Being a travel nurse definitely requires a particular type of individual to succeed in the gypsy type of lifestyle. Not just anyone can do it! You have to be a flexible, laid back, social and motivated person. We often encounter stressful situations but it’s always worth it when we look back and think about all of the amazing adventures we have experienced. One of the most common questions I’m asked is “WHY”? Why are you a travel nurse? Why do you pack up your life every few months and start over in a completely new place? Why do you regularly say good-bye to your friends and family and distance yourself from them? Why do you constantly like being outside of your comfort zone? I feel like the answers to these questions encompass my entire being but it’s interesting to put it into words for others to understand. So tell me… why do travel nurses do what they do?
WE LOVE TO TRAVEL
I’d say the top reason is for sure that we love to travel. Traveling is literally experiencing a different place than where you come from and that is what we love to do. Why would you pass up a chance to get paid to see more of your beautiful country? Not only can we travel while on assignment but we can also travel in between contracts as well. We love going on international and domestic adventures while we are relaxing in between hospital hours. If you plan it right, you can basically go on free trips which is the definition of GOALS! The best part is we can make our own schedules and travel whenever we want to! The freedom is incredible.
WE LOVE PEOPLE
Even though we are away from our families and friends for most of the year, we are great at making new friends wherever we are. We are so used to being the new nurse and introducing ourselves to strangers. We get very good at making friends quickly and planning adventures on days off… be it with other travel nurses or staff nurses at the facility we are placed at. The best way to explore is with a local and that doesn’t seem to be a problem for us! Our communication and social skills are very powerful, and they only get better with each assignment.
WE LOVE TRYING NEW THINGS
As travel nurses, we get bored staying in one place. We love exploring new places and always experiencing different things. We see the value in getting outside of our comfort zone and escaping the bubble so many people place themselves in. Life is all about trying new things and we thrive on that. We leave the mediocre and mundane life behind us and crave adventure! A lot of travel nurses like to change up their work environment every once in a while, and what better way to do that than to choose WHERE and WHEN you want to work!
WE LIKE BEING ALONE
Even though we love being social and meeting new people, we also are comfortable with being by ourselves. Travel nurses are very self-sufficient people. We learn to be resilient and independent human beings. Some people struggle to be alone and depend on those around them to succeed but that is not the case with gypsy nurses! We are productive when we are by ourselves and are stronger because of it. Some nurses seek to escape the reality and responsibilities from home and long for this sense of freedom which is totally okay!
WE LIKE MAKING MONEY
It’s no secret that travel nurses make good money. How else are we supposed to pay for all of the trips we take!? It’s also a fantastic way to pay off debt and save up for the future. As a travel nurse, I make double the income than I did working full time back home and that is very difficult to go back to! How could anyone pass up on this life!?
