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Travel, Permanent, or Per Diem
Today's nurses are in huge demand, and the career options are more exciting than ever before. You may choose to work at a single hospital, fill in at various hospitals within a geographical area, or travel the U.S. or the world on short-term assignment. Your primary responsibilities are the same in each case, so which career choice is right for you?
Permanent
Choosing a stationary position in a single medical facility is the traditional, stable choice. The benefits are that you stay in your own home, among family and friends, and you know what to expect. You get to know your surroundings and your coworkers, and as a result develop the confidence and stability of someone who is comfortable in their role. Promotion opportunities will be more readily available, and long-term relationships can be nurtured. A permanent position gives you roots to your job and your community and is usually the best choice for a nurse with a family to consider.
Cons
Cons are that you are paid less, and traveling nurses often receive preferential treatment for hours and time consideration. It's not personal. Most hospitals use traveling nurses when they desperately need help, and they must do everything they can to attract and retain them. Competition is often fierce.
Per Diem
Per diem nursing is similar to substitute teaching, in that you work on a temporary basis for area hospitals. Pros are a flexible schedule – you can choose when you want to work and turn down assignments that are unappealing or inconvenient. Pay is generally higher than permanent positions, and you don't have to get caught up in hospital politics. Scheduling flexibility makes per diem nursing a great choice for a mom with school-age kids or a nurse who is working towards a post-graduate degree.
Cons
While you can expect the work to be plentiful, you may find yourself in a different working environment every day, which means you must adapt quickly and be very low-maintenance in terms of training. You may or may not receive benefits while working per diem.
Travel
Being a travel nurse is very enticing, especially if you're single and have no kids. Hospitals know that competition is stiff and often put a lot on the table to entice you. You get higher pay, paid lodging, preferred scheduling, and often performance-based bonuses. From a strictly financial angle, travel nursing wins hands down. Your assignments are typically 13-15 weeks, long enough to get out and enjoy your new city and maybe even make a few friends. It's a rare chance to spread your wings and see the country – or the world.
Cons
Being rootless is not for everyone. It takes a person who is highly adaptable to be away from friends and family for so long at a stretch, and most people need to work most of the year, which means little chance to build lasting relationships and long distance contact with those you already have. You may even run into some resentment from permanent nurses who know you're making more than they are for a job they can probably do better (even if only because they know where everything is). It's probably not a good choice for mothers of school-age children, but it's great for nurses who have not started a family or for singles with grown children, and for nurses who just need a break from routine.
Nursing is a challenging, dynamic career that is always in demand and can't be outsourced to a foreign country. Just pick the type of nursing that best fits your lifestyle and personality. You can't really go wrong.
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