Myths & Facts About Travel Nursing

This seems to be one of the more prevalent travel nursing myths, and one that isn’t supported by fact. “The fact of the matter is that hospitals are having shortages,” says Lindsay Francis, a seasoned travel nurse recruiter. “The baby-boomers are getting older and at the end of the day, these hospitals have shortages and they can’t fill them all with perm staff.

Travel nursing recruiter Suzanne Johnson offers a great example of travel nursing career stability, telling the story of an RN who “found a great niche at a hospital in Oklahoma. Every couple months, he goes back and takes a three-month contract and they absolutely adore him. They welcome him back with open arms every single time. It now gives him the flexibility to go work in Oklahoma, make quite a bit of money, be away from his family for a little bit, and he takes summers off every single year to hang-out with his kids when they’re off from school.”

Though every employment situation is unique, AMN Healthcare experts jump at the chance to debunk the myth that travel nurses, in general, receive something less than the respect accorded to full-time RNs.

“It is true there are a lot of facilities that are very traveler-friendly,” says Lindsay. Also, travel nurses enable permanent staff members to have time off for the holidays and enjoy that time with their families — another reason for travelers to expect a warm welcome.

But, since every floor of every hospital is different, Lindsay advises asking the right questions during the phone interview process. “Find out a little bit more about the floor and exactly what it’s like,” she says. “But in most cases, I will say on an 80-20 scale — 80 being positive — most facilities are welcoming those travelers coming on assignment.”