Uniti Med provided this article.
One of the main reasons healthcare professionals decide to start a travel career is just that – to travel. A travel career gives you the opportunity to work anywhere, including some of those bucket-list locations you’ve always wanted to visit. For 13 weeks, you can immerse yourself in the culture of any area of the country and make more money while doing it! But what about in-between those assignments? What are some things you can do while you wait to start your next contract?
Maybe you’ve worked 10 assignments in a row and want to take some time off. One of the incredible aspects of travel healthcare is that once your contract ends, you’re free to take off as much time as you’d like. With the extra compensation that comes with these positions, there’s so much you can do with your extra time (and money!). Here are a few suggestions:
1. Travel Abroad
You’ve already got the travel bug, and everyone has an international destination they’ve always wanted to go to. Take some time off in-between assignments to go there! Do you have a dream of backpacking through Europe? Take a month or so off before your next job starts, and check that off your list. For Uniti Med travel nurse, Avi went to not just one but several countries in her month-long hiatus. She flew to Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, and India before taking a new travel contract back in the states. Whether you want to take a few weeks or a few months off in-between assignments, you can use that time to get out of the country and experience new cultures and customs to make yourself even more well-traveled and well-rounded.
2. Visit Family and Friends
If you want to stay within the country, you might take some time off to go back home and spend time with friends and family. As a healthcare traveler, many of your assignments are likely not close to home. This is your chance to go back and spend some quality time with your loved ones. Skip those midwestern winter visits and schedule some time off during the warmer months. Plan extra time off for a family wedding, or give that new mom in your life a visit. Some travelers work locally and can visit their loved ones as much as they’d like, but for those who are on the opposite side of the country and haven’t been able to make the time to go back home, this is the perfect opportunity to do it.
3. Stay and plan for your next adventure
While with this option, you’re not exactly taking time “off” from work, you are taking some time to relax and regroup before jumping into a new assignment.
There are plenty of reasons to stay at your current assignment for a little longer. Let’s say you’ve just finished an assignment and fell in love with it. You love your job, the place you’re staying, the people you’ve met, and all the unique spots in the town you’ve been staying in. You’re not ready to leave yet. You can always extend at your current facility until you figure out what you want to do next. 13 weeks can pass faster than you think, and there’s a chance you haven’t gotten to do or see everything you wanted. Maybe there’s a day trip you’ve been wanting to make or a brewery you’ve always wanted to try. Extending gives you time to do those things before you pack up and head on to the next place.
Extending can also give you the time to get the licenses needed for that dream location you’ve been working towards. Maybe you’re planning an assignment with your travel bestie. Extending can buy you time while you wait until you’re both ready to take the plunge.
No matter the reason you’re extending, it can give you a little “break” from the hustle of travel healthcare.
A travel career offers many benefits, but one of the best is flexibility. A staff job only gives you so many vacation days; a travel career can give you as much time off as you want to do whatever you please. When your next assignment ends, consider treating yourself to some personal time before you make your next move. And when you do, make sure to document the whole thing so you can look back on your adventures.
The Gypsy Nurse 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.
