Nurse Wealth 101

“Real change is difficult at the beginning, but gorgeous at the end. Change begins at the end of your comfort zone” – Roy T. Bennett

I became a registered nurse during COVID at the end of 2020. It was difficult seeing people at their darkest hour, hospitalized for days with no end in sight, and when it did end, they either got better or got put in body bags for the morgue. Eventually, COVID started letting up and we got the usual type of patients on the unit. I worked on a busy 30 patient neuro stepdown unit. Ratios were 4:1, and I was on my feet constantly on my feet for most nights. When I had downtime, I charted and occasionally chatted with co-workers.

We started getting better staffed, and I noticed there were several travel nurses hired for night shifts that I worked. At the time I had a part time job as a pediatric home health nurse, and wanted to learn about ways to increase my income while working a normal 36 hours a week like most of us do. Amanda (name changed for privacy), was a new travel nurse to our unit, and I asked her about what she liked about travelling.

At that time it was October 2021. She said, “I made $186,000 dollars so far this year!” My eyes widened when she said that and I couldn’t believe it for a second. Here, I’ve been working two RN jobs, on track for $86,000 for the year working 50-60 hour weeks. Bear in mind, I was paid $37 dollars an hour at my full time job, with a $5 differential pay for night shift and an extra $5 for weekends. I was proud of my accomplishments, but this was on another level! At that moment I was a little jealous. Later that year, the nurse manager gave me my annual review and said I got a raise of $0.10. I remember her smirking and almost laughing. When I asked why so little, she said “Oh that is just what the standard raise is everywhere in the area”. WHAT! Like a smack to the face, I looked for how to plan my exit from staff nursing and looked up to travel nursing. If I didn’t like it, surely I could get my old job back.

When I got 2 years of experience as a PCU/stepdown nurse, I specialized and got my PCCN (Progressive Care Certified Nurse), and bet on myself. I used an App called Vivian to search contracts and quickly landed one. I haven’t looked back.

Since then I tripled my income. From $60,000/year in a low cost of living area as a staff nurse to $179,000 in 2023 as a travel nurse. Triple. The. Income. So what’s different? Funny thing is, the work isn’t different than staff nursing. It has actually been easier.

I’ve been a travel nurse for 2 years now. Here’s what helps:

1. Prepare to be alone for most of your contract unless you are great at making friends or you are travelling with company. Other travel nurses I know travel with their significant other or make friends with roommates. As for myself, I bring a gaming laptop so that I can stay connected with friends while away. I got out of my comfort zone and made a lifelong friend at my first contract!
2. Sign up for grocery cards at the local grocery store and gas loyalty cards at the pump. You can use apps like GasBuddy or Upside to get cash back for your gas! This can help, especially if you are travelling a higher cost of living area, such as California.
3. Use Furnished Finder to find a place to live. Most places I stay, I pick up a roommate, or live in a room in a house. This helps keep your housing costs low. I am able to save 50% of my income even in California in part because of this hack. For me, it is worth the tradeoff.
4. Have reliable transportation and regularly maintain your vehicle. I have a used 2012 Toyota Camry that is in great condition. I am not afraid of spending my money to keep it well maintained. When I am back home, I renew my car registration and update my car insurance when I visit a new destination. I use the CARFAX Car Care App to easily keep track of recommended service and when to add a service when it is time to act. Having AAA service gives me peace of mind and I recommend for older cars when on the road.
5. Have a compact license or apply for one. When I originally applied for licensure, I had a choice to choose between a multi-state license or single state license. Having a compact license allows you to work in 37 states and growing. Oh, and go get your California license. I have mine and went to the Bay Area in 2023 and 2024. Worth the $500, especially for those California staffing ratios.

Overall, travel nursing is pretty great. I get to see new places and discover what’s great about America. I get to save more money to reach my goals faster. I get to work on my own terms, and not be beholden to workplace politics. And did I mention the pay?

Picture 1: San Francisco

Picture 2: Albuquerque