You became a professional healthcare worker for a reason, right? You probably have an intense passion for the well-being of others, the motivation to solve complex problems, and/or the ability to communicate and work with people from diverse backgrounds. But have you ever considered what it takes to be a healthcare traveler?
The process to uproot your usual routine for a travel lifestyle is a leap, but a chance worth taking. If you have these seven things, perhaps it’s time to consider a change.
No. 1: You have an inquiring mind that wants to know
To be a successful and impactful healthcare traveler, you must complete specific education and training requirements. Despite what you might think, the learning doesn’t stop after you graduate from school.
One of the main qualities of healthcare travelers is the desire to continuously acquire and collect new information. Not only do travel healthcare workers research and learn about individual patient cases, ailments, and diseases, but they’re also required to maintain updated continuing education units (CEUs) in order to keep their travel licenses valid.
Healthcare travelers also learn from their mistakes and previous experiences to grow as professionals and as individuals. When health workers own their mistakes and make a conscious effort to learn from them, it inspires critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can help make important life or death decisions in the future.
No. 2: You’re a dedicated patient advocate
Being a healthcare traveler means you’ll treat people from all different types of backgrounds—and a good health professional advocates for every patient. What does it mean to be a superior patient advocate?
Healthcare advocates provide patients and their families with direct, customized assistance throughout the patient’s healthcare journey. Patient advocates have a healthy balance of empathy—including understanding, sympathy, and feeling close to the patient—and protection, meaning travelers prioritize patient health, are committed to their care process, and protect the rights of patients.
Patients rely on healthcare professionals not only for effective care, but for advice and education on their healthcare choices and overall lifestyle, as well. Traveling healthcare workers have a unique talent to offer consistent support and encouragement to each patient treated.
No. 3: You’re comfy with constant change
Obviously, a career in travel healthcare involves a lot of movement, and in turn, change. Hitting the road approximately every 13 weeks comes means a new job, a new healthcare setting, a new location, new coworkers, new patients, a new living situation, and then some.
To thrive in the fickle lifestyle of a healthcare traveler, you have to be comfy with constant change, and time flies when you’re on a travel assignment. With the ability to go with the flow and adapt quickly, travelers easily adjust to their ever-changing environments.
No. 4: You value a work-life balance
A career in healthcare rarely comes with stellar work-life balance unless you’re a professional traveler. While perm staff are bound to their healthcare facilities and work schedules, travelers are free from those restrictions.
In fact, most healthcare travel workers decide when, where, and how they want to work so you can take more time off in-between assignments, choose to work long shifts 3 days a week, or only work when the sun is up. The choice is yours as a professional healthcare traveler.
No. 5: You’re into making money
The rumors are true—a career in healthcare travel comes with a highly desired salary. Because travel healthcare workers are entitled to non-taxable stipends and reimbursements that permanent staff members aren’t eligible for, travelers tend to pocket more money. Plus, there are other tax deductions travelers may qualify for, such as transportation expenses and hotel stays along the way.
If you’re into making money, then you won’t want to miss out on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn six figures, while doing what you love most.
No. 6: You crave exposure to different healthcare settings
Where’s the fun in sitting still? One of the best advantages of life as a healthcare traveler is the exposure to a myriad of different healthcare environments and facilities.
Depending on your field and specialty, you could have the option to work in multiple settings, such as a large city hospital, small rural health clinic, outpatient center, nursing home, or other health institutes. From each facility comes enhanced healthcare knowledge, experience, and practices that help propel you and your healthcare career forward.
In addition to gaining more experience, healthcare travelers establish new connections with colleagues in each different job location. This offers travelers an exclusive opportunity to learn from top talent from across the country and pick up skills that you may not have otherwise discovered.
No. 7: You have a deep love for travel and excitement
Last, but certainly not least, you have an affinity for fun, excitement, and adventure. If there’s one thing that healthcare travelers have in common, it’s a love for travel.
A healthcare traveler’s lifestyle is very fluid and that’s one of the best parts—you may spend your first 13 weeks in the hottest part of the Nevada desert and the next few months may be in the city that never sleeps. No matter where you go, you’re always guaranteed to have an experience of a lifetime because, let’s face it, being a healthcare traveler is an adventure in and of itself.
These are just seven of many healthcare traveler qualities, but if you nodded your head at any of these, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate where you are in your career and try travel healthcare. Fusion Marketplace provides access to tens of thousands of high-quality healthcare positions amongst the U.S. and offers the transparency and autonomy you need to make valuable career decisions in an effort to make your transition from perm staff to healthcare traveler a little easier on you. Join a like-minded community of professional healthcare workers and benefit from a traveler-driven one-stop shop.
