September 4, 2024

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Extending Your Travel Nurse Contract: Pros, Cons, and Tips

Posted on September 4, 2024August 29, 2024 by Fusion Medical Staffing

Fusion Medical Staffing provided this article.

Deciding whether extending your travel nurse contract or moving on after your assignment ends can feel like a tough call. On one hand, there’s comfort in the familiar — the friendly faces of the hospital or healthcare facility, the routines you’ve mastered, and the friends you’ve made along the way.

On the other hand, the thrill of your next assignment might be calling your name, teasing you with the allure of fresh experiences and a change of scenery. If you’re on the fence about a travel nurse contract extension, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of extending your travel nursing contract, as well as some helpful tips, so you can make the choice that feels right for you.

Extending Your Travel Nurse Contract: Pros, Cons, and Tips

Pros of extending your travel nurse contract

Familiarity with the healthcare facility

One of the biggest perks of extending your travel nurse contract is the familiarity you’ve built with the healthcare facility. Since you’ve had time in your current contract, you already know where everything is and the quirks of the charting system and have learned the ropes of how things operate day-to-day. That means you’ll spend less time adjusting and more time focusing on what you do best — providing top-notch patient care.

No repeat credentialing

Another benefit of a contract extension is avoiding the headache of repeat travel nurse credentialing. If you’re not a fan of the paperwork that comes with starting new travel nursing contracts, extending may be the move for you since you can skip the hassle of submitting documents, going through background checks, and filling out forms.

Less moving hassle

Packing up your life, finding new housing, and adjusting to a different city every few months can be exhausting. By extending your travel nurse contract, you get to bypass all that chaos for a little while longer and settle into the comfort of your already-established routine.

Cons of extending your travel nurse contract

Less opportunities for skill diversification

One downside of extending your current contract is that you may miss out on new opportunities to diversify your travel nurse skills. Part of the excitement of travel nursing is jumping into different healthcare facilities and settings, as well as learning a variety of techniques and practices. When you stay in one place for an extended time, you risk missing out on other opportunities that could broaden your experiences and keep your travel nurse skills sharp.

Missed chances for personal growth

Travel nursing is all about seizing new experiences, such as adapting to different work environments and exploring new cities. With new places come fresh perspectives and personal growth opportunities, which you may not experience with travel nurse contract extensions.

Potential housing issues

Travel nurse housing is enough of a headache as is, and when you factor in a travel nurse contract extension, it could get even more complicated. You could find yourself renegotiating your lease, finding a new rental space, or even dealing with unexpected housing expenses and fees.

Tips for extending travel nurse contracts

Communicate early

One key tip for extending your travel nursing contract is to communicate early with both your travel nurse recruiter and the hospital or healthcare facility. By reaching out sooner than later, you give your recruiter ample time to negotiate on your behalf and iron out any details with your current healthcare facility.

Review contract details

Before agreeing to an extended travel nurse contract, be sure to dive into contract details like pay rates, benefits, and other stipulations. Take a close look to see if your pay changes and that all your benefits are still solid. Knowing exactly what’s on the table can save you from surprises down the road.

Maintain a work-life balance.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of staying put and diving deeper into your travel nurse assignment, but don’t forget to carve out time for yourself to enjoy downtime, explore your surroundings, and recharge your social battery. A healthy work-life balance not only helps you stay refreshed but also keeps you motivated and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.

Deciding whether to extend your travel nursing contract comes down to what’s best for you in the moment. Noodle on your personal and professional goals, consider how a travel nurse contract extension may impact your growth and well-being, and think about how you can make the most of your time in your current contract and, ultimately, your travel nursing career.

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Are you on the hunt for your next travel nurse gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities.

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

Need somewhere to stay on your next travel nurse assignment? We’ve got you covered. Check out our housing page to find your ideal home away from home. Click here to start your search.

By AB Staffing Solutions

June 14, 2024

2814 Views

The Pros and Cons of Extending Your Travel Nurse Contract

Posted on June 14, 2024June 10, 2024 by AB Staffing Solutions

AB Staffing Solutions provided this article.

Are you enjoying your travel assignment? Are you flexible regarding the night vs. day shift? Do you want to explore the area more? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider asking your Recruiter about extending your travel contract. While we cannot guarantee an extension, we will ask what is possible. Not all travel nurse contracts can be extended as it depends on factors that include:

Needs at the medical facility
Demand for your specialty
Demand for healthcare services in the area

Contract extensions can be unpredictable at times, but your recruiter should always be looking for ways to keep you happy and employed. Make sure to ask about 7/8 weeks into your contract if an extension is possible if you want one. Keep in mind that extended travel nurse contracts have pros and cons.

Pros of Extending Your Travel Nurse Contract

Let’s talk about the pros of staying in one place for more than 13 weeks, the average length of a travel contract.

Stability and Continuity. Extending a travel nurse contract provides job security and a familiar work environment. The systems, processes, and people are familiar. If you stay, take advantage of the benefits of building relationships with colleagues, patients, and communities. The longer you’re in a position, the better for your professional development and skill enhancement. It’s also stability for you and your family to be on the same routines for an extended time rather than having to transition to a new place and routine every few months.
Enhanced Relationships. Because you’re staying longer, you’re able to continue to build strong work relationships with colleagues, patients, and communities. You’re able to grow a professional network that can lead to other opportunities while learning from others. You’re better able to build relationships with patients, explaining treatment in terms they and their loved ones understand. With all this, you’re building trust so that when you need help, you can ask and offer help to other colleagues and patients.
Opportunity for Growth. Choosing to extend a travel nurse contract can lead to professional development and skill enhancement. You’re learning how to effectively support different communities in ways they understand. Not every population is the same in terms of how they are cared for, so this is an opportunity to continue learning not only about patient care, but also procedures, both of which help you grow professionally.
Financial Gains. If you choose to stay, you will be able to save more and go on more adventures when you’re not working. Extend your summer contract through the fall and then take time off for the holidays, resuming work in the new year.

There is comfort in settling into one place. We get it. Your days have a rhythm, and you realize you love the place and its people. And if it works that you can continue to care for patients and serve the community, we’d love to help you make that happen.

Let’s face it, there is something to be said for what stability can do.

You know how much money you earn, how much to save, and what you can spend when you’re not working.

What if you love change? What if routines bore you? Extending the contract might not be a good choice for you.

Cons of Extended Travel Nurse Contract

Our travelers tell us that while they may extend a contract, they also find downsides to staying in one place.

Career Stagnation. Perhaps a position or living situation isn’t what you thought it would be. If you were expecting to learn more or care for a particular patient population that’s not meeting expectations, it can feel like your career stagnates. You’d rather move on to another experience than stay where you are, and that’s okay. Talk to your Recruiter about your expectations and what is happening at the current facility so they can better match you in the future.
Burnout Risk. If you feel like you’ve met career expectations for a position and/or you do not like where you’re living, then it may be time to move. Maybe you’ve checked off all the items on your bucket list, and your days feel routine. Extended contracts may limit the ability to explore new locations and opportunities, especially if you’re not feeling inspired by your work. If you’re experiencing the same workload day in and day out, then changing contracts can provide opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge.
Financial Considerations. Evaluate the aspects of extending contracts. Ask questions like if there is a salary increase, bonus, or other benefits associated with extending. The answers can influence your decision to extend a travel nurse contract or look for a new one.
Family Events. Depending on how far you are from loved ones, you might want to move closer. If there are family events like siblings getting married and starting their families or as parents and grandparents age, you may want your children to be close to their cousins, so remaining in a different place may not be as attractive as it once was.

The decision to extend a travel nurse contract is up to you. As with making the decision to be a travel nurse, this takes thinking and asking your recruiter questions to evaluate what is best for you. We’d never want you to feel like you’re stuck or need to cancel a contract because you can’t fulfill the obligation.

Whatever you choose, the AB Staffing team is here to support you.

Find Your Next Travel Healthcare Assignment with Our Job Board!

Are you on the hunt for your next travel healthcare gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities. We have opportunities for all travel healthcare professionals.

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

Need somewhere to stay on your next travel healthcare assignment? We’ve got you covered. Check out our housing page to find your ideal home away from home. Click here to start your search.

By Medical Solutions

September 16, 2023

9182 Views

How Long Do Travel Nurses Stay at One Assignment?

Posted on September 16, 2023September 25, 2023 by Medical Solutions

Medical Solutions provided this article.

By Sarah Wengert

If you’re a new or aspiring traveler, you’ve probably wondered about the length of travel nursing assignments. Are travel nurses constantly on the go, or can they unpack and stay awhile? What is “awhile” anyway?

Travel nursing jobs vary in length, and that variance depends on each facility’s staffing needs. When choosing the right assignment length, travelers should consider things like original contract length, the possibility of extending an assignment, and other factors that will be unique to them and their needs.
There are also important IRS tax compliance considerations that impact your ability to receive lodging, meals, and incidental per diems on a non-taxable basis. Your staffing agency will have its own internal policies that align with several important IRS rules that ensure you are eligible to receive non-taxable travel benefits.

How long can You remain in the same general location while on a Travel assignment?

If you wish to continue to receive non-taxable per diems (and nearly all traveling clinicians do!), the short answer is that you cannot remain in the same general assignment location for more than one year. While many IRS rules are unclear, this is one that’s fairly straightforward: Among other requirements, working in any particular assignment location must be “temporary” in order to receive non-taxable per diems. The IRS rules state that if your assignment lasts, or is expected to last, more than one year, then the assignment is not “temporary”. And as a result, you are not entitled to non-taxable per diems. The months at the assignment location do not have to occur consecutively to hit the 12-month limit.

What is the Average Length of a Travel Assignment?

Most travel nursing assignments last 13 weeks, but they can come in many other lengths. Other common travel nurse assignment lengths include 8, 4, or even 1-2 weeks on the shorter side. On the longer side, sometimes travel jobs last 20 or even 26 weeks.

That brings us to the next important thing to know about how long travel nurses stay in one location: Travel nursing assignment extensions!

Can You Extend Your Travel Nurse Assignment?

Yes, you can extend your travel nurse assignment if both you and the facility agree to an extension.

Many facilities like to extend a travel nursing assignment when they still have the staffing need and are happy and familiar with a traveler. Many travelers like to extend their assignment when they’re happy with the facility and location.

When it works for both a facility and a traveler, travel nurse assignment extensions provide a smooth transition into a longer-term arrangement for both parties!

Remember that you can always ask your recruiter for a specific length of assignment if that’s what you need. You might not be able to choose your exact travel nurse assignment length, but it never hurts to ask your recruiter so they’re looking out for you and your unique needs. A good recruiter will always do their best to get as close as possible to your request from the current pool of available travel nursing assignments — so make sure you openly communicate your needs to them.

Again, the duration of your travel nursing job depends on the facility’s staffing needs and their particular interest in you. So, some assignments may last for an irregular time span if that’s what’s needed. Ultimately, a travel nurse can safely stay in one place for as long as the facility needs them and agrees to rehire them for up to 12 months. And, of course, when a traveler agrees to stay in that facility and location!

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By AB Staffing Solutions

June 9, 2023

2791 Views

How Long Can Travel Nurses Stay in One Location?

Posted on June 9, 2023June 9, 2023 by AB Staffing Solutions

AB Staffing Solutions provided this article.

Traveling and taking vacations can offer many health benefits and is a great way to improve your overall well-being. Exposure to new cultures, landscapes, and experiences can help stimulate your mind and enhance your creativity. Taking a break from your everyday routine can help you relax and rejuvenate, which will lower your stress levels.

Just like traveling for vacation, travel nursing assignments come with loads of benefits for your body, mind, and career. Work freedom and acquiring new skills that put you ahead of your nursing peers top the list.

You can also make more money as a travel nurse while enjoying various perks, including travel and accommodation untaxed per diem. The average salary of a travel nurse, according to Salary.com, is $92,247 as of December 2022, compared to $60,100 for a staff nurse.

If you love the area and facility where you are working, you have the possibility of extending your contract. Staying in one place for too long can have its downsides, though. You can end up losing some of your travel benefits. How long can you stay in one place as a travel nurse and still enjoy your high pay rate and untaxed per diem? Here’s what you need to know.

For How Long Can a Travel Nurse Stay in The Same Place?

How long you stay in one place depends on several factors, including your contract period and whether your facility wants to extend your contract. The typical travel nurse contract usually lasts 13 weeks, while some last up to 6 months.

According to the IRS, if you’re a travel nurse with a tax home, there’s a one-year (12 months) limit to staying in one assignment. The months do not have to occur in sequence to achieve your 12 months limit. The IRS refers to assignments that last over one year as ‘indefinite.’ These assignments do not qualify for tax benefits on reimbursements or tax deductions.

The Real Reason Travel Nurses Can’t Overstay in One Place

Foregoing tax deductions is just one downside of staying in one place for too long. But here’s the real reason: Your tax home could shift to your current area, which means you lose your tax home.

If your tax-home shifts, you will pay taxes on all the tax-free reimbursements you collected for your entire travel assignment period in that city. That could mean huge expenses for you.

For How Long Should a Travel Nurse Leave Before They Return to the Same Place?

The IRS directs that you cannot stay in the same location for more than 12 months in a rolling 24-month period. That means you cannot exceed 1 year at one workplace within 24 months, whether you’re working continuously or taking breaks between the months.

If you’ve worked in an area for 3 months, you can still return and work for 9 more months before you hit your one-year limit.

The main trick is to avoid working in one area for too long, as that may shift your tax home.

Your tax home is where you earn the highest percentage of your annual income. If the annual income from a new location exceeds that from your tax home, your tax home shifts, and you lose your tax deduction benefits upon travel.

The Bottom Line

While you can work in one place as long as you like, staying in one area for over a year disqualifies you from receiving tax-free reimbursements and tax deductions. You could also lose your tax home if the annual income from a new area exceeds that from your tax home.

You must keep moving around to maintain your current tax home. No hospital away from your tax home should become the leading source of your income for many years.

The Right Agency Can Help You Land Travel Nursing Jobs in Different Areas

Having a variety of travel nursing jobs in different areas is one of the best ways to grow your travel nursing career. Choosing the right travel agency helps you land the best travel nurse jobs when you need to make that change. AB Staffing can help you find jobs in various travel nursing specialties, including Acute Care, Corrections, and Education jobs.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By ONESTAFF MEDICAL

February 12, 2019

5453 Views

4 Hints You May Be Asked to Extend Your Assignment

Posted on February 12, 2019May 20, 2021 by ONESTAFF MEDICAL

This article provided by: Onestaff Medical

The average travel assignment spans 13 weeks. Throughout your career you’ll have instances where those 13 weeks go by in a flash. You’ll be sad to see certain assignments go and you may even wish you could stay on awhile longer. Here are some hints that you may be asked to extend your travel assignment.

Sometimes it’s possible.

A travel assignment extension can be requested for many reasons, and if you’re in a position or facility you love, being asked to stay on can be welcome news. But are there any hints such a request could be coming? There could be, especially if the following keep happening to you.

4 Hints You May Be Asked to Extend Your Travel Assignment

Your co-workers are impressed with your abilities.
Your facility employs many temps or travelers.
Your facility inquires about where you’re headed after this assignment.
You hear from your travel staffing agency.

Your co-workers are impressed with your abilities.

You want to stand out, to be more than just another cog in the machine, and boy is it satisfying when your co-workers see you in the same light. Hearing it from them is a pretty darn good spirit boost to boot. Standing out as being impressive in your role gets around the floor and beyond, and that word of mouth is always good for you.

The facility employs many temps or travelers.

For some facilities, this business model simply makes sense. Perhaps the area services a large seasonal population or it is having trouble making new direct hires. Whatever the reason, a company focused on hiring travelers is more apt to extend the role of one whose performance they appreciate.

Your facility inquires about where you’re headed after this assignment.

This one can depend sometimes on who asks, and your gut should tell you whether the question is simple idle chat or if there’s something behind it. If you are asked about your future plans, it could very well be because they’d like your calendar to be open, so you can stay with them. Be honest and watch their reaction. It could tell you all you need to know.

You hear from your travel staffing agency.

OK, we confess, by the time you hear from us, the jig is up. And you’ll know you have an opportunity to extend your stay. If your facility would like to offer you an extended stay, they will formally reach out to your staffing agency to discuss a new contract. Such an agreement is entirely up to you of course. So, if you’ve enjoyed your stay, feel free to sign along the dotted line. Your facility will be happy to have you once again.

Extending Your Travel Nurse Contract: Pros, Cons, and Tips

Pros of extending your travel nurse contract

Familiarity with the healthcare facility

No repeat credentialing

Less moving hassle

Cons of extending your travel nurse contract

Less opportunities for skill diversification

Missed chances for personal growth

Potential housing issues

Tips for extending travel nurse contracts

Communicate early

Review contract details

Maintain a work-life balance.

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

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Sometimes it’s possible.

4 Hints You May Be Asked to Extend Your Travel Assignment

Your co-workers are impressed with your abilities.

The facility employs many temps or travelers.

Your facility inquires about where you’re headed after this assignment.

You hear from your travel staffing agency.

Are you searching for a GREAT Paying Travel Nurse Position?

Check out these HOT Travel Nurse JOBS

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