As a healthcare provider, you’ve certainly heard of travel nursing, but did you know that as a nurse practitioner, you can also become a travel NP? These temporary jobs — also known as locum tenens — can be a wonderful adventure that blends professional development and personal fulfillment. Plus, they’re packed with opportunities for growth, additional income, and new experiences.
Here are five reasons you may want to check out travel assignments for NPs, with additional insights from nurse practitioners who share their tips on hitting the road as a nurse practitioner.
1. Own your work schedule
NPs working travel assignments are in charge of their own schedules, selecting only assignments that suit their lifestyle.
“That’s what’s so good about traveling. You can make it fit what your lifestyle is or what is good for you at the time. You can do as much or as little as you want. You can go far away or close by. It’s very versatile in that way,” says Desiree Cihelka Metzger, a nurse practitioner who typically takes travel assignments from her home base in North Carolina.
David Trinidad, an NP who has worked travel jobs in several states, says, “I could choose whether to pick up shifts or not, versus the typical schedule of seven on, seven off — the schedule you will find for the rest of your life if you’re employed somewhere.”
Echoing that sentiment, NP Katherine Allen says, “I have never worked a weekend or on call while working a travel assignment.”
2. Discover new places
Exploring new locations is an appealing part of the job for Allen, who recently took an assignment in San Diego. “I am a total beach bum. I could just lay on the beach all day, every day,” she says. She also enjoys hiking and visiting museums and historical sites wherever she’s working as well.
For Cihelka Metzger, learning about different cultures in various areas has turned traveling into a learning experience. “The West Coast is very different from the East Coast,” she says. “For example, people in Oregon seemed much more open to palliative care conversations than, let’s say, those in the Deep South.”
“That’s part of the adventure,” she says of traveling as an NP. “It’s kind of feeling out and understanding what each community is about, and that allows me to never stop learning and not to get stagnant in my practice. I’m able to experience other communities, other cultures, and different environments, and I learn from that tremendously.”
A career for travel enthusiasts: Why one NP works locum tenens
3. Reduce administrative work
NP Sasha Dunbar has worked several travel assignments. “What I like the most about locums is not having my work consume my life. With locums, I’m able to go in and do my job, give my patients what they need, and then have time after that. I don’t have commitments with committees, projects, and things of that nature which, on paper — look good — but take a lot away from your time.”
NPs on travel assignments typically spend less time doing administrative work, which gives them even more opportunity to explore their new locale.
4. Learn new skills
By working in different clinical settings in various regions, NPs see a variety of patients and learn new ways of treating them. They may also see illnesses or conditions they weren’t previously familiar with.
“You learn something new about medicine at each place,” says Allen. “I have learned and grown so much as a clinician by being around so many different providers and so many different practice styles.”
“I did an assignment in Martha’s Vineyard, and the area struggles with Lyme disease,” she continues. “I learned about it a lot more than I ever would have or could have living in Louisiana because you never see it there.”
Dunbar also feels that traveling has helped her become a more skilled clinician. “The more exposure you have to different clinics and health systems, it helps you to better understand how healthcare works in the United States,” she says. “You can learn tricks from other colleagues that you work with by seeing how they do things, how they manage their schedules, and how they manage their charting issues.”
5. Increase your pay
The higher pay makes pursuing travel assignments significantly more attractive for many NPs. Those working travel assignments typically earn competitive hourly rates, especially for in-demand specialties.
NP Renee Watson says, “My pay is nothing that I’m complaining about. It is much higher than what I was making as a permanent staff person. The high pay, in addition to the benefits that are afforded to me, makes locums a very attractive option.”
In addition to higher pay, most NPs also receive benefits when working travel assignments. They can vary by agency, so it's important to shop around for staffing agencies that offer benefits.
Hear it from a travel NP: How I choose which locum tenens agencies to work with
Watson selected her staffing agency because they pay her as a W-2 employee. “I also get healthcare and a 401(k). They also take the taxes out without me having to stress about, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to owe the government money,’” Watson continues.
Dunbar has found the high pay to be a big win. “Because the pay is good, you don’t have to make too many sacrifices. You can afford to take two months off if you want to, and it probably won’t be detrimental to your financial situation. The freedom of flexibility is priceless.”
Whether you're seeking new experiences, career advancement, or simply a change of pace, travel assignments can provide a fulfilling and enriching opportunity — not to mention more control over your career as an NP.