Renewing/Extending Your Travel Contracts
What is the easiest way to find a groove as a travel nurse? Well, there are a number of ways, but universally the easiest way to keep hustling is to renew an existing contract. Now, this doesn’t always fall into place with every assignment, and not all facilities, teams, or areas of expertise are made equal. However, if you can find a groove with an assignment you still enjoy (in a city you would like to continue living in) a contract extension may be the answer for you!
Here are a few tips when it comes to pursuing a contract extension.
You may find more flexibility with the timeframe of your assignment if extended.
If you’re considering extending your contracts, you may find flexibility in time commitment. Have a vacation planned or looking for some time off? You may not have to extend your contract for another full 13 weeks. Once you have a feel for whether an extension is possible, explore these options with your recruiter and see if 6, 8, or 10 weeks are possible extension windows.
Start inquiring about a contract extension earlier than later.
Earlier is typically better. Where there isn’t a sweet spot, we recommend taking stock of your assignment, the facility, the city, and so on after weeks 5-6 to see if you’re enjoying everything. If that is the case, best to tell your recruiter/agency to get things started and see if the possibility is there.
An extended contract is typically easier for everyone.
First of all, you’re already there with familiarity. You know the team, the flow of patients, how things function, the city is already known to you, and so on. Plus, you don’t have to go through the litany of “firsts” in starting a new position.
You’ll also save a ton of time between your recruiter/agency and the facility since you are in place and ready to roll!
So, remember that your assignment may be finite and over after 13 weeks, but there may be interest from the hospital or facility to extend your contract for another 6+ weeks — or even indefinitely. We’ve worked with travelers who have re-upped contracts 5+ times over the course of a few years.