Since the beginning of time, there has been a demand for caretakers. From falling down and scraping a knee to more serious injuries, such as falling and breaking an arm, having someone who can help you mend is important to our culture. It’s a universal need that we all experience, from being sick with the flu to needing surgery. As society has progressed, we’ve gotten more sophisticated with dedicated specialists who can help with all sorts of needs and medical conditions. This has enabled America’s healthcare system to be the best in the world, and it allows anyone to receive the highest-level of care possible.
Abbella Medical Staffing is a medical staffing agency specializing in travel nursing opportunities. Based in Baltimore, we offer nurses and allied health professionals positions all across the nation. Being a travel nurse is extremely rewarding, but it can be demanding. We offer 24/7 support to accommodate your needs. Below, we’ll examine the demand for travel nurses. Contact our team, or visit our website to learn more and apply online today!
Historically
The idea of travel nursing is not all that old. It began in the 1970s and 1980s when nurses were brought in to New Orleans from around the country to help meet the needs of medical staffing during Mardi Gras. The success of these short-term assignments sparked an interest, and more healthcare facilities began to follow. In Florida and Arizona, they used travel nurses to meet the seasonal demands for nurses. In these places, they face an influx of visitors and retirees that come to the state just for the winter months, so they need more temporary staff to fill the healthcare demand.
Obamacare
No single act legitimized travel nurses more than Obamacare. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the demand for travel nursing skyrocketed, hitting a 20-year high according to Keiser Health News. It’s estimated that 8 million people signed up, putting a heavy burden on our healthcare system.
Aging Baby Boomers.
It’s a fact that as you age, you need more healthcare. This is just a part of life. In fact, there are 10,000 Americans a day turning 65 and by 2030, all of the Baby Boomers will be over the age of 65. Add to this the fact that the birth rate is at historically low levels, and no one truly knows the impact aging Americans will have on our healthcare system.
Shortages in healthcare staffing.
Healthcare facilities around the nation have been impacted by a lack of workers, which is only projected to worsen. By 2025, there is expected to be a shortage of more than 400,000 home health aides and 29,400 nurse practitioners. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There will be a shortage of physicians (122,000 by 2032) and more. This is just due to fewer people entering the healthcare field in general.
Americans are living longer.
With better healthcare, Americans are living longer. While this is good news for all of us, once again these older Americans will need more healthcare services as they age.
COVID-19 was something no one expected. After all, a pandemic is never planned. But with more people sick and entering hospitals, the demand for travel nurses has skyrocketed as COVID-19 hot spots can’t keep up with the number of patients. This has led to a huge demand for travel nurses, which has also resulted in huge pay raises as well. This demand is seen in all specialties of travel nursing, from ICU to respiratory therapists.
While having high demand and little supply is great for travel nurses who are using this opportunity to better their lives and careers, many travel nurses are getting burned out and exhausted due to the high demands of COVID-19. They may even be getting sick as well with the virus. All of this creates more demand and more pressure on travel nurses in a field that inherently holds enough stress as it is. When elective procedures were put on hold, this eased the belt around travel nursing somewhat. However, now that most hospitals and healthcare facilities are running as normal as possible, the demand has returned.
Admittedly, travel nursing is not for everyone, yet it’s worth investigating for many reasons.
- It’s extremely rewarding. Going someplace where you are needed and making a real impact on others’ lives can be extremely fulfilling and rewarding, especially as a nurse. It’s the reason most nurses entered the field, and this sense of making a difference can become lost in the hum-drum of your normal career.
- You can make a lot of money. If you are looking to get ahead or pay off debt, becoming a travel nurse, even for just a short period of time, is worth it. You can make a lot of money and start to meet your financial goals. Plus, you may find that you like it, too.
- You can experience other places in the country. Travel is exhilarating to many, and having the chance to live someplace new for a short period of time can be a great way to help you decide where you want to settle down permanently.
- You can decide on a career path. The beauty of travel nursing is that you get to do many different types of nursing positions with varied tasks that can give you an opportunity to explore other areas of nursing that you otherwise wouldn’t have.
Abbella Medical Staffing has been helping place nurses and allied health professionals in travel nursing positions across the nation. We are here for you, and we mean that. We are available 24/7 to help with any need that might arise. We understand the demands of travel nursing, and we offer resources to help make your job easier. We take care of all of the logistics of your assignment so it’s as easy as possible for you. We accommodate your wishes, and we are transparent about the positions, the pay, the contract, and more. We are passionate about helping our travel nurses succeed and reach their travel nursing goals.
Our mission is to elevate patient care by providing the highest-quality staffing possible. We help solve the short-term needs of healthcare facilities. By taking care of our clients’ needs, we can ensure our travel nurses have rewarding careers that they love.
If you are interested in a career in travel nursing, reach out to our medical staffing agency, or apply online today!