Pre-COVID times were much different. The pay was a lot less and travel nursing wasn’t so saturated. So is now still a good time to leave your staff job to venture out into the unknown?
I get SO MANY questions about how I became a travel nurse and why I decided to #leave my #staffjob of 7 years.
Will, you regret it or hit the ground running and never look back like I did…? It all depends 3 things: your nursing experience, financial needs, and of course your family!
As a staff #nurse, I worked to take time off and travel. I loved getting on cruise ships and taking road trips. I never lived in a fancy apartment or had a brand new car (I actually, still drive the same car I've had since 2013 and currently have over 218,000 miles), I just loved to enjoy my time away from work.
I had a very good friend whom I had met at my staff job that came to my #ER in Florida as a travel nurse from Michigan. She had been a travel nurse for 7 years before we met, and she decided to take a staff job because she had met her now-husband in Tampa.
So, this friend told me it was time for me to hit the road, for good. At that time, I had worked in that ER for 5 years as an LPN and 2 years as an RN (check out my previous blog to see my entire timeline in healthcare since 2006!). She recommended a travel agency to contact and so I did, I put in my 2-week notice and had my 1st travel contract lined up.
First things, first, how much #experience do you need to be a travel nurse?
Nursing Experience: As I stated before, I had been an RN for 2 years when I applied for my first contract in 2016. Some hospitals required 1 year to 5 years of experience depending on your specialty. Unfortunately, I am sorry to say this, but during COVID many new nurses jumped in with just 1-year of experience, and it showed. Hospitals were realizing that although they needed the staff, hiring nurses with just 1-year experience was risky because of the high volumes of very ill patients and the new nurses' inability to keep up with the workflow. Many hospitals now require a minimum of 2 years. I'm not saying ALL new nurses couldn't keep up, just that COVID was a different beast than many were prepared for. Really none of us were, but the seasoned nurses were able to keep their heads above water better than others.
So, I had a going-away party at work, went on a cruise (see above) then packed up my car and drove up to Connecticut, Yes, I said Connecticut!
I, at that time, was single and had a dog. It was just her and I. I had an apartment leased so I paid my rent while I was gone and my friend who lived above me kept an eye on my place. I initially kept my apartment because I didn’t know what my travel nursing experience was going to be like...
Was I going to love it or hate it... that was the question..?
Well, I LOVED Connecticut. I fell in love with the people, the pizza, the hiking, and the beautiful fall that we do not have in Florida. Halfway through that 1st contract, I knew that travel nursing was 100% for me! It is essential to know that no matter how long you've been a nurse, some of us may never feel "ready" to go travel while others feel ready after being a nurse for 6 months. Everyone is different. I just remember my old co-workers at my staff job saying, "You'll be back", that was 6 years ago and most of them are right where I left them. Think about that...
Leaving Family: So for me, packing up and leaving was easy. For those of you who have a husband/wife and children, it may not be as simple. I am now married, and we just celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary of which I was gone for 7 months of that 1st year... Ouch.. but we both knew that the COVID crisis pay I received was going to disappear and never come back. I was even blessed with 2 FEMA contracts in Hawaii! One on Big Island and the other on the island of Oahu. My husband dated me as a travel nurse so he knew very well what our married life would be like. For those of you already established, there must be an open, honest conversation in order for this lifestyle of travel nursing to work for everyone. I suggest making a pros (benefits) and cons (losses) list.
What are your family’s dynamics, and will you be able to take contracts out of state, or will you be a local travel nurse??
Know the rules and regulations in your state before you accept a local contract!
It would be best to consult with whoever prepares your taxes. Since I became a travel nurse, I have not filed my own #taxes. Since I’ve worked in multiple states, it may get a bit messy. So I pay for them to be prepared so that the #IRS doesn’t come after me if I filed them wrong myself. Go to your local tax preparation offices like Liberty or H&R Block and ask them about local travel contracts. Are you able to drive just the typical 50 miles away? Or do you have to drive farther? Most local contracts you take in your home state only require a 50-mile minimum distance from your home address.
Once you have this information, and you reach out to travel agencies to see what contracts are available, then you can have a sit-down conversation with yourself or your spouse to see if the options of traveling and pay are worth it! If you decide local is best and it’s only 50 miles you’ll be commuting about an hour each way or maybe less. Would you need to spend money on a hotel for a few nights when you're working or rent a place for the entire contract? Also, consider the miles and gas each way.
Other things to consider: Let me tell you about my #experience as a first-time travel nurse, I rented a basement apartment and began to work. I knew no one. My advice for everyone is to show up open-minded and willing to kill everyone with kindness. When you have finished your tasks, ask others if they need help. This helps break the ice... And then you will get the,
“Where are you from?”, “Where are you staying?”, “How long are you here?” and then before you know it, you have work friends.
Staff nurses all know travel nurses make more #money than them, so showing up willing to do your work but also being a team player is what I have personally found to be extremely helpful to get the ball rolling.
Travel nurses who show up just for the #paycheck do not seem to have the same experiences as I do. They have the, "I’m not here to make friends" type of #attitude. I understand that to an extent. If you enjoy your contract and would like to be extended, having friends on your side would help you get that #extension. Also having friends at work helps work overall just be a more tolerable experience. I am not telling you to go try to be besties with everyone, but you know that when you meet someone and you just click, those are the people who I appreciate to make my time in whatever city or state I'm in a better experienced time. There are now apps and travel nurse groups on social media that you can become a member of to meet other travel nurses in your area. What’s always best for me is when I’m in orientation with other travelers and I hit it off with them before we even start working on the floor.
Us travelers stick need to stick together!
Finances: So, let’s talk about the really important stuff like PAY! The pay was something I became more familiar with after working a few contracts and being taught a few things from other travelers who had been traveling for like 15 years! If you are offered weekly pay that does not cover rent for 1 week’s pay in the travel nursing world, it’s not a good contract.
For example, I worked in Los Angeles and found the cutest place in West Hollywood between Sunset and Santa Monica Blvd. The monthly rent was $2,100 a month. The #contract I had was paying me $2,140 a week, this is NET (pay after taxes are removed) which was a total #take-home of $8,560 a month. As long as one week’s pay ($2,140) covers your #monthly rent ($2,100), it is a good deal! Of course, I could have found cheaper #housing and saved more money, but it was my first time in California and I got to live in the heart of West Hollywood! It was so close to everything that I just walked and saved #money on gas.
Check out my blog that explains how to negotiate pay and non-taxable stipends!
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