Travel Nursing vs. Staff Nursing - Major Differences

All nurses work to ensure that patients get the best care that contributes to their healing and better management of their conditions. Nonetheless all nurses do not serve in the same capacity and in extremely different areas. An example is travel and staff nurses who work in very different environments.

Staff nurses manage the care and recovery of the patients with injuries or illness. These are often the first nurses that patients and visitors encounter reaching hospitals and other medical facilities. They receive patients, check their vital signs, assess medical conditions and report their findings to doctors. It is a challenging career that requires physical, emotional and mental strength.

A travel nurse is someone who healthcare provider usually through an agency hires to work at a specific location for a certain amount of time. Travel nurses usually work for periods of 13 weeks in an area and move around different countries around the country depending on the demand for their services. Since the demand for nurses is ever high, shortages are common in particular areas. Travelling nurses go to such areas to offer particular nursing service for a short period.

Other Differences between Travel and Staff Nursing

Travel nurses

Travel nursing assignments involve working at different specialties and places for 13 to 26 weeks. They can work up to six months in one place but most of the time; they work at one location for a few days or weeks and move to another. They have the freedom to take time off between assignments like staff nurses who must request for official vacation of off work days because their contract is long term. Their work contract is, and they do not receive PTO (paid time off) that full-time staff nurse receives when going on vacation. Travel nurses have the liberty to take vacations without approval from their bosses or take even a month off between assignments. They rarely receive PTO from their agency.

Staff nursing

The primary job for staff nurses is to handle patient management and recovery. They work to assist people to recover from illness and injuries. Their reports guide doctors about the condition of a new arrival to a hospital because staff nursing involves receiving patients. It is at this time that these nurses assess the status of a patient, takes vitals and reports it to doctors for a thorough assessment.

Working a hospital reception or emergency room is hectic, and staff nurses are an area for those who are ready to work for long hours. Many health care facilities cannot function without their contribution, and it is the reason why they receive decent salaries.

Staff nursing entails working under orders of a doctor and act as advocates for the patients when they are undergoing important procedures like surgery. Staff nurses also help doctors to perform diagnostic testing. They can also administer medication and injections or other processes that help to reduce the suffering of the patients much as possible. Although most staff nurses work in hospitals or other medical facilities, their responsibilities might involve travelling to community sites or homes of patients.

Travel nursing vs. Staff Nursing –Pay Difference

Employers hire staff nurses on a long-term contract that includes a salary and benefits that they will receive every month during the deal. The pay usually depends on the level and experience of a nurse with incremental raises. Travel nurses get an opportunity to negotiate their pay for every new contract. Those who possess negotiating skills can gain higher pay packages than most of the staff nurses including those with many years of experience. Travel nurses can earn pay that ranges between $1300 and $2300 a week. With such earnings, the travel nurses can make more than $100,000 per an amount that staff nurses are unlikely to get.

Travel nursing suits individuals who want to choose where they will work and period they will serve. It is an excellent benefit for nurses who do not want to work at the same place for a long time and cherish opportunities to take frequent tome offs.

Staff nursing is an area for nurses who prefer longevity, gaining experience in particular aspects of a job, developing a lasting relationship and raising a family.