Pros and Cons of Travel Nursing

America’s shortage of nurses, brought on by the retirement of veteran nurses, the mass exodus from the field during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and the country’s growing and aging population, has paved the way for the development of the travel nursing sector. Nationwide, travel nurses play a significant role in helping hospitals meet growing patient demand while delivering optimal care; however, travel nursing has both pros and cons for providers and employers alike.

The most cited draw of travel nursing is a higher income. In several states, a travel nurse can earn double the salary of an RN. In addition to earning a higher income, travel nurses can have a more flexible career. They have control over the contracts they accept. However, because hospitals frequently issue contracts when short-staffed during the flu season or in an underserved community with limited access to healthcare, it can be challenging for a travel nurse to schedule time off while the contract is in progress. Another point of attraction is that the travel nurse’s career is more independent of hospital bureaucracy and the associated politics. Since many contracts are short-term, lasting from two weeks to three months, travel nurses are not integrated into the hospital system like permanent employees. Instead of developing a specialized skillset for one hospital setting, travel nurses acquire a wide skillset through exposure to multiple hospital systems and their related procedures, processes, equipment, objectives, and challenges. Finally, by working in numerous hospitals nationwide, travel nurses will develop extensive professional networks. ^1,2

Despite the many pros of travel nursing, there are important cons to consider as well. First, travel nurses have the frustrating task of completing onboarding paperwork for individual contracts. Paperwork can include compliance, hospital-mandated training, exams, drug screenings, and other physical examinations, which must be completed 30 days before contract commencement. Secondly, the higher income is accompanied by greater tax responsibility and some out-of-pocket expenditure on housing and transportation. Furthermore, the contract income offered fluctuates; thus, travel nurses likely have less stable income. Another con is that the typical contract lasts from two weeks to three months; therefore, travel nurses are constantly applying for their next job. Another unexpected expense travel nurses have is maintaining and obtaining licensure in multiple states. While travel nurses can acquire the compact multi-state license that allows practice in 25 states and more, working in multiple states usually means needing to submit multiple state tax returns. It is strongly recommended that travel nurses work closely with a tax attorney to ensure these cons do not diminish their financial stability and the advantages of a higher take-home salary. Finally, despite having more contacts in a wider professional network, career promotions and progression are difficult if a nurse solely works as an independent contractor. ^3,4

Travel nursing has both pros and cons that individuals must consider based on their own circumstances. It can be a lucrative option and allow significant flexibility and variation in one’s work. However, it can also come with greater uncertainties and instabilities.

References

1. Schmidt, Kyle. “The Pros and Cons of Travel Nursing.” BluePipes Blog, blog.bluepipes.com/pros-cons-travel-nursing.
2. Pros and Cons of a Travel Nurse | Spring Arbor University Online. 10 May 2022, online.arbor.edu/news/pros-cons-of-being-a-travel-nurse.
3. 13 Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Nurse. www.nursingprocess.org/travel-nurse-pros-and-cons.html.
4. Debelak, Kalie. “Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Nurse: Expert Insight for New Nurses.” Rasmussen University, 13 Jan. 2024, www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/travel-nursing-pros-and-cons.