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Travel Nursing and Family Life, The Perfect Match?

Most of us are familiar with the old saying, "where there's a will, there's a way." But for Joanne, a NNICU nurse, this became more than a common quotation, it became her mantra. She believed there had to be a way for her to be a devoted family woman and still keep her travel nursing career.

As long as Joanne believed this was a task that could be accomplished, she wasn't going to rest until she succeeded. With a lot of determination and a little bit of work in finding the right staffing company, Joanne soon found exactly what she was looking for.

Opposites Really Do Attract

Many healthcare professionals are under the impression that traveling and family are two things that just don't mix. Not the case. As Joanne discovered, with the right staffing company, travel nursing can actually become the most flexible and ideal solution.

Working as a travel nurse has allowed Joanne to make raising her three daughters her top priority. Yet she's still able to take on the professional challenges she looks for in her career. For Joanne, traveling turned out to be the best way for her to find the shifts that fit her schedule. Plus, Joanne is able to sharpen her clinical skills, learn some new ones, and experience nursing in several different clinical settings.

The Same but Different

Travel nursing doesn't work in the typical fashion for Joanne. Instead of taking assignments all over the U.S., her staffing company finds her opportunities that are commuting distance from her home. Now she receives the same great pay and benefits as a travel nurse who goes halfway across the country, and she even earns a generous housing allowance!

Overall, travel nursing gives you the stability of working at one facility without the long-term commitment, because the average assignment lasts between 13 and 26 weeks. This means you have the freedom and flexibility to set your own pace.

Making it Work

Travel nursing and family life can absolutely be a perfect fit. But keep in mind that it's important to work with a company that can consistently provide you with the assignment options you need.

You may want to look towards larger, more established agencies. Companies who have been in the business for a long period of time are more likely to have solid relationships with healthcare facilities across the country, including the ones located in your own backyard. In the end, remember - if you believe travel nursing is right for you... it most definitely will be.