Being a travel nurse is an exciting and rewarding career choice. It offers the opportunity to explore new places, meet diverse people, and gain invaluable professional experience. However, when you are a travel nurse with a family, the journey can be filled with unique challenges. Balancing work, travel, and family life requires resilience, adaptability, and a strong support system. Here are some strategies to help overcome these struggles and thrive as a travel nurse with a family.

Navigating the Challenges of Being a Travel Nurse with a Family:

1. Communication is Key

Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful relationship, especially when you’re constantly on the move. Regularly check in with your family, share your experiences, and listen to their concerns. Use technology to your advantage—video calls, messaging apps, and social media can help bridge the distance. Establishing a routine for communication can provide stability and reassurance for both you and your loved ones.

2. Plan Ahead

Planning is crucial for managing the logistics of travel nursing with a family. Before accepting an assignment, research the location thoroughly. Consider factors such as housing, schools, childcare, and healthcare facilities. Create a detailed plan that outlines your family’s needs and how they will be met during your assignment. This proactive approach can alleviate stress and ensure a smoother transition.

3. Involve Your Family in Decision-Making

Involving your family in the decision-making process can foster a sense of unity and support. Discuss potential assignments together, weigh the pros and cons, and consider everyone’s preferences and concerns. This collaborative approach can help your family feel more connected to your career and more invested in the journey.

4. Establish a Support Network

Building a support network is essential for travel nurses with families. Connect with other travel nurses and families in similar situations. Online forums, social media groups, and professional organizations can provide valuable resources and emotional support. Additionally, seek out local community groups and activities in your assignment location to help your family feel more at home.

5. Prioritize Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is vital for maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Travel nursing can be demanding, and it’s easy to neglect self-care when juggling work and family responsibilities. Make time for activities that rejuvenate you, such as exercise, hobbies, and relaxation. A healthy, balanced lifestyle will enable you to be more present and supportive for your family.

6. Embrace Flexibility

Flexibility is a key trait for travel nurses. Unexpected changes and challenges are inevitable, and being adaptable can help you navigate them more effectively. Embrace the uncertainty and view it as an opportunity for growth and learning. Encourage your family to adopt a flexible mindset as well, which can help everyone cope with the ups and downs of travel nursing.

7. Create Meaningful Memories

Despite the challenges, travel nursing offers unique opportunities to create lasting memories with your family. Explore new destinations together, immerse yourselves in local cultures, and cherish the moments you share. These experiences can strengthen your family bond and provide a sense of adventure and excitement.

8. Seek Professional Guidance

If the struggles become overwhelming, don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance. Counselors, therapists, and career coaches can offer valuable insights and strategies for managing the complexities of travel nursing with a family. Professional support can help you develop coping mechanisms and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Conclusion

Being a travel nurse with a family is undoubtedly challenging, but with the right strategies and mindset, it can also be incredibly rewarding. By prioritizing communication, planning ahead, involving your family in decisions, building a support network, practicing self-care, embracing flexibility, creating meaningful memories, and seeking professional guidance, you can overcome the struggles and thrive in your career. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity for growth, and with resilience and determination, you can navigate the journey successfully.

We hope you found this article on navigating being a travel nurse with a family helpful. Do you have any tips for being a travel nurse with a family? If you would like to share them, comment below.

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One of the best things about travel nursing is the way you can tailor the experience to fit your lifestyle. Whether that be traveling with friends or significant others, traveling with pets, or even traveling with children, you can make it work. The idea of traveling with a family at first may seem intimidating, but there are several ways families are making the travel nurse lifestyle work for them!

One Spouse Stays “Home” on Assignment

A popular way for families to make travel work for them is to have one stay-at-“home” parent while on the road. This could mean the spouse that does not work in healthcare, or if both work in healthcare, they could take turns on who stays home and who works the contracts.

This option is great because it allows your family to stay together in one place. However, it may be an adjustment for the stay-at-home parent if that role is new for them.

Both Spouses Work Contracts on Opposite Shifts

If you want to get the most “bang for your buck,” this is the route to go. In this scenario, both spouses are healthcare workers and manage to coordinate contracts so that they work opposite shifts. This may also require some agreement with management regarding how shifts will be scheduled and coordinated in relation to your spouse, but it can be done!

The downside here is that the spouses may not actually get a lot of time together. Also, the spouse working the night shift may have unpredictable sleep schedules, which can be wearing over time. On the other hand, if you really want to save money or pay off debt, this is a great way to do that quickly!

One Spouse Stays at the Tax Home

If you have older children who may be reluctant to move or have other responsibilities back at your tax home, this may be a great option to make extra money travel nursing while also giving your kids a steady home.

In this scenario, a lot of travel nurses try to find jobs that will allow them to block schedule their shifts. This means they work a block of shifts in a row and then get a block of days off. This way, they can travel home on their days off for a longer period.

Another great option here is to look into semi-local travel. This means taking assignments that are within a reasonable driving distance so you can travel home easily on days off without worrying about plane tickets.

Someone Works From “Home” on Assignment

Thanks to all of the jobs that have moved to fully remote, there are now a lot of opportunities for a partner to work from home–from anywhere!

This option may be a little tricky or require jobs with a little more flexibility if you have smaller children at home OR if you have to be hands-on with a homeschool program. However, just like having partners coordinate contracts, this option can be rewarding in that it allows both partners to work and earn income for the family.

Another option is to see if your spouse’s company will do a hybrid option–where they are mostly remote but are required to be in the office once a month or less. You could even coordinate this with days off in your contract. You never know if you don’t ask!

Regardless of what seems like the “best” option for your family, the beauty of all of this is that you have options. Some travel nurses travel with their families for years. Others do it for a short period of time to save money for something specific. And as always, if the first approach doesn’t work, you can always try a different one!

Interested in a travel nursing job? Our job board is a great place to search for assignments, and if housing is an issue, our housing page can help. It’s time to make a difference!

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This article provided by: TaleMed

Can Travel Nurses Bring Their Families on Assignments?

Travel nurses are sometimes faced with a hard choice — work or family? Maybe you started traveling when you were single, but what happens when you marry and have children? Can you really “have it all”?

There are challenges and rewards to having a family while on the road. Travel nurses get to explore exciting new places and cultures, both on the job and during downtime. They also can share that experience with their significant others and children.

What Works Best for You?

Traveling alone takes much less coordination. A flexible schedule also increases the potential for you to earn more during your assignment by taking overtime or extensions. “Having a flexible schedule helps when you have a family as well,” says Jeremy Anderson, TaleMed Staffing Team Manager “You can plan your shifts as needed at the times that work best for your family’s needs.”

Some travel nurses try to have the best of both worlds and stay close to home. Maybe they want to support their child who has obligations they can’t easily leave, like school sports or band. As HealthLeaders magazine reports, “You can obtain assignments that are a comfortable drives away from home.”

Many travel nurses who don’t have children or have adult children bring their partners along on assignments. TaleMed works with several traveling pairs – two friends or couples early on in their relationship or married for 30+ years.

The Benefits of Traveling with Family

Being a traveling healthcare professional with children can seem daunting, but there are many benefits. Traveling with kids can be fun, rewarding and educational:

You’re there for important milestones and can create stronger bonds through shared experiences and memories.
Being on the job can also be a “Working Vacation,” as days off mean trips to new and different parks, beaches, cities and restaurants.
Travel can be a teaching opportunity for children to grow, learn and be flexible.

No matter where you are around the country, having your family with you provides a sense of home. “When you go to a new hospital, it’s like the first day of school,” says Jeremy. “At the end of the day, you have your family to come home to. You’re out of your comfort zone, but you still have some familiarity.”

Plan Before Traveling

If you’re bringing family along, it’s a good idea to talk with your recruiter and make a travel plan before you hit the road. The National Association of Travel Healthcare Organizations notes that travel expenses and housing are often included in the pay package for an assignment. But there’s lots of flexibility in finding the right place. Don’t be afraid to ensure your temporary home has:

A comfortable amount of space, including the number of bedrooms
An easy way to do laundry
A number of nearby activities, such as parks and playgrounds

If you’re traveling with a family, be sure to think about all contingencies. For example, research the names of physicians and hospitals near your temporary home to save yourself the stress of finding a doctor if someone in your family is sick. Traveling families need to plan around schooling. You need enrollment information on local schools or a plan to homeschool your kids. Some travelers will schedule their assignment for their kids’ summer break to avoid school logistics.

“Finding a job for a spouse while you’re traveling isn’t as challenging as you think. A lot of jobs can be done remotely or as freelance work. A local part-time position can help to integrate into the community,” says Jeremy Anderson.

“In addition to travel logistics, it’s important to ensure that the assignment will be the best situation for you and your family,” says Jeremy. “Make sure to ask a lot of questions in your interview with the hiring manager so you have a complete understanding of shift requirements, responsibilities, call expectations, floating policy and more.”

Life on the Road

One way to avoid the logistical issues of a car and housing is using an RV or trailer. Travel nurse Larry Pitts and his family travel this way and love it.

Larry started his career as an ER nurse in North Carolina. “I met countless travel nurses,” he remembers. “They told me about traveling all over the U.S.”

Now he, his stay-at-home wife and 20-month-old daughter travel to assignments in a fifth-wheel camper and love seeing the country together.

“Live in a camper for two years, and you won’t be a hoarder,” he says. “You realize everything you take for granted, like running water, space and convenience.”

The pros, however, far outweigh the cons. “My best assignment was in Arizona,” says Larry. “It’s close to everything, including the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff and Las Vegas. It’s like being on vacation 365 days a year!”

Travel nurses don’t have to choose between a career or family. You can travel and live all over the country with your family by your side.

We hope this article has given you some tips on traveling with family! If you would like more tips or advice on traveling with family these articles are great resources: It is Possible to Take a Travel Nurse Assignment with a Family and Frequently Asked Friday: Tips for Traveling with Children.

tips for traveling with the family

Navigating the Challenges of Being a Travel Nurse with a Family