Nurses are typically very caring individuals who work hard to earn their nursing degree and obtain a nursing license because they are passionate about helping others and providing excellent healthcare. However, taking a permanent position at a hospital, clinic, or doctor's office is not the ideal choice for all nurses. If you are a nurse and you are interested in a new opportunity, you may want to seriously consider becoming a travel nurse. As a travel nurse, you work with a travel nurse staffing agency that will place you in different nursing assignments around the country for a set period of time. Some of the top reasons to become a travel nurse include:

Opportunity to Travel to New Places

One thing that many travel nurses enjoy is the opportunity to work and live in new places where they have never been before. Nursing is very hard work with long hours, but due to the way that most nurses are scheduled, they have several days off each week. This means that when you are a travel nurse, you will have the chance to explore the city or area where you are working during your set contract. Since contract lengths vary depending on demand and specific situations, it is possible to see many different places over the course of the year as you travel nursing career takes you to your preferred locations.

Higher Pay

Travel nurses are a necessity-- they many fill in when unit is severely understaffed and new hires are trained, provide nursing care when numerous staff members are on leave, or take care of patients in the event of a strike. Since travel nurses are in high demand and fill an essential role, they typically are paid a much higher wage than other nurses earn per hour. In addition, most travel nurse contracts include numerous benefits, such as excellent health insurance and paid living expenses. When you're able to enjoy paid living expenses, it is much easier to save money and grow your savings account if you're not make a rent or mortgage payment or paying for utilities.

Flexibility

One of the best things about being a travel nurse is that it gives you flexibility that you're not likely to find as a permanent staff member. As a travel nurse you can sign on for a contract, fulfill the terms of your contract, and then take time off to spend time with family, visit friends, or take a vacation. When you're ready for your next assignment, all you have to do is contact the travel nurse staffing service to let them know that you're ready to go back to work. 

Contact a staffing service, like SOS Healthcare Staffing, for more help.