, adaptability and breadth of experience.

Unparalleled Freedom and Flexibility

A big benefit of travel nursing is that nurses manage their own careers. Their career paths don’t unfold according to the needs of an employer, but rather according to their own professional goals or personal agendas.

Travel nurses enjoy a freedom that usually isn’t possible with a staff position. They can take time off between assignments to enjoy a vacation, return home or visit family and friends.

Daryl Cronin, RN, had been working as an ED travel nurse with Preferred Healthcare Staffing.

After finishing a travel assignment in Phoenix, Arizona, he took two months off to vacation in Europe, where he visited his family in Ireland, before returning to take his next assignment in Washington, D.C.

American Mobile Healthcare travel nurse, Alison Kemerer, RN, leaves enough time between her assignments to explore places that interest her. On her way from an assignment in Tucson, Arizona, to Eugene, Oregon, she stopped to take in the sights of the Grand Canyon. On another cross-country trip, she visited Mount Rushmore, the Badlands and Yellowstone National Park.

Kemerer also plans vacations between her assignments and recently returned from Hawaii, where she visited a friend.

“I wouldn’t be able to enjoy that type of vacation if I had a steady job in one hospital,” she said.

Leslie Palstring, RN, appreciates how traveling keeps her in control of her personal life.

“I had taken an assignment in Colorado and really liked it,” she explained. “But some family issues came up and I needed to go back to California. I then chose assignments in Orange County and Los Angeles to be near home.”

When her family situation was settled, Palstring happily hit the road again.

There are many reasons that nurses choose to take their careers on the road. Whether it’s for the adventure, the résumé-building opportunities, the freedom from routine or the chance to see the world, travel nursing can take you places—while providing steady income and excellent benefits, and enriching your life on both a personal and professional level.

© 2011. AMN Healthcare, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Meet a Travel Nurse

Travel nurses are registered nurses who fill vacant positions at hospitals and clinics around the country, providing care on a short-term basis. While every travel assignment is different, most of these nurses share a common passion, which is to offer help in some of the most high-need areas while getting the opportunity to explore new places.

In our interview with Stan John, a traveling RN, he talks about how he began his traveling career, and his first assignment that sent him across the country.

Keep reading to learn more about how travel nursing works and how you can get started in this flexible, high-demand career path.

Q&A With a Travel Nurse

Stan John, RN, BSN, moved to Chicago, Illinois, from Mumbai, India, about seven years ago. Starting from scratch, John found a love for working in healthcare and with much hard work and dedication, he graduated with his associate degree in nursing (ADN) in May 2019 and immediately started working on his bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). As a new grad, John realized there was much more he could do with his nursing degree, especially after the pandemic hit. After one year, John received his BSN and took a leap of faith to become a travel nurse . Wanting to make a difference, John has served communities with nursing staff shortages. He loves traveling and exploring new areas, gaining new insights about life, and meeting new people.

Q: What got you interested in pursuing a nursing career in the first place?

When I moved to the United States, my uncle told me nursing is a booming field and I should consider it. I decided to listen to my uncle’s advice and took the risk. I also took a job as a caregiver in assisted living just to make sure I can take care of people and get some experience in the healthcare field.

Whenever I helped someone, I had a sense of joy and happiness, and I felt the same when I took care of people. I knew nursing was the right path for me.

Q: How did the opportunity come up for you to start traveling?

Traveling was never on my list. I worked as a nursing assistant at a level one trauma center for three years. After completing my associate degree in nursing , I got a job at the same hospital on a surgical unit. At this point, I was working full time and started doing my bachelor’s degree in nursing online .

Within five months of being a new nurse, the surgical unit I worked on became the “COVID unit” when the pandemic started. I wanted to increase my income, so I applied for different types of nursing jobs .

I soon realized no one wanted a nurse with five months experience. I contacted travel nurse agencies, but they said I needed a minimum of one to two years of experience to even be considered. The day I hit my one-year mark, I contacted the agency, and they started looking for a travel assignment for me.

Q: What’s it been like working as a travel nurse during a pandemic? Have a lot of your assignments been related to the COVID-19 crisis?

During the pandemic, being a travel nurse made me feel special. When I saw the shortage of nurses and how travel nurses came to the rescue to help the hospital staff control the patient-nurse ratio, I felt rewarded because I am contributing to a community that needs a little extra help. The hospitals I worked at were very grateful and thankful each shift I worked. The COVID pandemic has been the most impactful thing to my nursing career.

Q: In your experience, how have things like housing and living expenses been handled while you’re on an assignment? Are you able to travel with family members?

Things like housing and living expenses are covered by the travel agency. They can put you in housing provided by them, or you can find your own housing and save the extra money you don’t use from the housing and living expenses.

My wife, who is in an online nursing school due to the pandemic, has been traveling with me. One of the major reasons I was able to pursue travel nursing in such far locations from my home is because my wife did not have to be on campus for her education.

Q: What is the length of a typical travel assignment?

The length of a typical travel assignment can vary. Mostly, the assignments are 13 weeks, but there are also six-week and eight-week assignments that are even higher paying crisis assignments.

Q: Tell us about your first assignment as a travel nurse in Oregon — seems like it was a whirlwind experience.

My first assignment in Oregon was definitely an adventure. With it being my first assignment, there were already slight fears around being so new and around the risks associated with pursuing travel nursing. Within the first week that my wife and I arrived in Oregon, we were evacuated from the house we were renting because a forest fire turned into an urban industrial fire. The fire was burning down homes and buildings within a mile of where we were living.

The fires also impacted the hospitals I was working at by shutting down the internet and phone signals. This made it more challenging to do my typical tasks, but with a good team, we were able to manage. Other than the fire, we also got to climb mountains, develop a love for hiking and exploring new places, and made lots of new friends who are both travel nurses and staff nurses.

Q: What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working as a travel nurse?

Being a travel nurse is rewarding because I am working in an environment that is dangerously understaffed, which negatively impacts the community. This is rewarding because I can help reduce burnout in staff nurses and contribute to the safety and quality of care that the community desperately needs.

It was also rewarding to be working during the fire crisis. I worked longer hours than usual so staff nurses could tend to their homes and make sure their families were safe. Also, with it being a pandemic, it is rewarding to actively contribute to the care of COVID patients not only in my community, but in communities that are struggling with resources more than my own.

Q: What advice would you give to other nurses considering a career traveling?

Just take the risk! It is scary due to all the “what ifs” of being canceled in the middle of a contract, left without a job, not liking the work environment, not finding housing, and living so far away from family. With all this being said, once my wife and I took the risk, we enjoyed it so much more than we could have ever imagined.

Travel nursing has given me a new perspective on life and a new love for exploring this beautiful country. Make new friends, even though there will be goodbyes as you will go from assignment to assignment. Having a good group of friends is better than having no friends and being lonely for the duration of each assignment.

You only get to live your life once, so make the most of it by not fearing the unknown and embracing life’s beautiful adventures day by day. You won’t regret trying, but if you never try, you will regret it when it’s too late.

What Does a Travel Nurse Do?

Traveling nurses are employed by an independent staffing agency, which means they are not limited to a certain location or workplace setting. They also have the ability to choose where they work, which allows them to focus on specific facilities and explore new specialties to enhance their skill set. Traveling nurses can find themselves interacting with other healthcare professionals and patients in a hospital setting, community health centers, and rural facilities.

— “Travel nursing has given me a new perspective on life and a new love for exploring this beautiful country.” — Stan John, RN

Key Skills and Responsibilities:

• Educate patients on various health issues
• Administering medication
• Monitoring patients’ conditions
• Collaborating with healthcare workers and teams
• Measuring patients’ vital signs

How to Become a Travel Nurse

Graduate with an associate degree in nursing (adn) or bachelor’s of science in nursing (bsn) ., pass the nclex-rn exam to receive rn licensure., gain experience in rn positions., consider earning certifications in specialty areas., increase your career options with a graduate degree., how much do travel nurses make.

As of July 2020, Vivian reported that traveling nurses earn $1,841 per week on average and the max pay was $6,347 weekly. Compared to 2019, this is an increase of approximately $125 per week; these numbers are based on 36 hour work weeks.

In comparison to traveling nurses, RN pay is typically lower and includes additional hours per week. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2019, RNs earn $73,000 on average . Broken down weekly and by hour, this amounts to $1,409 and $35.23 respectively within a 40-hour work week.

Ultimately, there are several variables that can affect salary ranges. According to the networking platform BluePipes, traveling nurses have the opportunity to earn more than $100,000 in annual salary depending on location and workplace setting.

$51.14 Average Hourly Wage Source: Vivian

$1,841 Average Total Weekly Pay Source: Vivian

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The joys of travel nursing

Editor’s note: Welcome to this special section on travel nursing. Whether you are currently a travel nurse or simply want to learn more about this rewarding specialty, these articles are for you! Start by getting an overview of travel nursing from expert Franklin Shaffer, EdD, RN, FAAN. Next, read about how you can continue your education online as you travel. Wrap up with an article on how to cope with those difficult people you meet along the way, no matter where you work.

What are the main benefits of travel nursing?

Shaffer : Travel nursing offers adventure, freedom of choice, and flexibility. Travel nurses can choose their work location and hospital, and they get a chance to work in exotic locations at prestigious medical centers. This freedom of choice is important today, with more people citing quality of life as their top priority. To a large degree, travel nurses control their own schedules. Recent interviews found that many of them had more than 15 years of continuous experience as travelers and planned to continue traveling for some time to come.

Also, many travel nursing companies (or staffing firms, as they’re officially called) offer higher salaries and a rich array of benefits; some offer access to continuing and higher education as well as certification. One of the larger firms even created a corporate university and is an accredited provider of continuing education for nurses.

Do travel nurses get to choose the exact location of their work and their exact work schedule?

Shaffer : Travel nurses decide where they work and when they will begin working at a particular facility—depending, of course, on availability of positions and shifts. The beauty of being a traveler is that you can shop around until you get the position and location you want. Having this autonomy and control over your schedule is a leading reason why nurses decide to become travelers. As for the daily staffing schedule, much of the traveler’s assignment, including days off, is worked out before the nurse accepts the assignment. Special schedule requests also are agreed to in advance. Typically, special needs that arise are worked out on a mutual basis by the traveler and the nurse manager at the facility.

Do travel nursing companies offer typical benefits, such as health insurance and 401K plans?

Shaffer : Nearly all nurse staffing firms offer a full array of benefits, including health, life, and liability insurance; 401K plans; dental insurance; and preventive care. Also, the staffing firm pays the nurse’s licensure and housing costs. Frequently, these benefits are effective on the first day of employment.

What’s the typical educational background of a travel nurse?

Shaffer : Travel nurses are likely to have BSNs or higher degrees and are more likely to be certified. A recent survey by a large staffing firm showed that 60% of their nurses had BSNs; this is above the national average. So travel nurses and other nurses working in temporary positions are just as qualified—and in some cases more qualified—than permanent staff nurses. Also, patient outcomes in hospitals that use temporary nurses have been found to be positive.

Why would a hospital want to hire a travel nurse?

Shaffer : For hospitals, travel nurses offer more flexible staffing and options that can be customized to meet their unique staffing needs in a cost-effective manner. Many hospitals have discovered that well-planned use of staffing companies is the secret to retaining nurses and, in turn, promoting patient safety. Some hospitals even use travel nurses as a way to recruit core nurses. A “try it, you might like it” approach gives everyone a chance to assess the situation and determine if it’s a good cultural fit. Also, some hospitals use temporary nurses to relieve their regular staff so they can attend training sessions for new technology or other major initiatives. Most recently, some hospitals have begun using travelers with the proper experience and credentials as interim nurse-managers and recruiters.

How would I go about choosing a travel nursing company?

Shaffer : If the adventure factor is important to you, look closely at the number of jobs available and their locations when choosing a staffing firm. Usually, the larger the firm, the greater the selection of jobs and locations offered.

Is travel nursing the same thing as agency nursing?

Shaffer : No. Some people mistakenly lump all supplemental nurses—travelers and agency nurses—in the same category. But there’s a difference: Agency nurses are per diem nurses who practice locally and don’t travel. Typically, they fill in for a day or several days. They don’t necessarily have the same education or experience as traveling nurses. Travelers, on the other hand, are fixed-term, temporary nurses who usually work at the same hospital for 13 weeks and are scheduled at least 2 months in advance. Hospitals are likely to depend on travelers for more specific or strategic staffing needs, such as to provide continuity of care when covering for maternity leaves, vacations, or sick leaves.

As a travel nurse, how often would my job performance be evaluated?

Shaffer : Travel nurses are evaluated more often than the average permanent staff nurse. They receive yearly performance evaluations from their employers and more frequent evaluations from hospital-based nurse-managers for each assignment—typically at least four evaluations each year. Also, before each new assignment, nurse managers and human resources personnel at the next hospital where travel nurses plan to work interview them and evaluate their work experience and records.

Does the staffing firm offer the traveling nurse any support while on assignment?

Shaffer : Staffing firms employ many people who work on behalf of their travelers. For the traveler, the most important support person is the recruiter. The recruiter is always there for the traveler, acting as a career lifeline and helping the traveler get the positions he or she wants. These firms also employ registered nurses to serve as clinical liaisons and career coaches and help travelers to solve problems and deal with emergencies. Other dedicated support personnel at staffing firms include chief nursing officers, educators, and specialists in risk management, workers compensation, payroll, and credentialing.

What qualities should I look for—or look out for—in a travel nursing company?

Shaffer : Most travel nursing companies work hard to assure quality for their clients and good working conditions for their travelers. As in any industry, the quality of the goods and services provided varies from poor to outstanding. The Joint Commission (TJC) has a certification program that helps hospitals determine whether a staffing firm can provide competent staffing services. A number of staffing firms have been certified—and recertified—and many others are seeking certification. For a list of certified staffing firms, visit TJC’s website at www.jointcommission.org . And, of course, you can ask traveling nurses for their recommendations.

I’ve heard a few nurses say it’s mainly the poorly run hospitals with heavy workloads and high turnover that use travel nurses. Is this true?

Shaffer : Absolutely not. More than 80% of Magnet ® hospitals in the United States contract with staffing firms, including many leading medical centers. Magnet facilities use traveling nurses strategically—for instance, to cover for vacations and leaves of absence, to maintain morale by providing appropriate nurse-patient ratios, and to ensure constant delivery of high-quality and safe patient care. The vast majority of TJC-accredited hospitals contract with more than one staffing firm to help them meet fluctuations in demand.

Is the travel nursing industry likely to be around for a while?

Shaffer : Thanks to mandated staffing ratios and the desire of many nurses for freedom and flexibility, staffing firms most likely are here to stay.

Franklin Shaffer, EdD, RN, FAAN, is chief executive officer for CGFNS International in Philadelphia.

1 Comment .

I liked that you mentioned that hospitals can hire travel nurses that offer more flexible staffing and options that can be customized to meet their staffing needs. I have been looking into travel nurses and haven’t really considered the benefits. I’d love to try finding some housing for traveling nurses and see how they can help my staffing needs.

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13 Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Nurse

So, if you have found yourself here, then you must be considering a career as a travel nurse. For starters, having a job as a travel nurse will enable you to see the country and all that it has to offer. This may sound like a dream to some people, but as with any job, you will find pros and cons, and travel nursing is no different. Mapping out the pros and cons of being a travel nurse can be a tedious endeavor, but rest assured I am here to help you out with that feat. If you keep reading below, you will find the top 13 pros and cons of being a travel nurse. This article will surely help you decide if this is the right career choice for you.

TOP CONS OF BEING A TRAVEL NURSE

1. you will always find yourself in an unfamiliar environment., 2. you will always be the new guy., 3. varying pay rates, 4. what do you do when your contract has ended, 5. not the best work assignments, 6. license issues, 7. floating, 8. your contract can be canceled., 9. you may not have your dream schedule., 10. you may become homesick., 11. where are you going to live, 12. your taxes could be a nightmare., 13. you may not have paid time off., top pros of being a travel nurse, 1. great pay., 2. you will have a tax-free living stipend., 3. you get the chance to travel., 4. you will make new friends., 5. you can avoid all the politics at work., 6. you will gain experience., 7. flexibility, 8. you can try before you dive all in., 9. travel nursing can be a networking event., 10. you can choose your adventure., 11. you will learn life skills., 12. job security, 13. reimbursement, the bottomline.

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Many travel nurses opt for temporary assignments because of the autonomy and opportunities − not just the big boost in pay

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, University of Houston-Downtown

Disclosure statement

Ivan Gan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Travel nurses take short-term contracts that can require long commutes or temporarily living away from home. Time and again, they have to get used to new co-workers, new protocols and new workplaces.

So why would staff nurses quit their stable jobs to become travel nurses?

Well, for one, they get bigger paychecks . But U.S. nurses have other rationales besides making more money, according to a study I conducted .

To do this research, I interviewed 27 registered nurses based in different places.

Many of the people I interviewed disclosed that they left permanent positions to combat burnout. Although they welcomed the bump in pay, travel nursing also gave them the autonomy to decide when and where to work. That autonomy allowed them to pursue personal and professional interests that were meaningful to them, and it made some of the other hassles, such as long commutes, worth it.

On top of earning more money, travel nursing “gives you an opportunity to explore different areas,” said a nurse I’ll call Cynthia, because research rules require anonymity. “When you actually live there for three months, it gives you a chance to really immerse yourself in the area and really get to know not just the touristy stuff, but really hang out with the locals and really be exposed to that area.”

Other study participants said they enjoyed the novelty and educational opportunities.

“You don’t get bored or stuck in a routine,” Michelle said. “You’re always trying to learn new policies at the new hospital that you’re in, learning about the new doctors, nursing staff, new ways of doing things, where things are located. That helps keep me from feeling burned out so quickly.”

Said Patricia: “I want to see how other operating rooms across the country do things and how they do things differently. I do learn a lot of things going from place to place.”

Why it matters

A growing number of U.S. nurses were obtaining temporary assignments before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

But travel nursing became much more widespread in 2020, when hospitals were scrambling to keep their staffing levels high enough as millions of Americans were becoming infected with the coronavirus, straining capacity in many communities.

While compensation varies widely, the median pay of registered nurses in 2022 was US$81,220 , about 35% less than the $110,000 that registered nurses who traveled earned .

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel nurses could earn an even bigger premium . Many were paid twice as much as staff nurses.

Once the number of Americans with severe symptoms fell, that premium declined too . But there are still over 1.7 million travel nurses in the U.S. Hiring them is one of the main ways that hospitals cope with a long-term shortage of nurses .

But nurses with permanent jobs can get aggravated by this arrangement when they learn how much more travel nurses earn for doing the same work, as I found through another research project .

What other research is being done

Research supports a widely reported trend: More Americans have temporary jobs and freelance employment than in the past.

While travel nurses can help hospitals, nursing homes and doctors’ offices meet staffing needs, there are signs that patients don’t always fare as well with their care.

And a Canadian study found that when hospitals let staff nurses work part time and offer other alternative arrangements, their retention rates may rise .

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

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• Quick reads
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• New research
• Research Brief
• temporary workers

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100+ Nursing Essay Topics

Table of Contents

What is a Nursing Essay?

A nursing essay is a piece of academic writing that explores specific topics related to nursing, patient care, healthcare, or any other relevant subject. These essays serve a dual purpose: to enhance the writer’s knowledge about the topic and to provide insights into current nursing practices and challenges. Such essays require thorough research, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of both theoretical concepts and practical implications.

Read more: How to Write a Good Nursing Essay

A Quick Guide on How to Choose a Nursing Essay Topic

Selecting the right topic for your nursing essay is crucial for its success. Here’s a brief guide to help you:

• Interest & Passion : Choose a topic you’re passionate about. Your enthusiasm will reflect in your writing.
• Relevance : Ensure the topic is relevant to current healthcare trends, challenges, or the specific course you’re pursuing.
• Scope for Research : A good essay is backed by solid research. Ensure there’s enough information available on your chosen topic.
• Practical Implications : Ideally, select a topic that has real-world significance in the nursing field. This adds depth to your essay.

Engaging Nursing Essay Topics Lists

Patient care & interaction.

• The importance of patient-nurse communication.
• Ethical dilemmas faced by nurses in patient care.
• The role of empathy in nursing practice.

Technological Advancements in Nursing

• The impact of telehealth on nursing practices.
• Integrating artificial intelligence in nursing.
• Wearable technology and its influence on patient care.

Healthcare Policies & Nursing

• Analyzing the effects of healthcare reforms on nursing practices.
• The role of nursing in shaping healthcare policies.
• Addressing understaffing issues in nursing.

Nursing Education & Training

• The significance of continuous learning in nursing.
• Challenges faced by nursing students and possible solutions.
• The future of nursing education: A blended learning approach?

Mental Health & Nursing

• The role of nurses in addressing mental health issues.
• Coping strategies for nurses dealing with job-related stress.
• Integrating mental health training in nursing curriculum.

Global Health & Nursing

• Nursing practices in the face of global health crises.
• Cross-cultural nursing: Challenges and opportunities.
• The role of nurses in global health campaigns.

Specialized Nursing Fields

• Pediatric nursing: Challenges and rewards.
• The evolving role of surgical nurses.
• Oncology nursing: Providing care and comfort.

Nursing Leadership & Management

• The importance of leadership skills in nursing.
• Strategies for effective nursing team management.
• The role of nurses in hospital administration.

Patient Care Dynamics

• The transformation of patient-nurse relationships over the decades.
• Bridging the gap: Overcoming language barriers in patient care.
• How do cultural differences influence patient-nurse interactions?

Innovations in Nursing

• The role of virtual reality in patient rehabilitation.
• Impacts of electronic health records on nursing efficiency.
• The growing importance of mobile health apps in nursing practices.

Pediatric & Neonatal Care

• The unique challenges of neonatal nursing.
• Pediatric pain management: Best practices and challenges.
• Psychological support for children with chronic diseases.

Nursing & Chronic Illness

• Managing long-term care for Alzheimer’s patients.
• The nurse’s role in diabetes education and management.
• Strategies for handling patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Elderly Care & Geriatric Nursing

• Best practices for handling age-related mental health issues.
• The challenges of geriatric nursing in a rapidly aging society.
• Ethical considerations in end-of-life care.

Mental Health Nursing

• Approaches to handling patients with depression.
• Nursing practices for managing schizophrenia.
• Addressing substance abuse: The role of the nurse.

Community & Public Health Nursing

• The role of community nurses in health education campaigns.
• Addressing health disparities through community nursing.
• Nursing strategies for infectious disease control in communities.

Critical Care & Emergency Nursing

• Best practices in trauma care: A nursing perspective.
• The psychological impact of emergency nursing.
• Strategies for efficient triage in emergency departments.

Nursing Ethics & Professionalism

• Navigating the complex world of medical ethics in nursing.
• Balancing patient autonomy with medical advisement.
• Confidentiality concerns in the digital age.

Oncology & Palliative Care

• The evolving role of nurses in cancer care.
• Palliative care strategies for terminal illnesses.
• Psychological support strategies for cancer patients and their families.

Midwifery & Women’s Health

• The changing landscape of midwifery practices.
• Addressing women’s reproductive health: The role of nurses.
• Best practices in prenatal and postnatal nursing care.

Orthopedic & Surgical Nursing

• Preoperative and postoperative nursing strategies.
• Challenges in orthopedic nursing: From rehabilitation to chronic pain management.
• Innovations in surgical nursing and their impacts.

Nursing Research & Evidence-Based Practice

• The significance of evidence-based practices in modern nursing.
• Challenges and solutions in nursing research methodologies.
• The future of data-driven practices in nursing.

Holistic Nursing Practices

• Integrating alternative medicine into mainstream nursing care.
• The significance of spirituality in nursing.
• Benefits and challenges of holistic nursing in modern healthcare.

Nursing & Technology

• The impact of telemedicine on nursing practices.
• Using augmented reality for patient education.
• The pros and cons of robotic assistance in nursing care.

Occupational Health Nursing

• The role of nurses in promoting workplace wellness.
• Addressing mental health issues in corporate settings.
• Strategies for handling work-related injuries and illnesses.

Nursing Leadership & Advocacy

• Enhancing leadership skills among nurse practitioners.
• The role of nurses in healthcare policy advocacy.
• Strategies for promoting inter-professional collaboration in healthcare settings.

Nursing in Pandemics & Epidemics

• Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for nursing professionals.
• The role of nurses in epidemic preparedness and response.
• Strategies for mental health support for nurses during health crises.

Forensic Nursing & Legal Implications

• The expanding field of forensic nursing: Roles and responsibilities.
• Legal and ethical challenges in forensic nursing.
• Collaborative practices between nurses and law enforcement agencies.

Nursing Education & Curriculum Development

• Incorporating digital literacy into nursing curriculum.
• The benefits of simulation-based learning in nursing education.
• Addressing the gap between academic learning and practical training in nursing schools.

Public Perception & Nursing Image

• Overcoming stereotypes associated with the nursing profession.
• The impact of media representation on public perception of nurses.
• Promoting nursing as a gender-inclusive profession.

Rural Health & Nursing

• Challenges and rewards of nursing in rural communities.
• Strategies to improve healthcare accessibility in remote areas.
• Bridging the technology gap in rural healthcare settings.

Nursing Burnout & Well-being

• Identifying early signs of burnout among nursing professionals.
• Strategies for promoting mental well-being among nurses.
• The importance of work-life balance in the nursing profession.

Environmental Health & Nursing

• The nurse’s role in addressing environmental health issues.
• Impacts of climate change on healthcare and nursing practices.
• Strategies for nursing care during natural disasters.

Global Health & Travel Nursing

• Adapting nursing practices for different cultural contexts.
• The challenges and rewards of travel nursing.
• The role of nurses in global health diplomacy.

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Useful References

• American Nurses Association
• National League for Nursing
• World Health Organization – Nursing and Midwifery
• Journal of Advanced Nursing