Since COVID-19, travel nursing has become increasingly popular among bedside nurses. The extra income, control over your schedule, and ability to live a life of adventure seem like a win-win, right? It is! However, being away from home for several months seems daunting for some nurses, especially those with children or close-knit families. While I personally loved travel nursing, sometimes I found myself becoming homesick or exhausted from living on the road. Building lasting relationships with the travel nurse lifestyle is hard when you know your stay is only temporary. This is where strike nursing comes in.  

What’s nice about working strikes is that you are only gone for a couple of weeks. The caveat is that although you can make upwards of $10-15K weekly as a strike nurse, these jobs aren’t as reliable or long-lasting as travel nursing. Even so, if you are a per diem nurse or a travel nurse looking to make extra income without sacrificing your scheduling freedom, strike nursing is an option worth considering. 

What is Strike Nursing?

Imagine this: A hospital or healthcare facility is facing a major labor dispute. The regular staff, standing up for their rights to higher wages or more staff members, decides to go on strike. Well, the hospital needs to function, right? Patients still need care, and people don’t suddenly stop getting sick. This is where strike nurses come in!

Strike nurses swoop in to maintain the hospital system by providing temporary care during labor disputes. According to the American Nurses Association, striking is seen as a last resort when nurses continuously call for change without results, giving them little option for anything else.

So, why do nurses decide to work during strikes? Well, the pay is definitely a plus. Strike nursing positions offer higher wages than travel nursing because of the urgent and temporary nature of the work. Not only are the wages higher, but transportation and accommodations are also typically covered. National Nurses United highlights the importance of strike work in supporting labor movements and providing financial benefits to participating nurses.

When a hospital goes on strike, they need experienced nurses ASAP. This urgency, coupled with the short-term nature of the job, means that they’re willing to offer a pretty penny to attract qualified nurses. We’re talking about pay rates that are significantly higher than most other nursing roles. Despite the controversial nature of the role, some look at this as an option to quickly eliminate debt, pay for a major investment, or overall financial freedom.

Working a strike doesn’t necessarily mean you’re anti-union or against your fellow nurses. At the end of the day, strike nurses must hold down the fort. As noted by the International Council of Nurses, strike action around the globe is a reaction to the inability of governments to address the fundamental issues contributing to our vulnerable, significantly deteriorated, and, in some instances, failing healthcare systems (International Council of Nurses, 2022). Someone needs to step in when the going gets tough so that patients don’t get neglected, and yes, you get a chance to beef up your bank account while you’re at it.

How To Find Opportunities In Strike Nursing

At first, finding strike work might seem like searching for a needle in a haystack, but I promise, it’s easier than you think.

Step 1: Get Connected

Working with the appropriate staffing agency is a must when strike nursing. They are your go-to guys when it comes to finding these contracts. Agencies like Nurse Bridge (Now Medical Solutions Strike Staffing), AMN, HSG Strike Staffing, RapidStaff, and U.S. Nursing specialize in this field. The best part is that they handle all the important details, from negotiating pay to sorting out travel arrangements. All you have to worry about is maintaining your credentials and health requirements. If you have a compact nursing license, you are in even better shoes as you can take advantage of more opportunities. 

Step 2: Tap Into Your Network

Don’t underestimate the power of good old networking. Your fellow nurses, especially those who’ve done strike work, can be a goldmine of information. Forums like All Nurses, LinkedIn, and Strike Nurse Facebook Group are places where you can connect with like-minded nurses. Keep an eye on hashtags like #StrikeNurse and #NursingStrike for real-time updates. Word of mouth is a powerful tool in our community–use it! 

Step 3: Stay Ready, So You Don’t Have To Get Ready

Strike nursing is quite competitive, so you have to stay informed. News about potential strikes and labor disputes can usually be found in healthcare news sources or your local news outlets. Being one of the first to know gives you a head start in the race. Timing is everything in strike nursing, so being ready to go at a moment’s notice can be your ticket to securing a lucrative position. 

What Is It Like To Be A Strike Nurse?

When you sign up for strike nursing contracts, think fast-paced. Strike nursing assignments can come up quickly and usually require you to be ready to move. These contracts usually only last a few days or weeks. The contract itself will contain all the details regarding your responsibilities, hours, pay, bonuses, and perks like housing and travel allowances. Typically, strike contracts require you to work up to 60 hours per week, so keep this in mind! Read your contract thoroughly and know what you’re signing up for, especially regarding your work hours and conditions. Unlike traditional roles, strike nursing can involve longer shifts and more intense workloads, given the urgent nature of the assignment.

Strike Nursing vs Regular Travel Nursing

While both offer the excitement of new environments and the chance to travel, the flavor of the experience is quite different.

• Training: Travel nurses usually receive a few days to a week of orientation and training before starting their assignment. Strike nurses, however, need to be highly experienced because no training is involved. You have to be confident in your skills, or you could risk your license. If you are not an experienced nurse, the extra money is not worth the risk that you’d be taking.
• Urgency and Intensity: Strike nursing is way more intense than travel nursing due to the need for replacement staff. You’re blindly stepping into a new environment where regular staff is unavailable so the pressure can be much higher. The work environment is more charged and intense since strike nursing is tied to labor disputes. 
• Flexibility and Preparedness: Strike nursing requires a much higher level of flexibility and readiness to drop everything and move to an unfamiliar environment. Travel nursing gives you more time to prepare and settle in. 

Legal and Ethical Considerations

1. Patient Care and Quality: Ethically, the primary concern for any nurse, including a strike nurse, is patient care. Strike nurses still have to be sure they are providing high-quality care to the patients who are caught in the middle of labor disputes. This is not easy, given the extreme circumstances. 
2. Respecting labor Rights: If you’re interested in strike nursing, be mindful of the reason behind the strike. They typically occur due to disputes over working conditions, pay, short-staffing, or other employment issues. It’s important to remember to respect the rights and grievances of the striking nurses and understand the broader context. 
3. Legal Considerations of Crossing the Picket Lines: Legally, crossing the picket line to work can be controversial. In some cases, there are legal protections for the striking nurses, and crossing the picket line can lead to legal challenges or repercussions. Strike nurses usually work under specific contracts that differ from regular employment contracts. Before jumping in, ensure you understand these terms (scope of practice, work hours, liability insurance, etc.)  thoroughly.   
4. Professional Conduct and Relationships: Working as a strike nurse sometimes impacts professional relationships with regular staff and the broader nursing community. Staying professional, respecting all parties involved, and being sensitive to the situation is absolutely necessary.

Succeeding As A Strike Nurse

Remember, in order to succeed in strike nursing, flexibility is key. You’ve got to expect the unexpected and be ready to handle varying workloads. As a strike nurse, a friendly attitude and strong communication skills will be your superpowers. Emotions are heightened, and the environment is tense during labor disputes, so maintaining your professionalism and focusing on your primary job–patient care, will keep you from getting mixed into the drama. 

Brushing up on your clinical and documentation skills will give you confidence in walking into a situation with zero training. Remember–stay ready. The intensity of strike nursing can be physically and emotionally taxing, so prioritizing self-care and managing stress effectively will help you in the long run. 

Overall, strike nursing remains a lucrative option for nurses who want to maintain a sense of freedom without committing to thirteen-week contracts. Although strike nursing can be controversial, it’s still a respectable way to keep hospitals afloat while regular staff fights for employee rights. That’s the beauty of nursing; there’s an option for everyone. Are you a strike nurse? What was your experience? Leave a comment below!