Travel nursing is a subset of supplemental or temporary nursing. Approximately, supplemental nurses constitute 30% of the nursing workforce in the United States, and within that percentage, travel nurses account for 1.5% to 2% (Faller, Dent, & Gogek, 2017). Assignment contracts for a travel nurse vary between four, six, eight, 13, and 26-week blocks (Faller, Gates, Georges, & Connelly, 2012; Tuttas, 2013). A travel nurse can choose to remain within a certain region, travel nationwide, or internationally. The ability to work in a role that allows the opportunity to consistently relocate and enhance job skills has always been enticing.
Monotonous routines have always been a personal avoidance. Fortunately, the early years of my naval career were spent in Naval Hospital, Guam. Living distantly from familiarity provided the chance to self-reflect and explore a new environment. Guam’s geographical location allowed for a diverse patient population, providing many scenarios for learning. Although my assignment was to an outpatient clinic, it was common to integrate within different units, including the emergency department and inpatient wards, to gain different skills. Learning new skills cultivated a sense of gratification and it became
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The nurse is able to focus primarily on patient care as opposed to disagreements with staff and/or policies. Serving at a location with both military and permanent civilian employees, it was evident that some civilian staff were unhappy with their work and felt stagnant. Morale and workplace politics are a hindrance in work production. A travel nurse understands that obligation time frames are minimal allowing easier maintenance of a positive personal attitude and overall job satisfaction (Faller et al., 2012). Travel nurses, like military members, are well-versed in situational adaptation and learning within various environments in short