The adventure of travel nursing sounds exciting, but nurses who are considering this career option should weigh the pros against the cons. For example, travel agencies may not offer sick time or vacation pay benefits, and nurses can be financially penalized if they don't complete a 40-hour work week. In addition, travel nurses are usually expected to stay to complete a patient assignment that takes longer than anticipated, just like the permanent staff.
Taking call, working weekends or being assigned to different shifts may also be a part of the job, but for some travel assignments, such as those at outpatient surgical centers, nurses don't take call or work weekends and holidays.