Higher pay driving nurses to travel jobs — survey
NEBRASKA, UNITED STATES — A recent survey by staffing firm Medical Solutions has revealed that a staggering 97.2% of nurses choose travel nursing or internal travel contracts over permanent positions primarily due to better salaries.
Nurses looking for better flexibility
In addition to higher pay, other key factors influencing nurses’ decisions to travel include reduced involvement in workplace politics (85.2%), more flexible scheduling (85.1%), and broadened experience and skills (81.7%).
The Voices of Care survey covered 7,117 registered nurses in December 2023. It aimed to provide insights into the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of nurses to inform healthcare facilities better.
“With these insights, we’re equipped to collaborate closely with our partners, customizing solutions that not only attract top talent but also foster a culture of engagement and retention, ultimately elevating the standard of care across the industry,” said Scott Armstrong, Vice President of Client Growth at Medical Solutions.
Research published in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality shows that the thoughtful addition of travel nurses can increase cost efficiency by tying their hours to immediate staffing needs, reducing overtime costs, and preventing nurse burnout.
Rising travel nurse salaries
A travel nurse is a registered nurse with a clinical background who works in a non-permanent or temporary arrangement and is typically employed by staffing agencies.
The trend started during the COVID-19 pandemic when the spike in demand pushed hospitals to look for temporary staff.
The punishing conditions of COVID-19 forced healthcare workers to retire early or leave the profession. This created a heightened demand for travel nurses, thereby raising their salary rates.
“The challenge with that is the cost of travel nurses,” said Pat Horton, CEO of the Georgia Center for Nursing Excellence.
“That has become exorbitant to our organizations who use those, our hospitals, hospital systems, and it’s not sustainable.”
A 2021 report by the Associated Press found that the average pay for a traveling nurse rose from roughly $1,000 to $2,000 per week before the pandemic to $3,000 to $5,000 since then.
However, Staffing Industry Analysts predict the travel nurse segment to decline by 20% this year as it normalizes following highs in the pandemic.
