Travel Nursing: Is It The Right Career For You?

Freelance writer Jocasta Morrison is back disucssing if Travel Nursing is a career for you… 

“33%—that’s how much the number of UK nurses has dropped between 2016 and 2018 according to the numbers published by Statista. This means that if you’re a nurse or about to become one, there should be a lot of opportunities waiting for you all over the country right now. And one of the best ways to capitalize on them is to become a travelling nurse, which is considered by many to be a pretty good out-of-office medical profession.

What’s so great about travel nursing anyway?

The answer’s in the name: you get to travel. You get to experience new things, explore different places, meet new people and network, ultimately opening yourself up to bigger and better opportunities along the way—all while avoiding burnout due to being stuck in one place for a long time.

It’s also a great way to figure out how you want your career to go. What kind of work environments do you thrive in? What kinds of people do you like to work with? Where do you feel most at home? It’s an opportunity to gain the kind of perspective that takes full-time employees years to acquire in mere months.

But it’s not for everyone

Travel nursing, great as it is, is not perfect. Constantly moving from one place to the next may seem exciting at first but can get pretty tiresome in the long run because it doesn’t really give you the chance to settle anywhere.

And, if you’ve ever flown to another city or country before, you probably already know that travelling is not all fun and games, especially when you’re doing it for work. In fact, the National Services Scotland (NHS) lists 10 risk factors that can disrupt your mental health whenever you fly out to a place far from home. They key is finding ways to stay centered during your trips. It can be as simple as focusing on your breathing or listening to your favorite tunes.

So, should you give travel nursing a shot?

 Well, that depends on where you are in life. If you’re young and single, then it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. In fact, as you’ve seen earlier, it could be a great way to fast-track your career. You just can’t get the amount of experience it provides being a full-time nurse in a single location.

If you have a spouse and kids, however, then things could be a bit trickier. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it, though. Just make sure both you and your family are okay with not seeing each other for extended periods of time—either that or figure out a way to take them with you.

It’s all a matter of priorities

At the end of the day, it all boils down to what’s important to you. If you don’t mind being away from your loved ones while you build your career and search for better opportunities, then travel nursing is perfect for you. Otherwise, you’re better off taking things a bit slower in your hometown, surrounded by the people you care about.”

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