Overcoming 5 Common Obstacles To Travel Nursing
Rewarding and full of adventure, travel nursing is one of the most exciting jobs in the healthcare industry. The position allows you to experience new locales and provide care to people in many different walks of life. However, as fulfilling as it can be, the career can come with its own challenges. Below are five common obstacles in travel nursing and how to overcome them.
Dealing With Distance
Many travel nurses choose to experience new places together with their families by road tripping from city to city and homeschooling their children. But for the traveling nurses with one home base, it can be difficult to be away from friends and family for extended periods of time. It’s part of why finding support throughout your placement experience is key. Whether that support comes from new nurses you meet or your recruiter, while you’re busy working and looking forward to the days you’re back home with loved ones, you’ll have someone rooting you on as you do your job.
Landing the Ideal Travel Nursing Contract
Not every job placement will be ideal, but as you land more placements and experience different regional and facility cultures, you’ll learn what feels best for you. Keep an open mind at what will help you thrive in your career and communicate your needs to your recruiter. With open and honest discussion, your recruiter can help make the placement process as easy and ideal as possible.
Meeting State Travel Nursing Qualifications
As you travel more, you may run into licensing challenges. Laws and regulations vary state to state, and depending on the capacity of the licensing staff, getting your license for that state can take longer than usual. For easier travel, consider getting your Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) license. The NLC license is a multistate license that gives you access to practice nursing in 34 NLC-practicing states.
Remaining Flexible
With so many opportunities in so many locations, choosing the right contract can be overwhelming to say the least. Understanding your priorities and what you’re really looking to get out of an assignment is key when determining which jobs to apply for. Are you wanting to experience a new location that you’ve always wanted to visit? Looking to partner with high level trauma facilities and build up your resume? Or are those high dollar contracts calling your name? Whatever your preference, know that you may need to flex on that day-shift requirement in order to secure a contract that’s a great match overall, especially if you’re in a specialty that fluctuates throughout the year. And above all else, make sure you have a recruiter who understands your travel goals and will make your priorities their own.
Working With the Right Travel Nursing Recruiter
Unpredictability comes with the job. To best prepare for your success as a travel nurse, working with the right recruiter is key. Your recruiter should take the time to know you and connect you to places that align with your goals as well as support you before and throughout the placement process. Furthermore, after learning about who you are, your recruiter should also give you insight on the location information, facility details, and contract nuances that you may not have considered to help you make the best decisions.
Travel Easy with HealthCare Support
Wherever you go, HealthCare Support will be there with you to overcome any professional challenges. We’re here to make traveling as easy and as streamlined as possible so that you can land your ideal assignment and focus on your work as a travel nurse. Our passionate team is ready to support you as you help heal communities all over the nation. To learn more about our open jobs and services, please give us a call at 888-219-6285.