This article was provided by AMN Healthcare.
For nurses who have a bit of wanderlust, a travel nursing career can be quite rewarding and fulfilling. So, why do hospitals need travel nurses? Travel nurses are typically needed in hospitals and other facilities temporarily to fill short-term employment gaps. They can work in a wide variety of clinical areas. Whether you’re a seasoned RN or you’re considering a career as a travel nurse out of nursing school, there’s a lot to know and internalize about your career choice.
The Importance of Travel Nurses
Travel nurses are extremely important to the healthcare industry because they help fill in the gaps between supply and demand in the nursing field. Hospitals have mandatory staff-to-patient ratios to maintain for the safety and overall health of patients, and travel nurses help do that.
Research has shown a positive connection between nursing staff levels, nurse retention, and measures of patient outcomes.
Since travel nurses come from different educational backgrounds, geographical areas, and areas of expertise, they can help share knowledge with the existing nursing team. Sharing ideas and know-how benefits patients and other nurses.
Why Hospitals Need Travel Nurses?
1. Crisis Staffing
At the moment, with COVID-19 killing tens of thousands and many more patients receiving hospital care to treat the novel coronavirus infection, many hospitals do not have enough nursing staff. So, they turn to overtime and travel nurses. Overtime can provide temporary relief, but too much OT and not enough downtime can increase errors and burnout.
2. Nursing Shortages
The nursing shortage remains a key driver for hospital’s use of traveling nurses. Travel nurses who can provide high-quality care are in tremendous demand. Some hospitals experience more difficulty recruiting new nurses, such as those in rural areas. Travel nurses will cover those shifts and deliver quality care.
3. Adjusting Staffing To Seasonal Demand
Some regions of the country experience a predictable rise and fall in census. In the winter, people frequent Florida, Arizona, and other warm climates, while in the summer, Cape Cod, Michigan lakefronts, and other temperate climates experience increases in populations. The annual flu season can also bring an increase in demand for nurses, so staffing managers often plan ahead. Instead of bringing on full-time staff and then laying them off, travel nurses can fill those positions.
Benefits of Travel Nursing
The travel.
For nurses who have an unending desire to travel from city to city and state to state, travel nursing is an excellent career choice. Travel nursing lets you explore different geographical areas and work in many different hospitals.
Freedom.
Typically, travel nursing assignments last for eight to 13 weeks, depending on the hospital and the available role. Details are often flexible, so sometimes shorter or longer stints are available. The best part is, if you’re not thrilled about your assignment, you’re not stuck there forever because, most likely, it’ll be time to move on after just a few months.
Grow your career.
As a travel nurse, you can work in various clinical settings, where you can learn new skills and share your own knowledge and expertise with others. This valuable experience can help bolster your resume when you decide to settle down in a more permanent nursing position.
Make professional and personal connections.
Another great benefit to becoming a travel nurse is meeting new people at every new travel nursing assignment. Making professional connections is a great networking strategy, as some of these individuals may open a new professional door for you or end up being great personal friends.
We hope you found this information helpful. Did you know these reasons why hospitals need travel nurses? Are there any other reasons you think hospitals need travel nurses? Comment them below. 0
Interested in learning more about travel nursing? American Mobile is the industry’s best travel nursing company. We take pride in offering the nation’s largest database of travel nursing jobs throughout the entire U.S., in addition to the industry’s most comprehensive salary and benefits packages.
Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?
