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.

What is it Like to Work in Different Areas? Are the Patients Different?

Yes, as you travel from region to region as a travel nurse, you will notice that some things are the same and some things are different. For example, a broken bone is a broken bone, a telemetry patient is a telemetry patient, but depending on where you are working, you may notice some changes in the patient population and the kinds of illnesses that are most prevalent.

Patients will vary depending on the surrounding population. For example, the region where I am currently working has a really high TB population. Also, due to the local diet, diabetes is very common in the local population. Depending on the air quality of where you work, you may see more asthma patients.

If you are in a high recreation area, you may have more trauma and accidents than in another area. Perhaps the city or region where you are working has a large retirement population and that will determine what kinds of patients and illnesses you see.

This is a very good question to ask when you interview with the facility you are thinking about working at as a travel nurse. Ask the nurse manager what type of patient population they tend to have. They will think you are really looking at the big picture. That shows critical thinking which is what hiring managers look for in nurses.

Dealing with Generational Differences

I recently got asked by a younger nurse how she could avoid dealing with older nurses when she travels from one facility to the next. She said she found them difficult and wanted suggestions on how best to deal with getting along with them.

When I was younger, I used to think that I had to quit nursing by a certain age to avoid turning into an older nurse with an attitude! However, now that I am fast approaching their age, I think differently.

First, it really helps if you can put yourself in the shoes of someone else and, in this case, it’s the shoes of a mature nurse. These “old time nurses” come from a different generation and have a different work ethic to younger nurses. Many of them have aches and pains, they may have parents that they are taking care of at home as well as commitments to their children—such as putting them through college or helping with grandchildren. They no longer fit in with the crowd that is younger than them and they may feel threatened in some way by nurses who grasp technology and new systems a lot quicker than they do. Furthermore, as an experienced nurse, they are often bogged down with added work responsibilities.

One mature nurse whom I spoke with said that the best thing in dealing with her is to say something like: “I can tell you are having a bad day…is there something I can do to help?” Showing respect, concern and tenderness toward your older coworkers could go a long way in helping to bridge communication gaps and generational differences.

How Do Travelers Develop Professionally?

Travel nurses have the unique experience to develop professionally in a variety of ways throughout their assignments. From working with many different experts around the world to learning new techniques and skills, travelers have ample opportunity to develop professionally on each and every assignment. They are also exposed to all types of technology utilized in their field across the United States. Travelers are challenged at every assignment to do their jobs in different ways.

Over time, travelers become very knowledgeable and extremely flexible in a variety of situations. This creates a nurse that can respond quickly to emergency situations.

Travelers also become much better at dealing with different types of people as they have to break into new groups every few months. A seasoned traveler carries many more experiences and memories in nursing than a permanent nurse that stays in one place and works with the same people, the same patient population and gradual changing technology. Travelers can jump start their professional development and cultivate skills that will help them in many different situations in and out of the hospital.