I know someone who works in traveling nursing ... but she doesn't actually travel. She works here in various hospitals in our area (several big hospitals are nearby), and she gets paid bigger money than would a person who stays in the same job all the time. She loves it. She works for a month or two while someone's on maternity leave, for example, or she works while they're trying to hire someone full time.
Yes, as someone said above, she's always the new girl on the floor, never stays long enough to develop friendships -- and she's fine with that. She can also say, "Nope, can't work this week -- my kids are home for spring break" without any consequences. Yes, she's an experienced nurse -- the nurse who graduated next May isn't going to be chosen; that person still needs to develop skills before trying for this job.
I don't know if she receives any benefits. We've never about that.
Another interesting nursing job that I find interesting: Flight nurse. Every time you see a helicopter take off from a hospital, that helicopter contains exactly one nurse. That person is responsible for the care of a critical patient who's being jostled around during the flight, and he or she must do it with no backup at all and in a cramped work area. This nurse is experienced, specially certified and highly paid. He or she also sits around doing nothing but wait ... until it's time.
