Traveling in an RV

By Aaron J. Moore, RN, MSN, contributor

Q: I'm going to be traveling in about a year. I'm considering buying an RV. Do many travelers live this way or do most rent apartments?

A: Now that is an interesting way to travel.  I can’t honestly say that I have seen the country in an RV, but I did meet a couple of travelers who chose to travel that way.  They had nothing but great things to say about it.  Like travel nursing, traveling cross country in an RV is a different lifestyle.  It’s not for everyone but if it’s your chosen way to get around and live, then good for you.  

The large majority of travel nurses seem to go the more traditional route, taking the furnished apartment housing provided by their agency, but I think it’s great when someone decides to use their housing stipend to fit their own style.

In order to help you make a decision about whether a recreational vehicle might be right for you, here are a couple of things I learned from my travel experience that apply to RV travel, and stuff I learned from those RV lovers I met while traveling.  

First off, let’s talk about the RV experts.  The few people I met that traveled in RVs were couples and they loved their lifestyle, both the travel nursing aspect and living out of an RV.  They had nothing but good things to say about their “home.”  The few complaints I heard were that it made it a little harder to find travel positions because of access.  I’m not sure if you are planning on taking another car or bike with you on your travels, but I would recommend it.  Most RV owners lived outside the city and had to commute.  Public transportation is great but can put you in a bind sometimes.  

The only other complaint I heard was about maintenance.  Most of these travelers seemed pretty savvy when it came to fixing up their rigs, but owning your own RV—just like a boat or any other vehicle—can be very expensive at times.

Now I’m not one to shy away from a new adventure, and driving cross country road-warrior style in my own RV sounds like an awesome time, in my personal opinion.  But when it comes to travel nursing and living in an RV, I would really think about this one long and hard before committing to it.  First there is the upfront cost of buying the vehicle, then maintenance, and the whole transportation issue when you’re not on the road with your rig.

I loved the apartment life of travel nursing.  It was easy, and cost-efficient.  If you have anything that breaks in an apartment, you call a guy and he comes up and fixes it (on someone else’s dime).  When it’s your RV that has problems, well you fix it, or pay someone to fix it.  You will make some extra money from your housing stipend, but you should gauge this against the average upkeep and maintenance on an RV.  Plus, don’t forget that you will have to pay fees wherever you park your diesel pusher.

Overall, in our present economic state, I would choose the apartment life.  It is more traditional and recruiters are more used to it and can help you out more.  Remember that your recruiter is your link to this life; if you are seriously considering traveling by RV, I would ask your recruiter if he or she has had experience with travelers who have chosen this option.  They can also help you consider the pros and cons.

So whatever you choose, know that you are making a great choice in travel nursing.  There are many different paths to the same ending; choose yours wisely and you will live a happy life travel nursing.

LTD (livin the dream)

Traveling with a Pet

Should I bring Fido or Fluffy with me?

That is the question on many pet owners’ minds when they are trying to decide whether to become a travel nurse or not. Right off the bat I would like to say to you, as a pet owner myself, please don’t let your pet keep you from traveling on an assignment. It’s too awesome of an opportunity to miss out on. Trust me, if you decide not to take your dog or cat, he or she will be just fine with a relative for three months while you’re gone, and love you just the same when you get back.

So, in this post, I will present the pros and cons of bringing along a furry friend to enjoy your travel nursing adventure with you.

First, the Pros:

1. Well, of course the number one benefit is because they are your pet! I know most people view pets as family and going somewhere without family is just not fun.

2. Next, it’s nice to have a travel buddy with you. I’ve written before about traveling with a friend or a family member, and remember in my own experience sharing an adventure always makes for a better experience (whether that buddy is a person or a pet).

3. Going along with the companion theme, having someone waiting for you at home is always nice, as well. Travel nursing, like any job away from home, can have its lonely times; having your pet there to greet you after a long shift can do wonders for your spirits.

Next, the Cons:

1. Money. Yes, taking a pet on assignment can cost you money in your contract. You’ll probably have to pay monthly pet fees to the apartment, and put up a larger deposit when you move into a new place. And keep in mind that you’re moving possibly every three months; that means four deposits a year. (On the flip side, however, some people pay relatives or others to care for their pets when they are away—if this is true for you, you would want to compare the costs of both options before deciding.)

2. Next, housing choices. I was on some awesome assignments and met some travelers that were housed in other places than I was. It usually was because of a pet, and in most cases (though not always) the non-pet housing was better than the pet housing.

3. Availability. What if there is no available housing that will accept your pet in your city of choice? This can happen, although not often, so you may have to pass on an attractive assignment to stay traveling with your four-legged friend. Just be clear with your recruiter up front and consider the limitations before you start.

4. Commitment. For most people who own pets, going home to let them out or feed them is not a big deal. But situations can arise that keep us from getting home on time, even if it’s just bad weather. This can be a bigger problem for a traveler if there isn’t a friend or family member at home to help us out. If you do bring a pet on assignment, I would recommend getting to know your neighbors and co-workers as soon as possible after you arrive. Then find someone who could be a backup for you, someone with whom you would be comfortable enough to let Mr. Snuggles out to do his business.

5. Lastly, Hawaii. Ok, maybe this is just a small band of islands out in the Pacific Ocean, but I ran into this when I was traveling. I really wanted to go to Hawaii until I found out that there is a quarantine of one month for all pets moving to the island (that you have to pay for). I chose not to go to Hawaii for this (and other) reasons, but I still regret it to this day. These types of regulations are constantly changing, however, so ask your recruiter for the latest updates.
As you can see, the cons can outweigh the pros on paper, but that is when a personal decision must be made. I’ve traveled with and without a pet, and truly, each option has its benefits. In the end you just have to do what you feel is best.

Most importantly, as I mentioned before, don’t let owning a pet deter you from travel nursing. It is such a great adventure, and you don’t want to miss out. If you decide to take your furry pal along, just remember that you may have to be a little more flexible in picking assignments and living arrangements.

Traveling with Friends, and Getting Started

By Aaron J. Moore, RN, MSN

Q. I'm looking forward to starting traveling as an ICU RN in June, going with my roommate who is also an ICU nurse. Do you find that people traveling as pairs have a harder time finding jobs? Also, we would like Boston to be our first assignment but I have heard that you need your BSN or prior travel nursing experience to get a job there. Do you know if this is true?

A. Great idea about travel nursing; it’s really the best job in world, I think. There is no other job like it. I always used to tell my wife, it’s like being on vacation for years on end. ICU nurses usually have no problem getting jobs; there is always a high demand for those with critical care expertise.

And traveling as a pair can also be a good idea. I met many couples and friends who traveled together. They did sometimes have problems getting jobs together on the same unit, but not usually in the same city. I would recommend against choosing a smaller city to travel to at first. The larger institutions also have more opportunities for travelers and are more likely to have two openings at the same time.

Traveling together has so many perks. For starters, it takes the anxiety out of moving to a new place alone. You always have a friend nearby. Also, having someone who is going through the same process as you is helpful: driving, finding the hospital, applying for the state licensure, having someone to talk to during orientation, etc.

When my wife and I traveled we always had the understanding that the first month was our time to explore and act like tourists in our new city. By the second month you make friends and have lots of other people to hang out with and show you new things. I’m not saying traveling alone is bad, but I think if you ask most people they would say it’s nice to have someone you know close.

At the same time, being a traveler makes you one of a group. Most of the places I traveled to had other travelers who hung out together and where really helpful to new people.

Do make sure and let your recruiter know your intentions. When you travel with someone it does make things a little trickier when it comes to landing jobs in the same place. The schedule may be your only problem. Most managers don’t have a problem hiring friends and couples, but they do ask that you be flexible in your schedule. That means you may not always work the same shifts or days of the week. But that can have an upside, since it can be nice to have a day to yourself and get some stuff done.

Boston is a cool place to travel. In fact, the whole East Coast is awesome to visit and work in. When looking at jobs at big facilities, you are right, they do often choose BSN or prior travelers over new travelers. This is just the way of the travel world. Just remember that on your next assignment you won’t be the rookie traveler any more.
I really loved starting out in a smaller hospital, though. My recruiter recommended it and I thought, now why would I step back into a lower acuity ICU? Well, he was right, and it really prepared me for all the other jobs I got later on.

Being a traveler is different than being a staff nurse, and facilities can expect a lot out of you. Starting in a less-than-ideal job isn’t bad, though. Like I always say, “I could do any job for three months!” Get your feet wet, then look for that dream job.

Also, just because you can’t find your dream job right away doesn’t mean you can’t live in your ideal location. That is the benefit of traveling to large cities: lots of hospitals. You may not start in the trauma ICU, but take that med/surg ICU job in the suburbs and build a résumé.

I will say from experience that the more you travel, the easier it is to get jobs. After about five assignments my résumé spoke for itself and the managers rarely asked me any question except for, “When can you start?”

Travel nursing is a fairly easy business to get into if you find the right recruiter and company. So start looking and stop dreaming about traveling. Take a risk, find an adventure and live the dream as a travel nurse.

Finding Services and Travel-Related Resources

I want to try travel nursing, but I am nervous about leaving home. If I go somewhere new, how will I know who to trust for my repairs and services?

I know where to go for everything that I need. I have spent a long time figuring out what companies are reliable, who to take my car to for repairs etc. Any advice?

I know this sounds scary, but you may find that you won’t actually need that many services in your new place. Travelers have a lot fewer responsibilities on the road. It’s one of the great luxuries of traveling. If you choose to live in the company-provided housing, you won’t have to worry about any home repairs anymore, which takes a lot of everyday stress away.

Also, people you work with can sometimes be a good resource. Ask for referrals from your co-workers. Some human resource departments can also be of help if you are new to an area. Also, most travel companies are very knowledgeable about the areas that they place travelers in, so make sure you ask your recruiter. There is someone that usually seems to know these things.

Also, just the other day, someone told me about a website designed to help people just like you. It’s a website that helps people find trustworthy service in their area. The website is called AngiesList.com. You might want to check it out. Also, yelp.com is a user-centered Web site that lets people review and rate their favorite (or not so favorite) businesses, restaurants, salons, repair shops—you name it!

Don’t let this stop you from traveling. There are plenty of resources out there that can help you adjust and thrive in your new destination.

Do I Really Need to Use an Accountant to do my Taxes as a Traveler?

From my experience as a traveling nurse, I have learned that taxes for travel nurses are a lot different to taxes of a non-traveler. The first year I worked as a travel nurse, I didn’t use an accountant and, as a result, I was not aware of all the extra benefits and deductions that I was eligible for. I ended up regretting that I didn’t go to an accountant because I would have done things differently throughout the year and been able to save myself a lot of money on my taxes in the long run.

If you keep a permanent residence as a travel nurse you will be eligible for many benefits. You can even file for a daily cost of living allowance that basically pays for all your food when you are on assignment. The amount that you are allowed for daily cost of living varies from state to state. Your accountant will know where to find that information.

Also, you will need to pay state tax in each state where you work. You can also deduct mileage on your taxes. In some cases, a travel nursing agency may not reimburse you the full amount that you are eligible for in your taxes and you can deduct the difference. These are only a few examples of ways taxes are different for travelers, and accountants can be very helpful in making sure that you maximize your tax-saving opportunities.

When I traveled, I didn’t know of any accountant that specialized in taxes for traveling nurses. However, things have changed over the past few years and there are now several accountants out there who are experts at handlings taxes for traveling health care professionals. They know the ins and outs of everything related to taxes for your situation, and can advise you what to do in the coming year to make the most of your income.

What if I Don’t Know Where I Want to Go?

Q: I am considering working as a travel nurse, but what if I am unsure about the places I want to travel to? Do I need to have specific locations planned out for months ahead of time before I start traveling?

A: One of the greatest things about working as a travel nurse is that you can be spontaneous and make decisions on the go. You don’t need to have your destinations planned out months in advance and, even if you have an idea of where you want to go, you can change your mind at any time.

Most travel nursing assignments are three months long. During those three months you will be obligated to work at the assignment hospital for your travel nursing company. However, once your three-month assignment comes to an end, you are free to do as you please. If you like the location and want to stay longer, there is often the option of extending your assignment. If you want to move on and explore a new destination, you’re free to do that, too. Or, if you want to take a few weeks off before you start your next travel nursing job, you have the flexibility to do so.

Life is full of twists and turns, and the great thing about working as a travel nurse is that you can adjust your work to fit around your life. For instance, if you have a family member who is sick or who needs you to be nearby, you can take an assignment to be close to them. Or, if you suddenly decide that you’re tired of frigid northern winters and want to escape to a warmer climate, you can take an assignment in a sunny part of the country for the winter months. It’s entirely up to you and what you want at any given time.

On the other hand, if you’re the type of person who likes to plan things well in advance, you probably want to start out with a general plan of where you want to be in the coming months or year. Within your plan, add a little flexibility in case it doesn’t work out exactly as you expected. In other words, for every plan, have a backup plan and you should be fine.

Should I Accept Company-Provided Housing or Should I Find my Own?

As with most things, there are pros and cons with both. If you select the company-provided housing, you have the advantage of not having to do anything. Your travel nurse company will do all the work for you, including arranging for furniture delivery and getting the utilities set up in advance. They even pay the rent directly. All you have to do is show up and unpack! Most company-provided housing consists of a one or two-bedroom condo or apartment in a housing community that’s within an easy commute of your workplace.

On the other hand, if you want more control over where you live and you don’t mind making the effort to find your own place, you can go ahead and look for something that’s ideally suited to what you want. Or, if you have friends or family that live in the area and they have the extra room, you can stay with them and still get the housing subsidy.

Also, in most cities, you will find people who want to rent out their homes. They often see traveling nurses as professionals and would rather rent to them than perhaps the general population.

If you go to http://www.travelnursingcentral.com/housing_ads.php, you will find several houses listed throughout the United States. These people are looking specifically to rent their houses to travelers.

The travel company can tell you how much they are willing to pay in a housing allowance. You can then see if you can stay within that budget and find housing that suits your needs. The disadvantage of finding your own housing is that you may have to deal with a landlord. The choice is yours, though, and you are free to do whatever you think is best for your situation.