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Maybe you have your associate’s degree in nursing and want to fulfill your promise to complete your bachelor of science in nursing. Perhaps your goal is to become an advanced practice nurse. Or maybe you just like school!
Even if you’re living on the road as a travel nurse, it is doable! Here are eight tips from Jennifer Vu, a travel nurse who successfully pursued more education without hitting pause on her travel nursing career.
8 Tips for Travel Nurses Who Want to Go Back to School
1. Figure out what is realistic for you
First, Vu suggests travel nurses consider going back to school to reflect on their goals: What do you want out of school, the near future, and the far future? What do you want out of travel nursing while you are in school?
The answers to questions like these will help you determine the number of credits you take on and whether you choose a hybrid or in-person program.
She says, “I wanted to continue travel nursing to experience new places, but I also knew I wanted to pursue a nurse practitioner program over the next couple of years without completely giving up the adventure. Therefore, I decided on a part-time curriculum. Sure, the thought of this taking even longer than usual was gut-wrenching, but the adventure is more important for me.”
Knowing from the onset that she wanted to balance pursuing a degree while travel nursing allowed her to filter her educational options and find a good fit.
“Graduation may take me longer, but I am okay with that. Because I would continue moving from place to place, I found a completely distance program. There are hybrid programs out there that may require on-campus visits once or twice a semester. Determine if this is something you can accommodate while on the road.”
In short, “Figure out what you are comfortable sacrificing with travel nursing to complete school.”
2. Research student loan forgiveness options
Returning to education can have significant costs. So, it makes sense to think seriously about the financial aspects of returning to school as a travel nurse.
Luckily, many federal and state-based financial assistance programs are available to help nurses with the high costs of returning to school. These programs range in scope, and eligibility is determined by the area you live, where you work, what position you are in, and what your education level is.
Here is a closer look at just some of the programs that support student loan forgiveness for nurses.
Best for: Those who have private student loans.
- In exchange for two years of nursing service at a qualifying facility — federal or private — the federal government will pay off 60% of your qualifying nursing school loan balance.
- If you continue with one additional year of nursing service, the federal government will pay off another 25% of your original loan balance.
Best for: Nurses working in a designated shortage area.
The NHSC Loan Repayment Program offers forgiveness to nurses who work for two years in a Health Professional Shortage Area. The amount of forgiveness depends on your employment status (e.g., whether you’re full or part-time) and the level of need for nurses in your community.
Repayments range from $15,000 to $25,000 for nurses working part-time and $30,000 to $50,000 for those working full-time.
Best for: Perkins loan borrowers.
Nurses with Perkins loans can have up to 100% of their Perkins loans forgiven.
- After years one and two of full-time employment, you’ll have 15% of the principal school loans and interest canceled.
- For years three and four of full-time employment, the Perkins Loan Cancellation Program will cancel 20% of the principal loan and interest.
- During year five of full-time employment, you will receive an additional 30% forgiveness of your principal loan and interest.
There is potential to receive total cancellation benefits (with 100% of your school loans forgiven) after five years of medical service.
Best for: Nurses who work for a nonprofit or the government
This debt cancellation program for public workers — nurses included — is designed to forgive the remaining balance of an individual’s student loans after making 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. Though there is no income requirement to qualify, the required monthly payment amount is typically based on income.
Your employer, rather than your job or title, matters most when qualifying for this program. Your employer must meet the definition of “public service organization,” which is defined as follows:
- Government organizations at any level (federal, state, local, or tribal).
- Nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3), plus other types of not-for-profit organizations that provide certain types of qualifying public services.
- Full-time positions with AmeriCorps or Peace Corps are also counted.
State-based relief
Many states have student loan forgiveness programs for nurses, funded by either the federal government or the states. You’ll typically qualify by working in a critical-needs area. For example, the Kentucky State Loan Repayment Program offers loan repayment as a 50/50 match if professionals work in a Health Professional Shortage Area for two years, with total repayment assistance between $20,000 and $40,000.
Meanwhile, in Louisiana, full-time nurses at a designated Health Professional Shortage Area or a nonprofit may receive up to $15,000 each year with a three-year commitment.
3. Plan what you can
Plenty of variables are outside your control when you go back to school, but keeping in mind the ones you can plan for can get you closer to finding the right opportunity for you.
Vu says, “Thinking ahead and being proactive will set you up for success in the long run. Take into account time zones. Will you travel and live in a different time zone than your school? Keep in mind how this can affect deadlines and exam times.”
In line with thinking ahead, be smart about scheduling your travel nursing stints around your semester calendar. Getting set up with a new job requires a lot of focus and extra onboarding — as does a new class or professor. Do not try to do both at once.
“Avoid starting a new travel contract during the first or second week of school. Work orientation can often last all week, and you could miss many important onboarding instructions in your classes.”
Another perk of looking ahead and being proactive with planning is that you can take advantage of built-in flexibility. Vu shares, “I had my wedding and three-week honeymoon scheduled during my fall semester and got approval from my program to only take one class that semester. Most programs will work with you if you communicate your needs ahead of time.”
So ask yourself: Do you need any extended time off for trips planned? Will these trips compromise your ability to complete your schoolwork?
4. Build new skills to meet nationwide needs better
The face of healthcare is changing, and nursing support is needed to meet the nation’s changing needs. The U.S. population is older today than ever, and the Population Reference Bureau forecasts that the number of Americans ages 65 and older will increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050. As such, the age of 65 and older is projected to rise from 17% to 23% of the total population.
Going back to school can arm you with specialized skills in senior care. As a bonus, geriatric nursing is one of the better-paid specialties around.
5. Seek opportunities that require no commute or relocation
Online learning has serious upsides: you won’t need to relocate and may not have to commute at all (saving you time and money). This increased flexibility makes pursuing a BSN part-time as a travel nurse more accessible.
This rolling stone lifestyle means you can take your studies wherever you go. However, Vu warns against overextending yourself, mainly when the clinical portion of your program arises.
“Will you still be on the road when your clinical rotations begin? Does your program find a clinical placement, or must you find them yourself? Living in a new area with few connections may make finding your clinical placement difficult. Start reaching out and networking well ahead of time. Try to make connections or ask around the facility where you are working. Keep your program advisor updated on your search in case they have other avenues for you to try to lock down a preceptor,” Vu recommends.
6. Gain exposure to new technologies, like A.I. and virtual reality
A distance-based online program can sharpen your virtual skills. As you learn new online strategies for connecting with patients, your comfort in providing telehealth can strengthen. And since being a telehealth nurse is not considered a separate specialty, building the appropriate skill set will only differentiate you from your peers for future job opportunities.
You may be able to master virtual bedside manners and learn more advanced tech skills along the way. For example, artificial intelligence and virtual reality are two rapidly advancing technological frontiers that will impact healthcare for decades. Future-focused nurses are adding skills in these areas to better prepare themselves for integrations with electronic health systems and other medical care.
Experience with tools like ChatGPT and other augmented reality tools will ensure your competitiveness in the market, making you the most likely hire to get that next awesome gig.
7. Set boundaries and remember to live!
Though you are close to being superhuman, navigating travel nursing and going back to school is hard work.
Vu recommends staying encouraged and finding balance. “Let’s get it out there — this will be tough sometimes. You’ll juggle work and school but still want to live.
“Set boundaries to get schoolwork done. Remember, tasks only take as long as you allow for them. Don’t let yourself take two hours to complete a one-hour assignment. Use social and exploration time as a motivating factor. Utilize to-do lists, scheduled time blocks, or whatever works best to help you stay productive.”
“This will be a short couple of years compared to the rest of your life, and the stress will be temporary. Give yourself grace. Going to school the second (or third) time around is expected to be harder than the first. We have different responsibilities now than we did before, and we should make adjustments.”
8. And remember, you can do hard things!
Are you interested in going back to school? Further your education without sacrificing your next amazing travel nursing gig.
RNnetwork can help you find your next travel nursing job. Call us at 800.866.0407 or view today’s travel nurse job openings.
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