Top 10 Cities Hiring Travel Nurses
Guest Post via Katy Katz
One of the best parts of being a travel nurse is the opportunity to help people from a wide variety of cultures and different parts of the country to which you may not otherwise have been exposed.
Jet-setting from place to place is an exciting part of working in a job that sends you directly where you are needed most but doesn’t be fooled. Travel nursing is not without its challenges. Sometimes it helps to do some simple research into the location you’ll be sent to find the best restaurants, activities, and diversions.
We analyzed more than 30,000 job postings* for travel nurses over the last 12 months to figure out the top 10 cities with the most vacancies. We also stumbled upon a bevy of fun facts about these locations.
1. Los Angeles, CA (5,037 postings)
Los Angeles isn’t just home to celebrities and Hollywood studios, it is a bustling metropolis with art, culture and entertainment. Its thriving Latin American community adds layers of intrigue to the cultural and culinary scenes. The California weather also lends itself to a host of ocean activities in the sun (if you ever make it out of the hospital).
2. San Francisco, CA (1,971 postings)
Although it shares a home state with LA, San Francisco is worlds away from the “City of Angels” when it comes to atmosphere. The people of San Fran are often found taking to the streets for the city’s numerous fairs and festivals. Its proximity to the tech hub of Silicon Valley also makes the city an exciting place for medical innovations.
3. New York, N.Y. (1,734 postings)
It’s hard to say this city’s name without hearing Frank Sinatra’s iconic ballad ringing in your ears. Theater and entertainment is absolutely the name of the game in New York. There is so much to do in this city sometimes it can be hard to know where to start, especially if you are a busy travel nurse. To help, Time Magazine broke out the 10 must-sees if you’re on a time budget.
4. Dallas, TX (1,689 postings)
Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hospitals. Baylor University’s Medical Center in Dallas is one of the top-ranked hospitals in the nation and its emergency room had over 100,000 visits in 2013. If you make it to this city you will have to check out the shopping scene. Shopping in Dallas is a “sport and a pastime,” according to Frommers, and there are more opportunities per capita than any other city in the U.S.
5. Seattle, WA (1,411 postings)
Take a stroll through Pike’s Peak and you might see a fish whizzing past your face. Seattle has so much fresh seafood it’s jumping out of the containers. Seattle is also world renowned for its coffee, which is akin to lifeblood for many nurses to help them survive that overtime 12-hour shift. If you’re looking for something a little more unique to do other than visiting the Space Needle, however, check out this list of weird ideas including the world’s strangest park.
6. Boston, MA (1,300 postings)
This historical city has countless opportunities to take a step back into our country’s origins. There is such a great tradition of healthcare in the city that Massachusetts General Hospital opened a museum dedicated to the more than 200 years of medical history. And if you have time maybe try and grab a hot dog near baseball’s legendary Green Monster.
7. Atlanta, GA (886 postings)
It gets hot in ”Hot-lanta” so pack your sunscreen. One of the best ways to cool off is to grab a chilled beverage on one of the roof-top bars downtown. Georgians take the heat seriously and their department of public health has even put out an app to help people keep cool.
8. Phoenix, AZ (753 postings)
Phoenix is not all golf courses, spas and cacti. It has grown into a thriving city with a lot to do from Segwey tours to romantic castles. The city has a reputation for the climbing age of its population so be prepared for more senior visits. But if you’re looking for a night out on the town, head over to neighboring Scottsdale for the liveliest restaurants, bars and clubs.
9. San Diego, CA (678 postings)
Sunny San Diego is the third Cali city to make this list. If your travels lead you to this city, be sure to visit the ocean at least once and try a fish taco before you leave. Your sound machine can’t compete with the sound of real ocean waves for getting over the stress of a hectic hospital shift. If you’re feeling really adventurous, stroll across the border to the adjacent city of Tijuana for about as authentic a taco as you can get.
10. Denver, CO (575 postings)
Last, but not lowest, the “mile-high” city. While you probably won’t have much luck anymore mining for gold, the streets nearly sparkle they are so clean. Denver has done a lot of work on its Lower Downtown (LoDo). Check it out for everything from swanky art galleries to a mayor’s microbrewery. Oh and don’t forget to look up from time to time at the beautiful mountain view – you might need the memory of it when you’re caring for a careless mountain climber.
*Burning Glass analysis of Travel Nurse job postings 03/01/2013 – 02/28/2014.
About the Author:
Katy Katz an MBA that has been working in higher education for four years. As a blog writer for Rasmussen College, she stays current on medical trends to research and write career-focused articles in the areas of nursing and health sciences. Katy comes from a long line of educators, nurses and healthcare providers so you could say the inclination explore the medical field is in her blood.
