What's the role of a travel nurse?

I'm considering nursing as a future career and came across the term 'travel nurse'. Can someone explain what exactly a travel nurse does and how it might differ from other nursing jobs?

A travel nurse is a registered nurse who is hired to work in a specific location for a limited amount of time -- typically 13 to 26 weeks. They fill gaps in areas where there are short-term personnel shortages, often due to increased patient loads or leaves of absence among the permanent staff. Travel nurses can work in a variety of specialties, including but not limited to critical care, pediatrics, surgical, and emergency room nursing.

There are several unique aspects of being a travel nurse. First, they get to experience living in different parts of the country, or even abroad, for short periods of time. Additionally, travel nurses can gain a diverse set of experiences and skills by working in various healthcare settings and learning how different systems and practices work.

However, travel nursing also has its challenges. Moving frequently can be stressful, and it can be tough to constantly adjust to new teams and learning the ins and outs of a different hospital or clinic every few months. Furthermore, travel nurses often have to hit the ground running, as they typically do not receive the same kind of onboarding that permanent staff members receive.

Finally, being a travel nurse requires certain qualifications, which generally include at least one to two years’ experience in the nursing specialty of their choice. This experience requirement is in addition to the initial education and licensure requirements for becoming a registered nurse. So, a travel nursing career would follow a few years of experience in a traditional nursing role.

Regarding job stability, another key difference between a travel nurse and a regular nurse is that travel nurses are hired on a contract basis, rather than as permanent employees. However, due to the high demand for nurses across the country, many travel nurses have the opportunity to renew their contract or easily find another location once their contract is up, which provides a degree of job security.