A Travel Nurse's Companion

Travel Nursing is one of the best opportunities a nurse has at his or her disposal. The nurse can sign up with a travel nursing organization, tell them where they would like to go, and the company will do the legwork to find open positions in those areas. Each position is usually a three month contract, and then the nurse can decide where they would like to go next.

The travel nursing company will also pay for most, if not all of the travel expenses, and will arrange housing needs for the nurse. The only real expenses for the travel nurse are groceries, cable/internet, and sometimes utilities. It is an absolutely wonderful way to stash away some money, while discovering the country.

But what if the travel nurse has a significant other that they are bringing along? As great an opportunity as this may be, there are definite obstacles that the travel companion must face.

Employment - With the average length of a travel nursing contract being 3 months, it can make it hard for the travel companion to find employment. Nobody wants to hire someone who is only going to be there for such a short period of time. It can be frustrating to know that you should be working, but can't find anything that you feel comfortable accepting.

In my case, I was offered a great job at the local zoo as the Store Manager and Membership Services Coordinator. It would have been perfect. I could have put my education to use in a place that I love to be! Who wouldn't want to work at a zoo? But, I couldn't accept their offer because they wanted me to replace someone that was leaving in a couple months. I simply could not, in good consciousness, allow them to spend the time and money training me, just to leave a few months later. They would have been worse off, and I did not want to do that to the zoo.

To deal with the hardship of finding employment while on a travel nursing assignment:

• Apply at any and all staffing agencies in the area. They can help find you some temporary work during your stay. Adecco is a good way to go because they allow you to transfer your information to all of their locations. Rather than having to sign up every time you move, you can now just walk into your local Adecco and request that they get your information from your prior location!
• Look for part time work. While you travel, it is probably not the best time to be searching for a career. Find some part time work that you can earn a few extra bucks to pay for food and other minor expenses.
• Live off of savings. If you have some money saved up, learn how to be frugal and use this money sparingly.
• Plan ahead. If you know where you are going next, look for employment before you arrive. Set up interviews over the phone, or have them scheduled for the time you get to your destination.

Social Life - It isn't always easy to make friends going to a new place, especially if you are moving every three months. The travel nurse can make friends through work, but as we just discussed, work may not always be easy to find, and therefore that avenue for friends is closed.

• Go to bars for the games. You will be able to find some fans of your team, and it is a good ice breaker! Plus, the alcohol helps loosen you up a bit and become more outgoing!
• As sketchy as it may sound, pick a hobby that you enjoy, and search the local Craigslist.com ads for people who are interested in the same thing. You could even post an ad in hopes of getting a response or two. If you like poker, look for a home game to join. If you like to hike, look for a hiking or adventure group.
• Similarly, use Facebook and other social networking sites to find like-minded people. Sure it is a bit unnerving to meet people online, but in today's world connectivity brings people together. Just be safe about it, and check out my Hub on Connectivity.

Finding Things To Do - It can also be difficult to find activities in your new location. There are a couple of ways to solve this problem:

• Pick up a guide book to the area at the local bookstore. It will tell you the best restaurants, parks, and other hot-spots to visit!
• Get the Sunday paper. There will be news, information, and events listed for you to enjoy.
• There are often times local entertainment guides. They are sometimes part of the newspaper, but will tell you specifically about all of the music, art, and other entertainment going on in your city.
• Find out what venues are in the area, and visit their website. Check out their calendar of events. You are sure to find something you both can enjoy, and it may also be a good way to meet new people.

Being a travel nurse's companion is definitely worth it. They set you up very well for the three months, and you get to explore this country. Check out the links below to my Hubs about some of the best places to visit across the country. If you and your significant other have the opportunity, take it and enjoy it while you can!