Whether you have thought about becoming a travel nurse or are one of our veterans exploring their options you might be thinking, “Can I be a travel nurse in my own state?”.
You may be surprised but the answer is….YES!!
Being a local travel nurse is possible, but we would like to share some important things that you’ll need to know first.
Can I be a travel nurse in my own state?
Like we said before, being a travel nurse in your home state is completely possible! Many people that consider travel nursing or even have been in the profession for a while are unaware of this possibility. Becoming a travel nurse doesn’t mean that you have to travel across the country and leave your home, family, or friends behind.
This is the beautiful thing about being a travel nurse, you can work 10 miles or 1,000 miles away from your front door – it just comes with certain stipulations from the IRS (which we will talk more about soon).
Can I be a travel nurse where I live?
If there is a facility or hospital in your hometown looking for travel nurses, guess what…you can apply for those positions!
The myth that travel nurses can’t work in their home state or town may have come from facilities trying to prevent their full-time staff from picking up contracted positions – but we’ll never truly know where it came from.
So now is the question you’ve been asking, how can I be a travel nurse where I live?
All you have to do is contact one of our amazing healthcare recruiters. From there, they will work with you to find positions and facilities in the area you want, whether that be in your hometown, state, or across the country!
Once you’ve been offered a position there are a few things that you should know based on the distance from your home on record. Let’s look at those now!
Travel Nursing Stipend
You might have spoken to other travel healthcare professionals and heard about their housing or food stipends. These stipends are in place for our travelers that have duplicate expenses due to traveling to their new facility. For example, if you live in New York and own a house but want to travel to Florida for a travel assignment and have to find a place there, you would receive a housing stipend to help with this duplicate expense. When you are staying local and don’t have to rent out housing for your duration of your assignment you will not receive the housing stipend that other travelers do. If you have any specific questions about this please reach out to our recruiters for more information!
What are the benefits to local travel nursing?
Although it doesn’t seem like it there are many benefits of local travel nursing, some financial and other personal.
Staying with family:
If you are someone that really enjoys the field but doesn’t want to leave their family behind, then don’t! Local travel nursing is a perfect option for you! Whether you are looking to start travel nursing in your hometown or just far enough to be able to commute for weekends and holidays, being close to family is one of the biggest reasons why many nurses choose to stay local.
No need for additional licenses:
Another great benefit of local travel nursing is you don’t have to worry about applying for any additional nursing licenses for other states! Now each facility and position require different licenses and certifications but you don’t have to worry about applying for any additional ones that may be state-specific. Obtaining additional state licenses can be a hassle, especially on a time crunch. Local travel nursing can make it easier to maintain one state license while still enjoying contacts throughout your city or state.
Receive higher pay than staff nurses:
I’m sure you already know but as a travel nurse, even in your hometown or state, you’ll likely receive higher pay than the average staff nurse, even without the housing and meal stipends! But even as a local travel nurse, you will still be required to take on a nursing role quickly, due to the demand in certain areas, or during times of need. This is just one of the many reasons why our travelers receive some of the highest pay in the industry.
At Alegiant healthcare we believe in offering our travelers the best because you provide the best for your communities and your patients, which is why you’ll also receive:
- Part-time and full-time positions
- Referral bonuses
- Flexible contracts from 8 weeks to as long as 52 weeks
- Insurance plans
- And much more!
Conclusion
Whether you are considering a career in travel healthcare but don’t want to work far from home or looking to travel the country travel nursing is a great career for you! You can use our jobs page or reach out to one of our devoted recruiters who will be happy to help you find your start or next travel assignment!