Working as an ICU travel nurse offers incredible professional rewards and the chance to explore new places. But before you can focus on providing exceptional patient care, you need to solve one crucial puzzle: finding the right place to live during your assignment.

Unlike permanent residents who can take months to house hunt, travel nurses need accommodations that are available quickly, furnished, and located near their workplace. The good news? With the right strategies and resources, securing quality short-term housing doesn’t have to be stressful.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about finding housing as an ICU travel nurse, from specialized platforms to negotiation tactics that can save you money.

Specialized Platforms for Healthcare Professionals

Several platforms cater specifically to the unique needs of travel nurses, making them your best starting point for housing searches.

Furnished Finder stands out as the most popular choice among travel healthcare workers. This platform connects you directly with property owners who understand the demands of medical professionals. All listings are pre-screened for safety and suitability, and many hosts offer discounts specifically for healthcare workers.

Travel Nurse Housing operates similarly, featuring furnished rentals located near hospitals and medical centers. The platform focuses exclusively on medical professionals, so you’ll find hosts who are familiar with shift schedules and the unpredictable nature of healthcare work.

Gypsy Nurse Housing provides listings as part of a broader travel nursing community. Beyond housing options, you’ll also find advice and support from other travel nurses who understand your situation.

Traditional Rental Platforms Worth Exploring

While not designed specifically for healthcare workers, mainstream platforms offer extensive inventory and can sometimes provide better deals.

Airbnb and Vrbo feature thousands of furnished properties available for extended stays. Many hosts offer weekly or monthly discounts, making them cost-effective for 13-week assignments. The review systems on these platforms also help you avoid unpleasant surprises.

Zillow primarily focuses on long-term rentals but includes sublet opportunities that can work for travel assignments. You might find better deals here, especially in smaller markets where specialized platforms have limited inventory.

Extended-stay hotels like Extended Stay America, Marriott’s Residence Inn, and Homewood Suites offer the ultimate convenience. These properties typically include kitchenettes, free Wi-Fi, and often provide discounts for healthcare professionals. While potentially more expensive than apartment rentals, hotels eliminate most of the uncertainty involved in finding housing.

Agency Support Makes a Difference

Many travel nursing agencies, including AMN Healthcare, provide dedicated housing departments to help you navigate your options. Your recruiter can connect you with housing specialists who understand the local market and can often negotiate better rates than you’d find on your own.

Key Factors for ICU Nurse Housing 🏠

Your demanding schedule and the high-stress nature of ICU work make certain housing features more important than they might be for other professions.

Location and Commute Considerations

Proximity to your assignment matters more when you’re working 12-hour shifts and potentially staying late for critical situations. Target accommodations within a 15-20 minute commute from the hospital. This reduces travel time and makes it easier to get home quickly after emotionally or physically exhausting shifts.

Consider the route you’ll be driving, not just the distance. A 10-mile drive through heavy traffic can take longer than a 20-mile drive on clear highways.

Furnished vs. Unfurnished Options

Most short-term rentals targeting travel nurses come furnished, which eliminates the hassle and expense of moving furniture for temporary assignments. Check listings carefully to confirm they include essentials like:

Comfortable bed with quality mattress
Living room seating
Dining table and chairs
Basic kitchen equipment and dishes
Television for unwinding after shifts

Lease Flexibility and Terms

Standard ICU travel nurse contracts run 13 weeks, but extensions or early departures can happen. Look for housing with flexible lease terms that won’t penalize you for changes beyond your control.

Some hosts offer “travel nurse-friendly” leases that accommodate the realities of healthcare assignments, including potential schedule changes or contract modifications.

Essential Amenities for Recovery and Comfort

After intense ICU shifts, your living space should support rest and recovery. Prioritize these features:

Reliable, high-speed internet keeps you connected with family and provides entertainment options for decompressing after difficult days.

Laundry facilities, whether in-unit or on-site, save time and money compared to using laundromats.

Quiet environment is crucial for day-shift workers who need to sleep at night and night-shift workers who sleep during the day. Ask hosts about noise levels and consider locations away from busy roads or nightlife areas.

A functional kitchen allows you to prepare healthy meals and saves money compared to constantly eating out. After long shifts, having the option to cook simple, nutritious meals at home can significantly improve your well-being.

Budget and Financial Planning

Most travel nursing contracts include housing stipends, but the amount varies by location and agency. Understanding your stipend amount helps you set realistic expectations for housing quality and location.

If you find housing for less than your full stipend, many agencies allow you to keep the difference, providing extra income. However, don’t sacrifice safety or essential amenities just to pocket more money.

💸Money-Saving Strategies and Negotiation Tips

Short-term housing commands premium prices, but smart strategies can help you stay within budget without compromising on quality.

Direct Negotiation with Property Owners

Many property owners, especially on platforms like Furnished Finder, are open to negotiating rates for healthcare workers. They understand that travel nurses are responsible tenants who won’t throw parties or cause problems.

When reaching out to hosts, mention that you’re a travel nurse and ask if they offer healthcare worker discounts. Even a 10-15% discount can add up to significant savings over a 13-week assignment.

Maximizing Your Agency Stipend

Know exactly how much housing allowance your agency provides and use it strategically. Some agencies offer higher stipends for certain locations, which might influence which assignments you accept.

If your agency offers both company housing and stipends for finding your own accommodations, compare the options carefully. Company housing might seem convenient, but finding your own place often provides better value and more control over your living situation.

Geographic Flexibility Saves Money

Housing costs drop significantly as you move away from hospital campuses and downtown areas. Research public transportation options or consider neighborhoods that are a slightly longer drive but offer better value.

Suburban areas often provide more space, parking availability, and quieter environments at lower costs than urban locations.

Leveraging Loyalty Programs and Long-term Relationships

If you work with the same agency repeatedly or return to favorite assignment locations, build relationships with hosts who provide excellent service. Many property owners offer returning guests discounted rates.

For extended-stay hotels, joining loyalty programs can provide free nights, room upgrades, and other perks that improve your experience without increasing costs.

Making Your Housing Search Stress-Free

Finding quality housing as an ICU travel nurse requires preparation, but it doesn’t have to overwhelm you.

Start your housing search as soon as you accept an assignment. Popular properties book quickly, especially in competitive markets or during peak travel nursing seasons.

Create a standard message template introducing yourself as a travel nurse, including your assignment dates, and highlighting your reliability as a tenant. This saves time when contacting multiple hosts.

Take virtual tours when possible and ask hosts specific questions about noise levels, parking, internet speed, and any other factors important to your comfort and job performance.

Finally, remember that your recruiter and agency housing specialists are valuable resources. They’ve helped hundreds of nurses find housing and can often suggest options you might not discover on your own.

Start Your Next Assignment With Confidence

Securing the right housing sets the foundation for a successful travel nursing assignment. With specialized platforms, smart negotiation strategies, and support from your agency, you can find accommodations that fit your budget and support your demanding career.

Ready to explore ICU travel nursing opportunities? AMN Healthcare’s housing specialists are standing by to help you find both the perfect assignment and the ideal place to call home during your contract.

Nurses and PTSD

This weekend marks my last 5 nights of work as a traveler in a COVID ICU. My contract is up, and although they have offered to extend me until December, I just can’t do it any longer. Of course, I have grad school to finish, but even if I did not, I would have to take a long step away from being around patients in danger of dying.

I’ve seen a lot of death in these last 18 months.

I can tell it has affected me; how could it not? I’m an empath in a lot of ways. It helps me be a better nurse. But when exposed to so much suffering and death, it becomes more of a liability than an asset.

I thought we had beat this COVID virus back… and won the battle. On the July 4th weekend, we only had a single COVID-19 ICU patient, and he was from 100 miles away. The vaccine works. Social distancing and masks work. But I failed to remember the depths of human stupidity.

Now… a couple of weeks later, the ICU is full again. Hell, we even had a patient come to us from another state because 9 hospitals had rejected admitting them because they were already full of COVID ICU patients. They lived approximately 5 hours after their arrival. I worked on them for an hour, trying to resuscitate them without success. There were a bunch of worn-out ICU nurses from doing countless rounds of CPR that night. And that doesn’t count all the work done beforehand to stabilize the patient—another avoidable battle lost in this endless war.

I’m just tired of seeing people die despite my best efforts to save them.

This 4th wave of COVID-19 is going to be bad. There are 100 million people in this country who refuse to get the vaccine, but they are walking around, without masks, without social distancing, acting like they’ve been vaccinated. These are the people who think they are invincible or know their “rights” or maybe don’t believe COVID-19 is a big deal.

Maybe you won’t get COVID-19, or maybe just a mild case of it. But if you ignore those 10% of the people who end up in the hospital requiring oxygen or the 2% who end up in the ICU, knocking on death’s door, you need to understand this. When you or your loved one has a serious accident or illness, there won’t be any ICU beds or nurses for you. You might be transferred hundreds of miles away from your hometown to receive care. Because the limited number of hospital beds and staff are being used to treat all those COVID patients that you don’t think about. Maybe you won’t die of COVID, but your care will most likely be compromised because of it. I anticipate another 200,000 people in the USA dying from COVID-19 before this is all over. And I can’t physically or mentally fight this battle for you anymore.

I’m exhausted.

So stop being selfish. Stop thinking only about yourself. I’m glad people weren’t so self-absorbed and anti-vax when polio and smallpox were around. Get the vaccine. If not for yourself, then for everyone else.

But I digress. This RN is tired and weary from a fight that never seems to end. Calling me a hero doesn’t mean anything. Making COVID pay doesn’t fill that empty void. It doesn’t comfort me shift after shift of the non-stop dying. Calling families up and letting them know their loved ones have passed. Of holding the hand of someone as they exit this life. Of calling the end of a Code Blue and looking at all the hollow eyes of my fellow nurses and respiratory therapists, knowing we lost another human being to this damned disease.

Burnt out? Yes. Traumatized? Definitely.

I noticed I’ve been avoiding people and obligations a lot more lately. Self-isolating and ignoring my schoolwork. I probably need some counseling and a long, relaxing vacation somewhere quiet. With no alarms, bells, or loud noises. And maybe a stiff drink. Maybe a good cry.

Thanks for reading.

Please note: the views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gypsy Nurse and its staff.

Nurses and PTSD

travel icu nurse

ICU Travel Nurse Housing: Your Guide to Short-Term Rentals

Specialized Platforms for Healthcare Professionals