2013 Resolution: Become a Travel Nurse

It’s the last day of 2012. Like many nurses, you might have spent all of 2012 deciding if you should leave your perm job to become an adventurous travel RN. Does it pay enough? Will I have job security? Are there enough assignments to go round? While these are all common questions, I can assure you there is no better time to start traveling than now. Here are the facts:

•  According to the US Bureau of Labor statistics, it was reported that job growth in the healthcare sector was outpacing growth from 2011, accounting for 1 out of every 5 new jobs created this year.  About 75% of those healthcare jobs are and will be in nursing.
• By 2015, the US department of health projects that 400,000 new nurses will be needed to fill vacancies left by retirees.
• By 2020, the US government predicts that it will be short 800,000 and one million new and replacement nurses.

So where are travel nurses needed? Your hometown might not have an immediate need for nurses, but there are plenty of locations that are in desperate need of help. The top 10 states with the most nursing jobs openings are currently California, Florida, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, New Jersey, Michigan, Georgia and Massachusetts.

As the nursing demand continues to rise, so will the number of available travel assignments. It’s almost a new year, what are you waiting for?