A Nurses Guide To Nursing

Travel nursing has become a very popular way of of nursing. It is no wonder we are seeing more and more travel nursing agencies pop up. What exactly do travel nursing agencies offer? They basically get calls from different facilities through out the country and try to find nurses that are interested in visiting that specific area. Here is a breakdown of the types of things an agency works out for you:

SALARY

No question about it, there are some agencies that offer more money than others. So the first thing to remember is that agencies may base salaries upon things like location availability, need-to-fill assignments, and cost of living. They do however try to work out the best rate for you.

BENEFITS

What some companies may lack in salary, they make up for with benefits. Many agencies offer benefits programs that revolve around monetary bonuses or discounted luxury housing; and I have even observed a trend with several newer companies that offer entirely free housing to all their nurses. Now they are even health benefits being provided by some agencies.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

To many traveling nurses, customer service and aid are the most important attributes a placement agency possesses. If you called ten agencies and only talked with one live recruiter, it’s probably best to narrow it down to the agency where individual placement specialists were easily available.

FEATURED LOCATIONS AND HOT SPOTS

While for some nurses, salary, benefits, and career flexibility might be the number-one interest, many others just want the obvious to travel and see the world. If you’re an adventurer who cares more about the travel experience than the money, then you’ll need an agency that can offer you the locations you want.

After finishing the nursing program many people think the only way to go is to get a steady job in an acute setting in order to get those first couple of years of experience. However, that is not the only way to go. I’ve known quite a few nurses that have chosen the travel nursing alternative and they have been happy with their decision. When I ask them why they enjoy travel nursing they stated they enjoy great pay and the ability to travel and get to go to different places. They feel that they still get the same type of experiences and teaching opportunities. While I personally am not a traveling nurse, it is something that I am considering doing. I think that travel nursing is ideal for the nurses who get antsy after being in one place for a while and like change.

So if you are the type of person who doesnt mind change and loves to travel, travel nursing might be just right for you. There are many travel nursing agencies out there so make sure you research plenty and see what they offer because they are not all the same.

Travel nursing is an up-and-coming profession that appeals to many nursing professionals for several reasons. Excellent pay and benefits, the chance to travel at the expense of someone else and variety are among the positive points of travel nursing. Sound great? It’s not all the “bowl of cherries” that some believe.

The idea of getting paid to travel appeals to many people. The problem is that we want to have time to take in the sights, relax and enjoy our travels. Travel nursing is similar in some ways to driving a truck. You may get to see some incredible sunsets and view awesome scenery, but you’re seldom going to have the opportunity to stop and smell the roses, visit those tourists destinations and take photos (unless you snap them from the window of a moving vehicle). In many cases, those panoramic views will be nothing more than spots from an airplane window.

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Travel nursing is becoming one of our nation?s fastest growing professions, and it?s no surprise. If you love seeing new places and enjoy exciting new experiences that evoke the feeling of taking an extended vacation, then the career of a traveling nurse might be just what the doctor ordered! Travel nursing enables many people to stay on vacation for two to six months in free luxury accommodations while earning high hourly wages at the same time.
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Deciding what job to pursue after college entails more brain cells that most activities. Unlike deciding on what car to buy or what clothes to wear, one must give the decision its due because it will effect your happiness and quality of life for the next three to four decades.

Most people believe that a career in travel nursing is stuff that dreams are made of. For those currently following this career path… most of those who have experienced this lifestyle agree that it is a great way to make a living but there are a few who argue and refute this. But all agree that it’s entirely up to you whether your career in travel nursing becomes to a dream come true.
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The great thing about being a traveling nurse boils down to one key component - it’s about the travel! For those of us who love moving around and seeing the world, travel nursing is the profession of our dreams. There are many travel destinations available, based on weather, activities, cost of living, and salary. Therefore, I have gathered a list of my ‘Top Ten’ destinations that nurses choose, based on the number of travelers who inquire about each location every month. Are you a travel RN scouting a new assignment’ Then I’d like to suggest the following ten ‘Hot Spots’:

HAWAII - It’s no shock that Hawaii generates over 500 travel nursing inquiries per month. The wide range of outdoor activities from snow-capped mountains to snow-white sandy beaches elevates Hawaii to one of those meccas where you can build a snowman or a sand castle all in one day. Nurses tell me that you’ll discover virtually every type of outdoor activity imaginable’hiking trails that wind through erupting volcanoes, secret beaches, and lush green ranchlands. Many travelers also hunt, mountain bike, go rafting, and golf on some of the world’s most extravagant courses.
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As stated before travel nursing is truly a great way to get to know the world and still have the flexibility to work. With a little reasearch I have found some of the top locations nurses have been traveling too and finding out what is it that they have there, so here they are.

Hawaii-ofcourse is no surprise, nurses are lining up for an opportunity to work and play in this paradise. Hawaii offers great beaches and outdoor activities. So no wonder it’s number one.

Alaska-Travel nurses are intrigued by the possibilities of Alaska’s rugged mystery. Alaska is a huge wilderness with beautiful scenery, and travel nursing assignments offer plenty of time to see and do everything you want, whether in winters darkness under northern lights, or the glorious spring and summer where it’s light most of the time.

Montana-Whether photographer, adventurer, or both, Montana is truly a state that beckons with open arms. River trips, fishing and camping, history, snowy mountain ranges, and waterfalls are what you’ll encounter, along with plenty of open space to explore. Assignments in Montana appeal to those travel nurses who just need some time to break away from their city grind to enjoy marching to the beat of an entirely different drummer.

Maine- Maine’s splendor has inspired artists like Georgia O Keefe and three generations of the Wyeth family, since the mid-nineteenth century. Travel nurses can’t resist at least one adventure in this charming getaway. Whether you embark on outdoor adventures like skiing and snowmobiling, or if you prefer the cozy ambience of antiquing through charming villages or just strolling or riding horseback on miles of sandy beaches in the smell of salt air, Maine is legendary and offers some wonderful travel nursing experiences .

California- Warm weather and world-famous beaches make California a favorite choice for traveling nurses. Nine-hundred miles of coastline gives nurses in all locations the chance to spend many hours near the waves; and for nature lovers, California is home to many wildlife parks, remote wilderness areas, and safe-havens for endangered animals. If you’re an excitement junkie, you can scout out a wide selection of theme parks; and no matter what your taste in music, concerts abound in every type of venue. Historic sites and museums invite, as do five-star restaurants and clubs in which to see and be seen.

Colorado- World-class winter skiing and summer music festivals in the mountains are just two reasons that nurses love traveling to Colorado. Boasting four spectacular seasons, Colorado is where travel nurses get to explore the state’s 18 million acres of state and national parks, forests, and monuments for biking, hiking, fishing, mountain climbing, and kayaking, to name a few. Colorado has many cultural treasures, including ancient Native American sites and dinosaur fossil exhibits, historic ghost towns, and even award-winning vineyards in Grand Junction.

Arizona- If you adore the outdoors, then the Grand Canyon State might just be for you. The nurses who go there just rave about Arizona’s landscape which takes in tall mountain ranges, swift rivers, grasslands, sand dunes, and cactus forests all set against a beautiful sky that glows pink in the sunset. The traveler nurses who enjoy history will find plenty of it here, including Old West reformations, Native American nations, and Spanish-influenced areas all in one state. Arizona is also home to the nation’s greatest golf courses, resorts, spas, cabins, and ranches.

So as you can see there are many places to go and see while still being able to work.

Travel nursing is becoming one of our nation’s fastest growing professions, and it’s no surprise. If you love seeing new places and enjoy exciting new experiences that evoke the feeling of taking an extended vacation, then the career of a traveling nurse might be just what the doctor ordered! Travel nursing enables many people to stay on vacation for two to six months in free luxury accommodations while earning high hourly wages at the same time.
Read the rest of this entry »

The great thing about being a traveling nurse boils down to one key component – it’s about the travel! For those of us who love moving around and seeing the world, travel nursing is the profession of our dreams. There are many travel destinations available, based on weather, activities, cost of living, and salary. Therefore, I have gathered a list of my “Top Ten” destinations that nurses choose, based on the number of travelers who inquire about each location every month. Are you a travel RN scouting a new assignment? Then I’d like to suggest the following ten “Hot Spots”:
Read the rest of this entry »

Deciding what job to pursue after college entails more brain cells that most activities. Unlike deciding on what car to buy or what clothes to wear, one must give the decision its due because it will effect your happiness and quality of life for the next three to four decades.

Most people believe that a career in travel nursing is stuff that dreams are made of. For those currently following this career path… most of those who have experienced this lifestyle agree that it is a great way to make a living but there are a few who argue and refute this. But all agree that it’s entirely up to you whether your career in travel nursing becomes to a dream come true.
Read the rest of this entry »