A profession that involves consistent travel brings a lot of uncertainty. We know the unknown is scary, especially when it revolves around your career and livelihood. The truth is, for every travel healthcare horror story you’ve probably heard, there are so many amazing experiences to be had. In fact, there are nearly 4.7 million registered nurses nationwide, and of those who are licensed, 89% of them are employed in nursing. Plus, a career in travel nursing is just one that will expand your perspective, skill set and career. 

Three Common Misconceptions About Travel Nursing

Meeting new connections, strengthening your resume and working in new locations are just some of the benefits to a career in travel nursing. If you’re considering hitting the road and taking your skills to new communities, but you don’t know what to expect, keep reading and we’ll explain some of the common misconceptions about travel nursing to help you find you ideal travel assignment.  

Misconception #1: You have to move every 13 weeks

While many nurses do choose shorter assignments, you don’t necessarily have to move once your contract expires. In fact, by working closely with your recruiter, it’s often possible to line up several assignments in your desired geographical range! Additionally, there are often assignments that that will run for even longer than 13 weeks with an extended travel contract.

We’ve worked with travelers who have fallen in love with their assignments and just weren’t ready to leave. Working with your recruiter on possible extension opportunities can be a great way to gain more experience on their current assignment and stick around their new community for just a little bit longer. 

Some assignments could even turn into a permanent position if that’s the direction you’d like to take. When and where you move is all up to you — it just takes some coordination with your recruiter and a bit of networking finesse at times.

Misconception #2: Travel nursing isn’t for established professionals

Sure, a sense of wanderlust is commonly associated with younger adults seeking adventure; however, past polls have found that the average age of registered nurses in the U.S. is 51 years old. Older adults may have established their careers in one location and that makes them some of the most valuable candidates for traveling positions given their breadth of experience.

Traveling ICU nurse, Peggy Patterson, is in her mid-fifties and has worked in 15 states coast to coast with a total of 29 completed assignments with 10 extensions in 26 cities. Her goal is to cross off all the items on her bucket list—travel through all 50 states, then take a couple assignments a year until she’s ready to fully retire.

While younger nursing professionals may have more flexibility in their ability to travel, there’s no age that’s best for travel nursing. Even some retirement-age nurses have hit the road to slowly transition out of the profession while enjoying some much-needed sightseeing.

In fact, Peggy’s most memorable moment as a travel nurse is being present for the birth of her first grandchild. “Until you experience it, you have no idea what becoming a grandma feels like,” Peggy said. “It was the best day of my life and being able to be there was all due to me being a travel nurse.”

Misconception #3: Travel nursing doesn’t provide stable income

While it might get conflated with the idea of a traveling salesmen or some artsy vagabond-type, travel nursing is a completely sustainable career choice with the right planning and thought. According to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, nursing is projected to see a 5 percent job growth rate from now until 2034. This means travel nursing jobs will be needed as staffing shortages impact different parts of the country.

Additionally, the travel nursing profession may offer increased pay because of tax-free stipends, travel reimbursements, and other unique benefits. While assignments can fall through at times, having backup positions available can ensure you’ll stay doing what you love without worrying about money.

Like anything that becomes routine, there are benefits and drawbacks of travel nursing. Yet travel nursing is something that can continually bring you new experiences and opportunities for growth. Even when the pay is what you need, many will tell you that the true value comes from meeting new people and really gaining a unique perspective about nursing and healthcare in general. All it takes is finding a recruiter you connect with, setting your career goals, and working to find opportunities that allow you to grow as a nursing professional.

It can be a bit scary to travel to a new job and location, but that sense of adventure may be just the thing to really jump-start your career for the better.

Editor's note: This article was re-shared from it's originally written format in August 2018.