Travel Nurse Research Paper

Many Americans dream of constantly traveling the country and still finding a way to make a living; travel nurses get to live that dream. Travel nurses are registered nurses who are employed by agencies that send them to hospitals low on staff or in need of nurses with certain specialties. Travel nursing is a good fit for people who enjoy travel; it is also good a good fit for registered nurses who are in the process of deciding where to stay for long-term employment. It takes a lot of hard work and flexibility to become a travel nurse, and although the job has drawbacks, many travel nurses find that the benefits they receive are worth the time invested.

According the the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses “provide and coordinate

Travel nurses have the opportunity to discover new friendships and cultures as they are subjected to fresh environments. Travel nurses are also “exposed to different healthcare delivery systems” (travelnursing.org, sec. 6) and a variety of experiences that shape the nurse into a more flexible and independent person. An advantage that a travel nurse has over a registered nurse, is that travel nurses do not have to worry about long term commitment to a certain city or hospital. According to travelnursing.org, “travel nurses are able to choose where they want to work, the specialty and the length of their travel contract” (sec. 4). Since nurses are sent more than 50 miles away from their homes, housing is an important part of a travel nurse contract. Agencies that hire these registered nurses, search and pay for a place for their employees to live; nurses are often given up to three options to choose from. If an employee does not like any of the options presented, the agency can give them a stipend, or an allowance, so that they are able to pay for preferable housing. According to travelnursing.org, the pay for a travel nurse is typically “more than that of a staff nurse in the area of travel” (sec. 4) due to the fact that travel nurses live away from their home tax. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that, the median pay for a registered nurse is 32.91 per hour, which is about $68,450 per year. A travel nurse can make up to $100,000 per year depending on the state he/she is located in and the amount of hours on the job. At times, nurses are given the chance to receive bonuses by extending “contracts at a certain hospital” (travelnursing.org, sec 5) or if they take in another assignment in a hospital that is in high need of