Anyone connected to military life knows the only constant is change. When locations and situations are shifting often, career choices need to offer the same level of flexibility. Nursing is a career with positions consistently in high demand, and it has opportunities that make relocation relatively easy. When looking for a fulfilling job that can be developed on the move and practiced nationwide, a career as a nurse could be a great fit.
For anyone becoming a nurse, or transitioning into military life, this is the right place to learn how this career path can work for a military spouse. Supplemental Health Care understands the benefits of flexible careers for military families, the steps to becoming a nurse, and how SHC recruiters can connect nurses with convenient travel nursing opportunities.
Benefits of the Job
As a military spouse, nursing can be a grounding career that travels with nurses from location to location. Growing a nursing career during a family’s military service has multiple benefits, making it one of the most compelling career choices for a military spouse.
High Demand
Many types of care facilities consistently need nurses and travel or contract nurses are eagerly welcomed to fill those gaps or staffing shortages. Military spouses move every two to three years, on average, and their unemployment rate is consistently higher than the general population. Nurses, however, are always needed, and choosing this career path is a great way to find flexible and consistent employment with military moves.
Competitive Pay
Many careers are interrupted or set back by moves, but travel nurses can benefit from above-average compensation and consistent opportunities. Other incentives can include sign-on, retention, and referral bonuses. There are also typically flexible options to add on overtime week by week, which can work great with a military spouse’s busy schedule.
Community
If you choose to make a career in travel nursing, you will have a built-in community across the country that understands what you’re going through. Whether it’s your fellow travel nurses on the floor or remotely in nursing groups online, you can gain valuable insights and advice on navigating new healthcare settings and building your career. Additionally, being part of a nursing community can help combat feelings of isolation that sometimes accompany a stressful work environment or moving to a new location.
Required Education and Certification
Whether you’re part way there or starting fresh, the path to a nursing career can be customized based on anyone’s situation and timeline. With some research and planning, prospective nurses can build a path toward a nursing career that works with each family’s unique circumstances.
Find the Right Program
The first step toward a nursing career is finding and completing the nursing programs for military spouses that are right for your specific circumstances. Some pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) hoping to become a registered nurse or travel nurse in the future. Sometimes becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) is the ideal option for a shorter educational timeline (such as right before a move). There are multiple pathways to a successful nursing career, so explore the options that make the most sense for each situation.
Be sure to look for a program that offers the flexibility needed in a military service situation — online programs or part-time options might work best with frequent relocation. Be sure to factor in completing the required clinical hours through an accredited program. Before the next PCS, consider enrolling in an in-person program before arrival to simplify the completion of your clinical hours.
Pass the NCLEX Exam
After completing a nursing program, the next step toward nurse status is passing the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN). This is the test all nurses take to become licensed. Be sure to start studying for this exam near the end of your nursing program.
There are many resources available to help prepare you for the certification exam. Look into online study guides and practice questions to help with studying for the exam from anywhere. Also, check out Forbes’s recent list of 7 NCLEX prep resources that cover a variety of formats and learning styles. The prep can be conveniently tackled from anywhere, and passing this test will set each nurse up for a career full of opportunities.
Get Licensed
All states handle licensing and certification a little differently. Check out each state’s specific requirements, or look into multistate licensure to be covered across frequent moves and travel nursing opportunities.
Also, if you’re changing stations or locations during the licensure process due to military involvement, service branches might be able to help reimburse some nursing licensure costs. Don’t forget to save receipts for resources and program expenses for potential tax write-offs.
Travel Nursing as a Military Spouse
Travel nursing can be a great fit for the military lifestyle. Explore a nearby location while a spouse is gone for assignments or visit family and continue earning money while at home. Or, take on multiple shorter assignments in temporary station areas to keep a high level of flexibility between moves.
People often assume that there is no time to advance careers or find a job in a preferred field while stationed with a military spouse, but travel nursing contracts can be an ideal solution to those issues. They allow nurses to be upfront about shorter contract availability, and facilities are still eager and grateful to have staffing gaps filled for a time. Travel contracts are typically 13-week arrangements, but there can be exceptions. Nurses can work with recruiters to extend assignments.
Another benefit of travel nursing is the opportunity to improve your clinical skills. Gaining exposure to different facilities and work environments is invaluable. This skill set development will lead to a competitive edge as you build a stronger, more varied nursing CV with each move. The ability to flourish in the nursing profession because of, not in spite of, military movement is a great way to embrace a military family’s lifestyle and unique circumstances.
Job Opportunities with SHC
SHC has qualified recruiters ready to help prospective nurses find their next short-term or travel nursing job. Our nurses are supported every step of the way — from finding the right job in the top facilities across the country to navigating logistics and licensing.
SHC believes in the power of caring and the value of world-class service in healthcare. Recruiters can help nurses make the most of their unique lifestyle as military spouses and connect them with fulfilling, invaluable career experience.
If you are considering becoming a nurse as a military spouse or already have your license and are looking for the right travel jobs to support your family, reach out to our team today. You can also check out these frequently asked questions about travel nursing to determine if the field is a good fit for your military family’s lifestyle.
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