Nursing is a popular role within the healthcare sector and one that has many features that attract people to it. Besides having the opportunity to help people and make a real difference in society, working as a nurse also gives you the chance to travel the world, which is another appealing part of the job for many.
Travel can begin before you start work!
While nursing can let you travel internationally, it is also great for seeing more of the world on a local level. Working as a nurse can be a fabulous way to see more of the US if nothing else!
This can actually begin while you are training to become a nurse and picking up the qualifications required. For example, you may decide to attend school in another state to pursue your nursing degree, which naturally allows you to see more of what life is like in other parts of the country.
It is also worth pointing out that online programs also give you the chance to travel locally – albeit in a virtual sense. The best remote learning courses may be studied over the internet but can still give you a chance to experience life in another state, see what it has to offer and engage with people from other places. For example, Texas Woman’s University offers highly rated online nursing programs in Texas that can help give you an insight into this state as you study.
Moving to take up job opportunities
Healthcare is a key sector in most countries, and this means there are a diverse range of opportunities all over the world – from LA to Curacao to Rome. As a result, moving for job opportunities can be one way to travel as a working nurse.
Just be sure that the qualifications you have are accepted in the country you plan to work in and that you are legally allowed to work there using them. By the same token, people traveling to different states in the US for work should also check they have the right credentials to practice as a nurse in their new state.
Focusing on specific roles can help
For qualified nurses who want to see as much of the world as they can and do not like being in one place too long, it pays to focus on the right sort of jobs.
One of the best options is locum work. These are short-term appointments (usually to cover sickness or leave) in healthcare settings worldwide. Their very nature means you are not in any one locum role for too long and can therefore see a lot of the world as you travel for various jobs.
Another role that is great for traveling while you work is an international travel nurse. As you would expect, this position sees you providing patient care for people who need it as they travel.
Working for charities or helping out at major disasters
Another way to see more of the world as a nurse is through charity work or by providing help at major disaster zones, whether globally or nationally. Although this is naturally not a holiday, it does mean you will be traveling to new places as you work and experience new cultures.
You can spend time working for charities such as Doctors Without Borders. By the same token, you can also make the effort to travel to and provide trained assistance at major disasters (such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami) and work in places you have never been to before.
Make the most of gaps between jobs
This is another great way nursing can help you travel the world as you work. If you finish one job but don’t start another for a week or two, you could actually use this downtime to travel more. For example, you could jet off to another part of the planet altogether or explore more of the region you were based in during your last job.
Nursing can provide travel, work and job satisfaction
There are many reasons people choose to enter the nursing field, but the chance to travel the world can be a big draw for many. While this can be on a national or international scale, nursing does give the unique ability to not only work in a role that brings superb job satisfaction but one that also makes traveling a real possibility.
