Travel nursing is an exciting and rewarding career and as a nursing student, you’ll have a lot of different options within the field once you graduate. If you’re still debating what your specialty will be once you’ve secured your Bachelor of Nursing and passed the NCLEX, we’re here to help you understand why you should be a nursing student.
Become Flexible
A big component of travel nursing and a characteristic travel nurses need to possess is the ability to be flexible. And no, we’re not talking about physical flexibility. Being flexible within travel nursing means that you’re able to move with the spur of the moment changes. A few of the items that may require more flexibility within travel nursing are are:
- Location – While during the majority of your time of being a travel nurse, you’ll be able to choose where you live and work, some of the time, you won’t land the location or position you were wanting, and you’ll have to move to a different location.
- Setting – Additionally, some positions require longer hours or night versus day shifts that require a little bit of flexibility.
- Facility – while most travel nursing happens within a hospital, each location is different and might offer different opportunities.
Talk with a Recruiter
A big part of the travel nursing process is talking with a recruiter. Here at Stability we’re dedicated to helping our clients feel comfortable with their nursing and contracting experience. Recruiters and agencies help nurses before, during, and after contracts end and can help you find the perfect place to work and find the speciality that best suits you and your skill set. Agencies help you understand your contract and are there to help you understand your contract and answer any questions you might have.
Understand Your Contract
Contracts are probably the most important part of travel nursing. Your contract outlines everything you’ll need for your next job such as:
- Contract length
- Hours
- Pay (i.e., overtime, holidays)
- Time off
- Housing and travel arrangements
- Stipends (i.e., lodging, meals, incidental)
- What happens if the contract falls through, and more
Since travel nurse contracts contain so much vital information, it’s very crucial to make sure you read and understand your contract in its entirety.
Build Strong Relationships with Your Co-workers
An important aspect of any job is networking and building strong connections with your peers. This is especially true in nursing. Nurses have very stressful and demanding jobs and being able to lean on your coworkers for support and guidance is a very important aspect of the job that can really help you in the long run.
Stay Organized
As a nurse, you’re constantly having to update certifications and licenses, and sometimes you just want to try a new speciality that will require additional paperwork. The ability to stay organized and up-to-date on all your paperwork is critical to staying ahead and being flexible. As a nursing student, this is the perfect time to practice staying organized and keeping neat records. Keeping a portfolio of all of your important documents is a great way to stay organized.
Practice Self Care
Nursing is a very demanding and physical job that can take a toll on your physical and mental well-being. Ensuring that you’re taking care of your health is very important. To stay on top of your health, you can do things like exercising regularly, eating right, and utilizing your PTO.
Travel Nursing is a very rewarding profession that can take you to places you normally wouldn’t find yourself. As a nursing student, you can set yourself up for success now.
