How to Choose Your Travel Nursing Destination: The Travel Nurse Trifecta

Okay, now we’re getting to one of the BEST parts of travel nursing.

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Where do you want to go?

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Maybe Alaska has always been on your bucket list. Maybe you want a winter near the ski slopes, a few months near the beach, or a contract that puts you within driving distance of national parks every weekend.

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That freedom is a huge part of what drew our family to travel nursing in the first place.

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But choosing your next travel nursing destination isn’t quite as simple as pointing at a map.

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There are usually some trade-offs involved.

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And that brings us to something John calls the Travel Nurse Trifecta.

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The Travel Nurse Trifecta

When you’re looking at travel nursing jobs, there are three big things competing for your attention:

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1. Location

Where do you actually want to live?

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2. Money

How much do you want or need to make?

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3. Shift and job

Do you need days? Nights? A particular schedule? A specific unit or patient population?

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Here’s the unofficial rule:

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You can often get two out of the three.

Want an amazing destination and your perfect day shift?

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You may have to compromise on pay.

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Want the destination and the money?

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You may need to be more flexible about your shift or schedule.

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Want great money and exactly the kind of job you’re looking for?

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The location might not be somewhere that was originally on your bucket list.

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It’s not an absolute rule, but it’s a really useful way to think about travel nursing jobs.

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Decide What Matters Most to You

This is where that “why” we talked about earlier becomes important.

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If your entire reason for traveling is adventure, location may be non-negotiable.

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If you’re traveling to pay down debt or build savings, money might win.

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If you have strong preferences about your schedule or specialty, the job itself may need to come first.

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There isn’t a right answer.

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The goal is to know what you’re willing to compromise on before you start looking at jobs.

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Otherwise, it’s really easy to chase the mythical perfect contract that checks every box while good opportunities pass you by.

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Look Beyond the Weekly Pay

A big weekly number can get your attention pretty quickly.

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But it doesn’t tell you what living there will actually cost.

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Housing is a huge factor.

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A contract can look fantastic until you discover that finding somewhere to live will eat up a giant chunk of what you’re making.

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You also need to think about the practical side of living there.

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What will the weather be like during your contract?

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Is housing actually available?

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If you’re traveling in an RV, can you find somewhere to park it?

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Will you have access to the things you enjoy doing on your days off?

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Those questions matter because you’re not just choosing a job. You’re choosing where you’re going to live for the next few months.

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Be Willing to Adjust

Travel nursing markets change.

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Some times of year bring more jobs. Some destinations become incredibly competitive. Certain specialties may have tons of openings one month and fewer the next.

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That means your Trifecta may need to shift too.

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If there aren’t many jobs available in your dream destination, you might expand your search.

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If the pay isn’t where you need it to be, you might consider a location you hadn’t thought about before.

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And sometimes the place that wasn’t anywhere near the top of your list ends up surprising you.

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That happened to us more than once.

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Want the Full Story?

The Travel Nurse Trifecta makes a lot more sense once you see it applied to actual assignments.

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In this episode of Travel Healthcare 101, John walks through real examples from places we’ve traveled, including how destination, pay, shifts, housing, weather, and lifestyle can all affect whether a contract is actually a good fit.

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Watch Travel Healthcare 101: Choosing Where to Go + The Travel Nurse Trifecta

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So now you know what travel nursing is.

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You’ve found an agency and recruiter.

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And you’re starting to figure out where you might want to go.

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It’s time to actually get yourself into the system.

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Next, we’re walking through the onboarding process and what happens when you sign up with a travel nursing agency.

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Next: How to Onboard With a Travel Nursing Agency →