This article was provided by Medical Staffing Options.
A travel nurse can travel all over the country, taking RN travel jobs wherever they go. They might travel to a sunny destination like California, Arizona, or Florida to escape winter’s cold. In the summer, maybe they’ll advantage of the season to enjoy outdoor adventures in the wilds of Alaska. The sky’s the limit, making this career an especially exciting one, but is it only for those who are single or have a travel nursing partner?
Many nurses automatically assume that travel nursing jobs are only for those who can easily pick up and go at any time without a family to worry about. But the reality is, this is a flexible career that allows a registered nurse to travel with their family if they choose to. While it may take some planning ahead, it’s an incredible opportunity to explore new places, create shared memories, and spend more quality time with the ones you love in between shifts.
Agencies That Allow Travel Nurses to Travel with Their Family
Nearly all agencies allow travel nurses to travel with their families, but as with anything, some are better at handling the challenges that can come with it. After checking out Medical Staffing Options RN jobs, for example, you’ll want to speak to a recruiter to find out their level of experience in working with a registered nurse who travels with family. Even if they have limited or no experience, as long as they’re willing to put in the extra effort, that can go a long way in ensuring a positive outcome. A good recruiter will take care of all the details, ensuring that a travel nurse and their family have all the resources needed for a successful assignment.
Housing Considerations
Of course, when traveling with family, there are other things to thinking about, like housing. Typically, a travel nurse is provided with a furnished one-bedroom apartment or another type of similar accommodation at no cost. Some agencies like Medical Staffing Options even have a dedicated travel and housing department that can help you find the job and accommodations that best fit your life. For those who need more space to bring a spouse and the kids, it’s usually possible to pay the additional cost for more bedrooms. Or you might choose to take the housing stipend and secure your own space.
Some nurses travel with their families in RVs, which allows them to take home even more money. Usually, the housing stipend is quite a bit more than the cost of parking the RV and paying for utilities, which means there’s quite a bit left over to save, use for enjoying the attractions and activities in the area, or something else. When the assignment is over, it’s easy to go to the next one as there’s no packing and unpacking. All you have to do is drive.
What About School?
If you have school-aged kids, you can still travel as many travel nurses do. In fact, the opportunity to visit multiple destinations, learn more about them and take part in experiences they wouldn’t necessarily get back home is an education in itself. There’s no one right way to do it – some travel nurses choose to home school their kids, while others take only summer travel assignments while school is out.
Childcare Considerations
There are other considerations for those with young children. Travel nurses who travel with a non-working spouse usually don’t have to worry about it but traveling on your own or with a partner who will be working means making the necessary childcare arrangements. While that may sound difficult, by getting in touch with nurses already working in the area, there’s a good possibility that you’ll get recommendations. Your recruiter might know someone you can talk to or at least lead you in the right direction. Another option is to search travel nursing forums to see if you can connect with someone working at the facility or in the destination. Either way, getting it set up before you arrive is essential to ensure you’re ready for your first day on the job.
