5 Questions that Will Help You Pick Your Next Travel Nursing Assignment

Are you itching to get out and explore a new city? Do you want to call somewhere new your temporary home? If you answered yes, then it’s about time you began looking for your next travel assignment.

As you dive into searching for your next travel assignment, consider the following questions as guidelines, that will help you determine where you should seek out your next grand adventure:

1. Are you drawn to country or city life? Do you like fast paced or more easy going?

As you begin to peruse different job listings, make sure you ask yourself these questions, as your answers will greatly impact where you should be looking. While there is no right answer, it’s important to decide which type of place you prefer, so you select the option that will ultimately bring you the most happiness.

Once you determine which setting suits you more, do a little research about the exact location of that nursing assignment. No matter how great the place, moving to a new area can be stressful, so lighten your load a little bit by preparing.

Want to learn more about your potential home-away-from-home? Check out ourPinterest boards to get ideas about all the fun places you can visit.

2. Which do you prefer, warm or cold climates?

While there are some people who thrive in both hot and cold climates, it would seem those people are few and far between. Many of us, yes I am looking at you, tend to either fall into the one category or the other. Here are a list of cities that would be an option for either hot or cold lovers, as well as those that can’t make up their mind.

graph showing top 6 coldest and warmest cities

If you’re not completely sure, think about the types of activities you enjoy doing and go from there.

3. Are you a Foodie?

While most of us enjoy a good meal, are you the type of person that gets excited at the prospect of trying a new food or restaurant? Nowadays, you don’t have to go to a major city to find a meal or type of food that tickles your taste buds. Many cities, big and small, tout themselves as “food cities” and take pride in hosting a variety food from all around the globe, prepared in a myriad of ways.

Want to know if the city you’re thinking of going to is known for its food? Take a look at our Pinterest boards to see if we have your city listed. If so, our board will certainly be able to help you find the information you need.

4. Do you like bringing everything with you or traveling minimally?

While this question might seem like a no-brainer, in fact it is extremely important to answer, and to answer honestly. If you are the type that likes to take your home with you, perhaps look for a location that is within driving distance, as your car will allow you to transport more without incurring the extra baggage costs many airlines now include.

However, if traveling light is a piece of cake for you, then consider flying. It will usually be faster and during the summer when gas prices tend to be high, flying may end up being the cheaper option.  Keep in mind, if you fly you will need to rent a car or find housing close enough to the facility that you can use public transportation as most travel agencies do not provide rental cars.

5. What do you want to get out of this trip?

Finally, before you fly off to your next destination you’ll want to ask yourself this question. Take a minute to really think about what it is you want to gain from this experience. Is it a new skill set, new environment, new faces and relationships? Any answer is sure to be a good one, but before you go to work in a new hospital it’s best to know what you want to get out of it.

If you’re not one hundred percent sure, then do some research about facilities located in places you want to visit. Look into what the hospital is known for and which doctors are currently on staff there. Perhaps a name will stand out to you or even a specific procedure that you want to learn more about first-hand. No matter what, doing a little thinking and research before you take off won’t hurt.

Having the luxury of doing the work you love, while having the opportunity to continuously travel, is truly a blessing. Now that you know where you want to go and why you want to go there, take advantage of the opportunity while you can. You never know what will await you on your next travel nursing assignment.

FULL DISCLOSURE: BlueForce is a staffing agency dedicated to the travel nursing industry. If you are interested in learning more about travel nursing or are ready to take on travel assignments now, please contact us.