Can I Take a Travel Nurse Assignment with a Pet?
Travel Nursing with a Pet can have its own questions and difficulties. This is one of the foremost things on pet owners’ minds when considering travel nursing. The answer…YES!! Something to keep in mind is that every pet is individual, and you should look at your pet’s personality, health and safety first and foremost. For example, traveling might be too stressful for an older animal; leaving them at home with a trusted family member might be best. There are pros and cons to travel nursing with a pet, and only you can decide if it’s favorable. PROS: Having a pet is…
Maximize Your Travel Nurse Housing Per Diem
What do you do when the rental housing market is very tough, expensive, or limited availability? How do you find something affordable so that you can maximize your travel nurse Housing Per Diem? One of our Network Group members Amy Sherman RN, recently shared her experience and gave The Gypsy Nurse permission to re-print and share with you here on TheGypsyNurse.com My $236 Bedroom Amy attests that “Every single thing in the photo was purchased from Craigslist or thrift stores (including a foam mattress in pristine condition!) This is what you can do when you take an unfurnished apartment and…
Step #12: Determine If The Job Is A Good Fit
Now that you’ve had the interview, the next step is determining if the position is a good fit for you. Choosing a travel nurse job that is a good fit is important, even if you are only there for a short time. One of the most stressful situations that can come up in travel nursing is having to leave a contract early. If you don’t take the time to figure out if a job is a good fit, you might end up in a situation where you are unsafe or overly stressed. On the other hand, if an assignment is…
Step #16: Prepare Your Vehicle for Your Travel Nurse Road Trip
Driving to your next contract? These tips will make your travel nurse road trip planning go smooth and easy. Travel nursing with a car is a great way to have access to a wide array of places to explore on your days off. Driving your car across the country might seem daunting, but it is usually worth it to have your own vehicle available if you want it! Travel Nurse Road Trip Planning Pre-trip Inspection Make an appointment with your local auto mechanic or garage and have your vehicle checked over, and complete any routine maintenance. Let them know that you are…
Step #21 Your First Day as a Travel Nurse
Today is the day! Your first day as a travel nurse. You have settled into the new apartment and done the shopping. The first-day nerves have probably got a hold of you…don’t worry. Check out our first-day tips below, and you’ll be ready to set yourself up for success. A good thing to remember is every first day is the countdown to new adventures. Some contracts will be good and some not-so-good, and no matter how much you researched and questioned your recruiter about the position, you won’t know what any contract will hold until you get there. Test Run…
Step # 22 How to Make the Most of Your Travel Nurse Contract
You have arrived at the contract location and have 13 weeks to explore your new area. Let’s look at things you can do to make this a great travel nurse contract. How to Make This a Great Travel Nurse Contract. You have 13 weeks! It sounds like a lot of time…beware, your travel nurse contract will go extremely quickly. Don’t put off exploring the new neighborhood. Check out Local Events The first thing to do is find out where the local events are posted or published. There are multiple places to look to find local events and activities. Most larger…
Step #26 Travel Nurse Contract – The Final Week
The end of a travel nursing contract. As your travel nurse contract ends, it’s time to wrap up everything and get ready to move on. Use these tips for a smooth transition to your next travel nurse contract. Yeah…you made it through! At the end of a travel nursing contract, there is always a myriad of feelings. You may feel relieved if the job was stressful, sad if you met great friends, or excited to get on to the next adventure. You will often feel a mixture of several things during the last week of a travel nurse contract. No…
Step #27 Travel Nurse Contract Evaluation – Wash, Rinse, Repeat…
Why should you do a travel nurse contract evaluation? If you have been following the Travel Nurse Guide steps, you have already begun this process of contract evaluation. Evaluating your Travel Nurse contracting process is an important step to ensure that each contract will be better planned, more organized, and a better fit each time. It may take several contracts before you feel like you have a good handle on what makes you happy as a travel nurse. Every contract will have a new set of ups and downs. Just make sure that the positives for you are still outweighing…
Travel Nurse Burnout
I’ve talked in the past about Nurse Burnout being relieved by travel nursing but what happens when the travel nurse experiences burnout from being on the road and away from family for too long? I’ve recently experienced this ‘new to me’ phenomenon. I’ll generally take time off Travel Nursing around Thanksgiving so I can spend some ‘holiday’ time at home before the mad rush of the actual holiday begins. I work the holidays…always have. It normally doesn’t bother me to be at work on Christmas day, Christmas eve and the new Year holidays. I take a certain joy in the…
Back To School
If you ever considered an advanced degree or specialty area, here’s some information worth noting. Sometimes larger travel nursing agencies provide continuing education opportunities. Many travel nurses find this an ideal situation to pursue education while still working. There are several areas to consider and you may decide this is the perfect time to go back to school. Perhaps the most important is the impact it could have on your career. With advanced education and professional development you may be a more desirable candidate for future positions in your field. It could open more doors and make you more competitive…