1. Travel nurse
Travel nursing moves you around the country on short contracts, usually about 14 weeks, with travel and housing covered. You use the days off to explore wherever you have landed, and you can build breaks between assignments instead of being tied to fixed leave. It is also good for your practice. You see how different hospitals run, and you carry what works from one to the next.
Most assignments want at least one to two years of experience in a specialty such as cath lab, ER, or labor and delivery. The Nurse Licensure Compact lets eligible RNs practice across more than 40 member states on a single multistate license (NCSBN).
2. Cruise ship nurse
Cruise ship nurses work under the ship's doctor, covering the health needs of hundreds of passengers and crew. You will do things you have never done before, from treating everyday complaints and taking X-rays to running emergency care without the backup of a full hospital. Meals and accommodation are covered, so you can bank some money, and on port days you get to see the stops.
Expect to need basic and advanced life support, plus ER and general practice experience. Cardiac and trauma certifications help.
3. Volunteering with an NGO
If you want to serve people who have little and reach parts of the world most tourists never see, volunteer with a non-governmental organization. Some cover only your basics; others pay a stipend. Doctors Without Borders runs medical and humanitarian work worldwide, from mass vaccination campaigns to caring for refugees and the wounded in conflict zones and disaster areas.
The main requirement is tolerance for very basic conditions. You may live in a tent and wash from a bucket. Bring solid core nursing skills, adaptability, and resourcefulness.
4. Wilderness medicine
This one is for nurses with real experience in extreme outdoor activity. You might cover a group on a backcountry expedition or join an emergency evacuation team. You are responsible for the whole party, sometimes caring for a critical patient when evacuation is measured in days, not hours. Supplies are minimal, and care can extend to building shelter and monitoring the patient across rough terrain.
You will need emergency experience and a strong grasp of the fundamentals so you can improvise. The Wilderness Medical Society publishes practice guidelines for the field, and training is available to prepare for it.
5. Flight nurse
Flight nurses care for patients in the air, either supporting transfers between facilities or running prehospital emergency and critical care during rescues. You need prior trauma or ER experience plus courses built around the demands of in-flight care.
Openings are limited. The military uses flight nurses, as do civilian emergency services. Applying as an Air Force reservist is one route in. If your hospital runs air evacuation, getting on that team is another way to build the experience.
Take the plunge
If one of these appeals to you and you are still free to move, do the research and apply. You may not get another window like this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a separate license to work as a travel nurse in another state? Often no. The Nurse Licensure Compact lets eligible RNs hold one multistate license valid across more than 40 member states (NCSBN). For non-compact states or work abroad, you apply for licensure in that jurisdiction.
How much experience do these adventure roles require? Most want at least one to two years in a relevant specialty such as ER, ICU, cath lab, or labor and delivery. Cruise, flight, and wilderness roles also expect current basic and advanced life-support certifications.
How long is a typical travel nurse assignment? Contracts usually run about 13 to 14 weeks, with travel and housing covered, and you can schedule breaks between assignments instead of being tied to fixed leave.
What does a cruise ship nurse actually do? You work under the ship's doctor covering passengers and crew, treating everyday complaints, taking basic images, and running emergency care without a full hospital's backup. Meals and accommodation are usually covered.
How do I become a flight nurse? You need prior trauma or ER experience plus flight-specific training. Openings are limited; routes in include civilian air-medical services, joining a hospital air-evacuation team, or applying as a military reservist.
How much do registered nurses earn? The median RN wage was $93,600 in May 2024 (BLS). Pay for adventure roles varies widely by employer, setting, and contract, and several cover housing and meals on top of wages.