Travel Nursing Close to Home

Travel nursing is an excellent way to take your knowledge and skills on the road and pick up new and unforgettable experiences along the way. You get to meet new people, learn new things, and earn more money – in some cases, a LOT more money. But what if traveling isn’t for you? While there are many reasons you may be unable to travel, it is possible to enjoy the lifestyle and perks of a travel nurse while sticking close to home.

Most travel nursing assignments require that you live at least fifty miles away from the facility for you to be eligible to receive tax free stipends. This can vary depending on the facility preference, so you would be required to travel longer distances to qualify for the increased travel rate in some cases. For most of us, driving an hour or so may seem like a perfectly manageable commute each day; however, there could be tax implications to consider should you choose to return home after every shift. For this reason (among many others), we always recommend that our clinicians seek the counsel of their tax professionals.

For those nurses and Allied Healthcare Professionals who are unable or unwilling to travel more than 50 miles to report to each shift, there are also local “travel” nursing assignments offered at some facilities. Although there are no tax-free stipends offered in these cases, pay rates are still generally higher for this type of nursing assignment when compared to the pay rates of staff nurses.

A higher salary isn’t the only advantage of taking a local contract. For some, one of the most enjoyable benefits of taking local nursing assignments is the ability to stay close to home. The ability to return home after each shift can be both fulfilling and convenient for many reasons – caring for family members, spending time with friends, or staying involved in their community to name just a few.

Staying local doesn’t necessarily keep you from meeting new people and getting to learn new things, either. There’s always something new to learn from a different facility or from the many new people you encounter. In fact, they are likely to learn something from you too!

If you’re interested in a travel or local contract assignment, contact us for more information!

>> Find local nursing assignments near you today!