Celebrating 4 years as a Traveling Nurse Practitioner!

This summer I am celebrating working over 4 years as a traveling nurse practitioner. So far I have worked at more than 20 different sites. If you follow my blog I am sure you are aware of all of the ups and downs throughout this journey. I thought it would be fun to share the top 5 reasons I still love working as a traveling nurse practitioner.

1. Flexibility – As a traveling nurse practitioner, I can choose to take a month off at a time if I feel like it. I don’t have to work holidays if I don’t want to. I can decide if I want to avoid working weekends or if I prefer a 12-hour schedule.
   
2. Traveling – Exploring the country has been a tremendous amount of fun. I also get to catch up with friends and relatives in numerous cities. Not to mention accumulating miles and points from traveling for work has allowed me to travel abroad on a regular basis for nearly free.
   
3. Increase in Income and Savings – Working in locum tenens I am paid higher than I would be working at a permanent job. I also do not have a car or house payment so my expenses are less than your average worker. As a result, I am able to save at a fast pace and who knows, maybe I will retire early.
   
4. Learning– The learning curve while being a traveling nurse practitioner is astounding. Between working in various types of facilities to caring for different patient populations, I am always kept on my toes. For someone that loves to learn, being a locum tenens provider has taught me so much.
   
5. Freedom – There is no better feeling than working at a place you don’t “need” to be at. Knowing you can quickly find another job if you aren’t happy or appreciated at your current job unloads a burden that most employees have. In combination with having a bulk load of savings to fall back on, I always have the mentality that the site needs me more than I need them.