Pros and Cons of Travel Healthcare
No matter which career path you choose, each one has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Travel healthcare presents numerous opportunities, including the chance to explore new cities, a flexible work schedule, and the ability to gain new experiences. However, it’s important to consider the drawbacks before diving into a travel healthcare career. To assist you in making a decision with confidence, we have a compiled a list of the top five pros and cons of travel healthcare.
PROS:
1 – Travel for a Living
One of the top advantages of travel healthcare is the freedom to choose where you want to work. If you have a bucket list of destinations you’ve been wanting to visit, a travel career allows you to do just that while also helping people. You can also choose to work closer to home if you prefer. Keep in mind that some local facilities may require you to live outside a certain radius.
Additionally, while you may have specific cities or states in mind, jobs may not always be available. It’s important to keep an open mind and be flexible in your choices. Lastly, if you plan on working in multiple states, consider obtaining a Compact Nursing License, which allows you to work in over 30 states without needing a license for each individual state. For more information on, check out our Compact Nursing License 101 blog here!
2 – Earn More Money
Travel healthcare professionals usually earn more than permanent workers, although this may not always be the case. For instance, if you currently work in a state with lower healthcare worker salaries than the national average, you might have a better chance of earning more by traveling. On the other hand, compared to California, you might earn less while traveling due to the higher cost of living and California’s comprehensive approach to wage determination. Check out our list for top paying states here.
3 – Gain Valuable Work Experience
Throughout your travel healthcare career, you will learn that each hospital operates differently, from its systems to procedures and protocols. You will also acquire new skills and techniques as you work with facilities of varying sizes, and you will gain insight into different approaches to patient care. These experiences will not only enhance your employability, but also enable you to make a more significant contribution to future employers.
4 – Enjoy Work-Life Balance
One of the major advantages of traveling is the flexibility to work at your own convenience. Typically, travel contracts span 13 weeks, and you may be asked by the facility to extend. Once your contract ends, you can choose to start a new assignment in a different location or take a break to spend quality time with family and friends, or go on vacation. Check out our blog here on what to do between travel assignments!
5 – Build Meaningful Connections
Our last main benefit of traveling is the opportunity to make connections along the way. This could involve meeting new friends, fellow travelers, or connecting with facility leaders. Throughout your journey, you will have the chance to form relationships with numerous individuals. Another advantage of traveling is the ability to test out different facilities. For example, if you are considering settling down to focus on your family, having work at a facility that you really liked could give you an advantage in obtaining a permanent position there, as they would already be familiar with you and your work ethic.
CONS:
1 – Loneliness and Homesickness
One of the biggest challenges of a travel career is dealing with loneliness and homesickness. Like mentioned earlier, most contracts are 13-weeks, which is approximately 3 months. You may not be as affected by loneliness if taking on assignments throughout your state, but traveling to a new state could be another story. For instance, you’ll more than likely be by yourself, and learning your whereabouts of a new city could be daunting. However, once you get the hang of things, you’ll be a pro at your next city in no time. If you happen to have any feelings of loneliness or homesickness during your contract, check our blog here on ways to combat those feelings.
2 – Contract Cancellations
It’s important to keep in mind that contract cancellations are more common than you might think, but don’t let it deter you from traveling! Some travel healthcare professionals go their entire career without a cancellation. Cancellations can happen for various reasons, including:
- Staffing or Management Changes: Changes in the hospital staff or management can lead to the facility no longer needing additional help.
- Budget Cuts: Facilities may decide that they are unable to afford a traveler at a certain time, leading to the cancellation of the contract.
- Performance or Compliance Issues: If a traveler doesn’t meet the facility’s standards – whether due to performance issues, medication errors, or poor attendance – the contract may be cancelled.
- Cultural or Skillset Mismatch: A facility might end your contract if they feel you’re not a good fit, either because of differences in work culture or if your skillset doesn’t match their needs.
- Agency Compliance: If your staffing agency fails to meet the facility’s requirements or doesn’t provide the necessary documentation within a specified timeframe, this could result in a contract cancellation.
It’s also worth noting that you have the ability to terminate your own contract for personal reasons, issues with staff, etc. Lastly, it’s crucial to have savings before starting a travel career. Unexpected circumstances, like contract cancellations, can happen at any time, so having extra funds saved for emergencies is important.
3 – Constant Job Searching
As mentioned earlier, contracts typically last for 3 months, but some facilities may extend your contract if there’s a need. Your recruiter should reach out to you during your contract to discuss your next steps and when you’d like to start applying to new jobs. They will help you find a job that fits your desired start date, salary, and criteria. Searching and applying for jobs while on assignment can be challenging, especially with it comes to negotiating pay, contract terms, and interviewing. However, it’s a good idea to start looking for your next assignment while on your current one. Unsure where to go for jobs? Check out our blog here for top methods on finding assignments.
4 – Filing Taxes
Let’s face it, no one enjoys filing taxes, and it becomes even more complicated for travel healthcare professionals who work in multiple states throughout the year. This means having to file taxes separately for each state. Additionally, you may be eligible to claim deductions for expenses such as airfare, gas, vehicle rentals, hotels, Airbnb stays, meals, continuing education, medical supplies, and short-term rentals. We recommend reaching out to Travel Tax to help file your taxes as they really are experts when it comes to travel healthcare taxes!
5 – Potential Tension with Permanent Staffing
A potential downside of pursuing a travel healthcare career is the possibility of encountering issues with permanent staffing. Although this is not very likely to happen, it is still a possibility. As a traveler, you will generally earn more money than your colleagues. Some permanent staff members may feel that travelers are taking away their hours, leading to potential tension. As long as you fulfill your responsibilities and work the required hours, you should not encounter any problems. Nevertheless, it’s important to be aware that some permanent staff members may hold negative opinions about travelers.
In conclusion, travel healthcare offers a range of opportunities, but it’s important to recognize the potential challenges. By weighing the pros and cons, you can determine if the flexibility and adventure of a travel healthcare career align with your personal and professional goals.