What could be better than traveling to new cities while getting paid to do a job you already love? It’s no secret that nurses are in high demand in any part of the country, but some hospitals find themselves with unexpected shortages and will utilize the services of a medial staffing network. You can take full advantage of a hospital’s temporary need by traveling to fill in for a short-term contract. Contracts for traveling nurses range anywhere from 4 to 52 weeks but most are around 13 weeks. A person could really get to know a city and take full advantage of a wide range of attractions, restaurants and culture in that amount of time. More than a tourist, you could really become part of the community while holding down a full-time job with benefits. And after the contract is up, you could move on to another city and explore all over again.
How Did Traveling Nurses Start?
The nursing shortage of the 1980s was the beginning of medical staffing networks as they hoped to fill the healthcare jobs in demand and keep patient care strong. And the nursing shortage shows no signs of slowing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2020 there will be a shortage of 1 million nurses.
What are the Travel Nursing Requirements?

• Graduate of an accredited college or university
• Hold an active and clear Registered Nurse license
• Most programs require 12 months of experience

Why Consider a Traveling Nursing Assignment?

• Pay. Traveling nurses make on average between $25 and $40 per hour.
• Housing. Your housing and utilities are covered while you are on assignment.
• Transportation. Most companies pay your round-trip airfare or your cost per mile to travel by car to your new assignment.
• Job Satisfaction. A hospital experiencing a shortage is happy to see a qualified nurse arrive to take shifts and allow permanent staff to take time off.
• Experience. With so many different assignments, you can not help but grow professionally.
• New Friends. Travel nursing jobs give you the opportunity to meet a lot of new people in a short amount of time.

Travel nursing opportunities can be the gateway to a fulfilling career. Working for a medical staffing network can offer you the chance to see new cities while earning a highly competitive salary with benefits.