Essay Sample On Traveling Nurse in Canada

As reported by indeed.com, the average salary of a traveling nurse in Canada is $125,424 and rises to $147,807 per year in Toronto (2022). Travel nurses take contracts for temporary positions at facilities with staffing shortages. They perform all the duties of regular staff nurses and work in a variety of settings. While students may have aversions to being away from home, they should consider travel nursing because they get to explore the country, the job has excellent pay and benefits, and they expedite their personal and professional growth.

First, students should consider travel nursing because they get to explore the country. For example, nurses can swing between summers in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and winters on the sunny shoreline of Vancouver. Wherever they are looking to travel, they can find a contract for employment (TravelNurse, 2020). Nurses can work overseas or tackle medical missions in developing countries, helping to serve communities in need of basic health care (Impact Ministries Canada, 2022). They can find contracts in small towns or in bustling cities which can range from a few weeks to a few months (EveryNurse Staff, 2019). The constant change of scenery adds to the adventure and spontaneity and keeps the job from becoming boring and tedious. Granted, they can return home between contracts and there are also local travel nurse positions where many nurses work at different hospitals in the area but go home at night to their families (Katherine, 2021).   The quote, “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore” by Andre Gide, describes the process nurses go through when beginning their careers as traveling nurses. In short, although it’s difficult to leave the safety of solid ground. Students should know that if they have the courage to lose the sight of the shore, the oceans glisten with silver and gold.

Additionally, the job has excellent pay and benefits. Wages vary by location but traveling nurses can expect to earn anywhere between $40 and $90 per hour (TravelNurse, 2020). Katherine, a traveling nurse, divulged that she was making three and a half times as much as when she was working as a staff nurse (2021). On top of this, most contracts will cover accommodations and travel costs. However, agencies such as ‘Select Medical Connections’, ‘Solutions Staffing’, and ‘Travel Nurse’ provide additional benefits and many contracts and locations to choose from (Gorrel, 2020). Also, one of the greatest benefits of travel nursing is deciding where, when, and for how long they work (EveryNurse Staff, 2019). With the additional salary, many travel nurses work shorter periods of the year compared to staff nurses and can take months off at a time (Katherine, 2021). Conversely, local staff nurses may only receive a few weeks a year of vacation time. During the periods when travel nurses are working, not only are they making more money, but they are also experiencing rapid growth in other areas.

Finally, students should consider travel nursing because it expedites their personal and professional growth (Woods, 2005). Many nurses will choose hospitals and facilities that have the latest and newest technology or with colleagues that can help advance their careers (Woods, 2005). Equally important, working in many places makes for a long list of potential references and a more diverse resume for career advancement (Weddington, 2010). Travel nursing allows nurses to try out new settings to diversify their resumes. Nurses that have always worked in one setting may have some interest in trying out a fresh setting and travel nursing is contract based, with less of a commitment to stay in the position long term (Woods, 2005). For example, a nurse that has always worked in a hospital may wish to try out a long-term care setting. But for Rey Ann Mora, one of the greatest experiences of working as a traveling nurse was learning to be alone with herself (2021). Being alone is the biggest concern for potential traveling nurses, but they will grow the most in this area. They learn what interests them outside of work, whether that be touring new cities, joining local gyms, or meeting new people and they learn to be alone with themselves and enjoy their own company (Moya, 2021). With technology, it is easier than ever to stay in touch with friends and family from afar. On the whole, travel nurses grow in their careers much faster than staff nurses, acquire a diverse range of personal skills, and get a long list of references to help push their careers forward.

Thus, while some will be reluctant to leave the safety of their homes, students should consider travel nursing. Those dreaming of adventure and eager to travel will find that travel nursing is an excellent way to meet their needs for exploration while remaining financially secure. Albeit is there anything more appealing than adventuring through unknown places while earning a generous salary and sending postcards of mountain tops and beaches to friends and family from afar?