Essential Survival Tips for First-Time Travel Nurses
If you love to travel, the idea of becoming a travel nurse may seem incredibly appealing. However, when first starting a career as a travel nurse, it can often be difficult to adjust to the demands of such an unconventional position. To help ease your transition into the exciting but unfamiliar role, here are some essential tips for first-time travel nurses.
Recruit Housing Help
If you’re unsure on where to live for your new assignment, don’t worry. You don’t have to go it alone and blindly pick somewhere to stay. You’re likely not the first travel nurse that your assignment will have worked with. Therefore, you should ask someone at your assignment for advice on how to find long-term or short-term housing. At the very least, they will be able to direct you to places that other travel nurses have stayed at while on assignment. This can help minimize the stress of researching housing options in an area you’ve never been to before.
Don’t Forget Your Home
No matter how exciting your assignment is, it’s incredibly important to not forget your permanent residence. Depending on the length of your assignment, you will likely have many things to get in order before departing. For example, you may need to forward your mail to your new temporary address as well as inform your bank that you’ll be working in a different area for a significant amount of time so your accounts do get flagged for suspicious activity. These things can be tedious and time consuming, so be sure to do them before you become too busy with work.
Know What to Bring
Packing for an assignment is an entirely different game than planning for a simple trip. You’re going to need much more than a few sets of your favorite clothes and a hairbrush. For example, even if you are staying at a hotel, it is recommended that you bring your own sheets and pillows. Not only are these likely to be more comfortable than what is provided to you, but they will also help your temporary space feel more like home. Furthermore, make sure to look at the year-round weather at the place you will be working so that you will know what types of clothes you will need to pack.
Here to Help You Start Your Career
If you’re interested in a career in travel nursing but don’t know where to start, look no further than the services and job listings provided by the experts at HealthCare Support. HealthCare Support is a staffing resource for the healthcare industry that can both help you land a short-term job and achieve a long-term career. As a premiere, national resource, our healthcare experts will help you navigate our vast professional network in order to ensure you achieve the next step in your healthcare goals.
For more information on our services and current job listings, call us at 888-219-6285 today.