Reasons on Why you should Take a Travel Nursing Job in New Mexico
If helping people and traveling are two of your passions, then becoming a travel nurse may or may not be the right path for you. As a travel nurse, you are going to get the chance to pick where your next assignment would be. Are you looking for an assignment with vibrant communities and with several friendly hospitals? Then you should take New Mexico into consideration. There are a ton of travel nursing jobs in New Mexico that are for you to take, so here are a few reasons on why you should take a travel nursing job in New Mexico.
Is New Mexico a good state for nurses?
New Mexico is a beautiful state, but is it a good state for travel nurses? Here are a few helpful insights about being a travel nurse in New Mexico:
- Friendly Facilities
There are a ton of top healthcare facilities in New Mexico that you could go to once you accept an assignment in New Mexico.
One of the travel nurseries’ favorite facilities to go to is the CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, which was one of the first healthcare facilities that were organized in the territory, and was established in 1865 known for its rich history and beautiful locations. They are constantly serving about a population of 300,000 people daily and have a strong commitment to local charities and fundraising initiatives, which is why they are spoken so highly about by the travel nurses who decide to work there.
One of the other hospitals that you should look out for would have to be the University of New Mexico Hospital. This is the state’s number one trauma center and it is an effective teaching facility. Presbyterian Hospital of Albuquerque, which includes the specialized centers for heart health, women’s health and children’s health; and Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, which is a facility in the southern region in the Rio Grande Valley are also some of the hospitals and healthcare facilities that you should add to your list.
- Top RN Specialties Needed
The need for registered nurses all across New Mexico is steady. These are some of the popular nursing specialties that are in need:
- Operation Room (OR) Nurses
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurses
- Medical-Surgical (MedSurg) Nurses
- Telemetry Nurses
- Labor and Delivery Nurses
- Emergency Room (ER) Nurses
- Progressive Care Unit (PCU) Nurses
- Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Nurses
- Must-see Attractions to See and Do in New Mexico
There are so many additional activities that you could do while you are taking a break from helping other people, here are only some of the activities that you could do:
- You could go to Santa Fe’s art, culture, and shopping (which is the country’s 3rd largest art scene) where you would find more than 250 galleries in the area. New Mexico Museum of Art, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts are only some of the notable art galleries that you could go to.
- Exploring the Carlsbad Caverns is also fun! If you are wondering what the best season you should go to is Spring, because you would get to see the blooming dessert and guided bat tours.
- If you are a fan of Breaking Bad, then you could take a tour around Albuquerque to see all of the top spots that the popular TV show shot at.
- The best time to plan your assignment would have to be in October so that you would be able to catch the International Balloon Fiesta.
- You could also take a trip west, there you could see the Chihuahuan Desert to see the White Sands National Monument.
- If you are in Santa Fe, you could take an hour and a half drive to Taos where you could hit ski slopes, go over Rio Grande Bridge, go on breathtaking hikes, raft down the river and rejuvenate and relax at the Spa and Wellness Center.
- New Mexico is also known for their wineries, so you could also go and sip local wines at one of the state’s 50 wineries.
How much does a new nurse make in New Mexico?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you are a registered nurse in New Mexico, the average annual salary that you may have could be $75,700 a year, or $36.40 dollars an hour as of May 2020. About 80 percent of the registered nurses in New Mexico are earning between $55,810 dollars and $98,230 dollars. On average, Registered nurses make about 6 percent less than the national average of nurses, which is $80,010 dollars, or $38.47 dollars an hour.
Metro Area RNs Employment Average RN Salary
Albuquerque, NM 10,320 $76,740
Farmington, NM 810 $74,260
La Cruces, NM 1,330 $73,870
Santa Fe, NM 840 $77,830
There are a lot of beautiful places around the country that you could go to for travel nursing, and New Mexico is definitely at the top of the list. Aside from all of the beautiful scenery and fun activities that you could go to when you are not saving lives that need saving, it is a wonderful opportunity to further your career and learn new things.
