As I said in the first article, I suffer from chronic pain. During a clinical in nursing school, I found a pain pill in a patient’s bed. I said to myself, “You either get to be a pain patient or a nurse… You can’t be both!” I reported the find & went on with my day. While working charge nurse in the ER, a nurse left a patient’s prescription bottle with 100+ pain pills. I made it a point to tell the nurses not to set each other up for failure. Fast forward to 2014. I reported a nurse for possibly diverting. I emailed the director of the department & the VP of Nursing. NOTHING HAPPENED!! They let her quit. That planted a seed in my head.
“Well, that was easy!”
The next time I wasted a narcotic, I didn’t throw it in the shapes. I put it in my pocket. When I got home that morning, I self-administered my first IM injection. That was the beginning of the end for me. It felt amazing & I had my own dirty little secret. It wasn’t a week later I was shooting up in the bathroom. My job performance took a hit, and I transferred to another department. It was there that I sunk deeper & deeper into my addiction. Using multiple times throughout my shift. One of the nurses reported me to the director of the department. They watched me, ran reports, got called in, and questioned me about discrepancies. But, in the end, GUESS WHAT?!? They let me quit and didn’t report me to the BON. NOTHING HAPPENED!! To me, anyway. I walked away & my addiction continued to get more reckless & more dangerous.
2 yrs later… that sweet young nurse that reported me… she was found dead in a bathroom from an overdose.
I’m my experience… you cannot stop using by yourself. If you are not willing to self-report, you need to walk away & quit. You WILL either get caught or kill yourself.
There is not enough self-willpower. Your addiction is more powerful than you.
I, too, thought I was different. I was in control. But I wasn’t. I was just another junkie chasing that high.
The thing about the disease of addiction is that it does not Discriminate. Red, yellow, black, white, her, him, tall, short, skinny, fat, rich, poor, happy, sad, the victim, the perpetrator, that disease is just waiting to attack when you least expect it.
Please reach out. Ask for guidance. Find a 12-step program. Pick up the phone. There is a way out & we do recover.
I’ll leave you with this. One of the 12 steps literature says, “any addict can stop using, lose the desire to use, and find a new way of life.”
Thank you for reading,
Misty Lack RN
We hope you found this article on substance abuse in travel nursing insightful and possibly helpful. Have you found yourself in a similar situation with substance abuse? Would you like to tell your story? Comment below.
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
She was born to be a traveler. Growing up with a dad in the Air Force, naturally, they moved around a lot, never staying in one place for more than a few years. Nurse Ann Marie doesn’t have those childhood friends she’s known since grade school. She was always the new kid, fighting those first-day feelings that she wouldn’t fit in or no one would like her. Maybe that early practice shaped her destiny as a traveling nurse who makes life-long friends everywhere she goes.
There’s the LA artist who paints with her feet after a brain injury from a terrible car accident that limited her hand-eye coordination. She met Nick—who she later found out worked for Capitol Records and knew Elvis and the Jacksons—while on a walk in the Hollywood Hills; she just had to say hello to this gentleman in a blue polyester sport coat and pajamas as he took out the garbage. His wife had just passed away, and he was alone, so Ann Marie and her daughter spent Thanksgiving with him a few days after they met.
Michael—the “Free Dad Hugs” guy pictured with Ann Marie on Facebook at the Boise Pride Parade—who another friend, Molly, recognized from high school and said, “You’ve got to become friends with him!” So, when Ann Marie ran into him at the farmer’s market, she introduced herself, and they’ve been friends for many years. There’s the European couple in their late 70s who own an estate jewelry store in Dallas where Ann Marie regularly feeds her obsession for funky vintage jewelry. And, as you can imagine, there are so many more in every city she’s worked in all over the country.
Social Life
This network of fascinating people who have filled her social life are just as dear to her as her pre-op, PACU, and post-op patients, whose stories have opened her heart and mind to people from all walks of life. The ability to make the focus of her work be on her patients, thanks to a career as a traveler, revived Ann Marie’s passion for nursing. Burnt out as a staff nurse and near the point of quitting, traveling reminded her of the reasons she became a nurse in the first place—one of which is her patients’ stories.
Patients in pre-op, PACU, and post-op might be nervous, afraid, and suffering, so Nurse Ann Marie—much like herself outside of work—asks them about their lives and gets them talking about their experiences and interests. She’s learned about Native American cultures and traditions, treated and talked with incarcerated patients, heard the stories of homeless men and women, cared for children with disabilities in their homes, and grown close with their families.
These moments of connection may or may not have had an effect on or even be remembered by her patients, but they enrich Ann Marie’s life and continually remind her that nursing is more than just a job. Travel nursing has opened her perspective on what it means to be a nurse, on friendship and personal connection, on her patients’ lives, and on the importance of our stories. Ann Marie has collected countless stories and has great ones of her own that she hopes to share with other travelers and possibly help someone along the way.
We want to hear your stories! What inspires you as a healthcare traveler? Who’s the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels? Go to Aequor Perspectives to share your story.
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
You’re about to drive a hefty distance from assignment A to assignment B and could use some tools to make the time in the car a little more fun (or wallet-friendly). We get it. Here are a few road trip planning apps loved by travelers and ways your travel nurse agency can support you on your adventures.
On Recreation.gov, you can find cultural sites to explore, locate camping spots or unique lodging, and reserve your spot for different experiences. Thirteen federal partners, including the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Burea of Land Management, help provide the tools and tips on Recreation.gov and its app.
Want to avoid traffic? The navigation platform Waze can help with that. Waze relies on its community of drivers and partners to report highway nightmares like potholes, wrecks, and construction and get you on the best route at the moment.
Those nationwide travels can cost a pretty penny, but there’s an app that might make the journey a little easier on your wallet. The GasBuddy app helps you find the cheapest gas stations, which you can filter by price, distance, amenities, and fuel type.
4. Roadside America
Quirky roadside attractions can make a long stretch of interstate more interesting. Roadside America helps you find hidden gems like the Lost Sea in Tennessee, the World’s Smallest Park in Oregon, or the Junk Art Park in Michigan. Roadside America is available as an app only for Apple users. It costs $2.99 to use, and there are in-app purchases to unlock maps of sites in all US/Canadian regions. However, you can browse the attractions on the RoadsideAmerica website and plan your stops from there.
AllTrails can help you find the right place to stretch your legs for a road trip break. Use it to find hiking, biking, and backpacking trails, read trail reviews, map out the route, and much more. It costs to access the full app but includes handy features like downloading offline maps and getting alerts for wrong turns.
Agency Support on the Road
Okay, we’ve talked about ways to make your trip more exciting. Now, how can your agency give you the best possible experience as a nationwide traveler? Here are a few ideas.
Travel Reimbursement
You’ve seen gas prices – a multi-state adventure can be costly. Does your agency help you with the bill? See if your agency has a travel reimbursement program that can offset some of the moving costs, whether you travel by car or plane. Just keep your receipts, document your mileage, and you should be good to go!
Housing Assistance
Being a traveler is fun, but the upfront costs of moving are not. See if your agency can help! Some agencies might have programs to help cover these expenses, like utility fees, pet deposits, and first and last month’s rent. Your agency can divide the total cost of the moving expenses over your first few checks once you start your assignment.
Your Way is Paid
As a travel nurse, you’ll likely need multiple licenses, certifications, vaccinations, and more as you go from facility to facility and state to state. While many agencies pay for some of these expenses, others don’t pay for anything. Ask your agency if they help you cover these costs (and if they ensure you’re following all compliance requirements before you drive off to your new assignment).
Being a travel nurse allows you to make great moves in your life. Pick an agency that supports you in the venture.
We hope you found this article on road trip planning apps for your cross-country travels helpful. Are there any other apps you think should be included in this list? Comment them below.
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
When it comes to a career in travel nursing, one of the best ways to find success in the field is to become comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Over your career, you will travel between assignments and locations and will always be working with new people. Successful travel nurses are flexible, confident, and can adapt to anything thrown their way. While these traits are important to the job, there are other factors to consider when travel nursing.
Thinking outside of the mental and physical tolls of the job, what are some other hurdles associated with travel nursing? In this time of steadily rising costs and inflation, finances should be right at the top of the list. Whether you’re an individual considering a job in the industry, or if you are a current travel nurse who’s looking to improve their financial standing, here are 3 useful tips any travel nurse can use to avoid falling into debt when on the road.
Fully Understand Your Financial Situation
Seeing as travel nurses are expected to move locations every few months or even every few weeks, you’ll find that financial literacy can be your best friend. Without a firm handle on your finances, expenses for things like travel, transportation, housing, and food can easily get out of hand. You don’t want to get to a situation where you are away from home and find yourself struggling just to get by. By diving headfirst into learning about your finances, you can gain control over your current and future financial standing. A good first step to gaining a better understanding of your financial situation is to calculate both your net worth as well as your debt-to-income ratio.
First, let’s take a look at what net worth means and why it matters. A person’s net worth is calculated by adding the value of assets they own subtracted from the value of liabilities against them. Some common assets to include are cash reserves, home equity, investments, and liabilities include student debt, credit cards, and a mortgage. The first time you calculate your net worth will most likely be overwhelming. It can be hard to remember every little asset or liability you have accrued. Using something like a personal net worth calculator can help facilitate the process to ensure you don’t leave anything out of your calculations.
Your net worth calculation will give you a snapshot of how your past has impacted your financial situation. Calculating your debt-to-income ratio will help you understand what your current financial situation is looking like. To calculate your debt-to-income ratio, all you need to do is take your total amount of debt payments made each month and subtract that amount from your monthly income. Most people aim to have a debt-to-income ratio of 30% or lower. This means that if you took home $5,000 in a month that your monthly debt payments should be $1,500 or lower. Again, if you need assistance with calculating your ratio, there are debt-to-income calculators available for free to help you along the way.
After you have a full view of your past and current financial situation, you can now start thinking about the future. As you start to think about your next travel nursing assignment, consider how much you can realistically spend in one month. You should be using your net worth and debt-to-income ratio to help guide you here. As mentioned, you want to keep this ratio below 30%, which makes the 50/30/20 method of budgeting a great option to try. This strategy separates your monthly after-tax expenses into three categories: 50% towards necessities (housing, food, transportation), 30% towards wants (shopping, social activities, travel, dining out), and the remaining 20% towards savings or paying off debts. In the context of travel nursing, utilizing a method of budgeting such as this one can be extremely beneficial for navigating price fluctuations between assignments and building out your savings.
Think Proactively About Where You Choose to Live
Although some travel nursing assignments offer living accommodations, some do not, and finding temporary housing can be difficult, costly, and can bring on unwanted stress. This is where being proactive can be hugely beneficial. As opposed to lengthy hotel stays or crashing with friends or family, there are several options available to find short-term living accommodations without breaking the bank.
First off, subletting is a great option in temporary situations and can allow for the flexibility you need when changing travel nursing assignments. Sublets come in all shapes and sizes, whether you need the whole place to yourself or if you’re okay with renting a room and sharing your space with others for the short while you’re on assignment. Depending on your desired location and proximity to work, subletting allows you to find affordable housing without having to make long-term commitments. A good place to look for sublets is either within a local Facebook community or housing page.
Rental intermediaries such as VRBO offer alternative solutions for short-term housing but can come at higher costs with additional fees included. A way to circumvent this is to reach out to the property manager, explain your situation and ask if they might be willing to offer a discount for stays longer than a typical weekend or vacation rental. While this is completely subjective to the manager, if they are open to working with you and providing a discounted rate, you may be able to find a stable home at a fraction of the price in comparison to booking hotel stays or subletting.
Given the long hours and stress, you’ll likely encounter during your assignment, finding a comfortable space to come home to and decompress is crucial to being successful in the role and ensuring the stability of your physical and mental health. Since housing will be your biggest expense during your time, you might as well plan as best as possible and work towards saving yourself the funds and reducing the stress that comes with the housing search process.
Don’t Be Afraid of Outside Help
Now that you’ve completed the first two steps in creating a budget and finding adequate housing accommodations, you must remain cognizant of your finances and be smart about how you choose to pay for everything. Far too often, people think they need to handle this all on their own, but leaning on outside help can both lower stress levels as well as improve your financial standing. Outside help can mean a lot of different things. Most often, outside help either will come in the form of an outside financial product or leaning on family and friends.
If you become friends with some of your travel nursing peers, looking for housing together can be a resourceful option for reducing your living costs and allocating more money to your savings budget each month. Finding short-term housing with another person allows for twice the reach in your search and provides you with some company at home, rather than living all by yourself or with strangers.
Another option that could provide more flexibility is applying for a personal loan to use for expenses and purchases while on assignment. This option provides you with the necessary funds to use for your needs upfront as opposed to dealing with the credit limits of cards. Loans are the best for longer-term stays as you will make payments in monthly installments that come with lower rates than credit cards and allow for less of a hassle when it comes time to pay your bills.
If you are thinking about applying for a loan:
Make sure that you are only making purchases that are necessary to your living situation. Things like furniture, utilities, or breaking an old lease are what outside financial products should be used for, not a new wardrobe or other impulse buys. And remember, no matter what method you choose, all that matters is that it’s the best for your situation and provides you with the least vulnerability to debt.
A career in travel nursing is both an exciting and fulfilling experience vital to our communities’ health and prosperity. Whether you’re new to the job or a seasoned veteran, planning for a new assignment can prove to be stressful in more ways than one, but with the right attitude and proper financial planning, you can reduce your anxiety and focus better on the job. At hand: saving lives!
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
In recent years, full-time RV living has taken the world by storm. All it takes is a few scrolls on Instagram or TikTok before you see a post of someone living this lifestyle. Most of the time, people rave about living in an RV and seem incredibly content in their choice to downsize and live in a tiny home on wheels.
Oscar and I decided early in our travel nursing journey that RV living was the right move for us, but we have learned a lot along the way. Most of these things we wish we knew before we got started. Hopefully, this article can shed some light on what it is really like living in an RV and what you should definitely know before jumping into becoming a full-time RVer.
It isn’t cheap
A big reason Oscar and I chose to live this lifestyle was because we thought that it would be cheaper in the long run. For the most part, we were right; however…we were also very wrong. RV living, like most things, can be as luxurious or as basic as you want. To get started, you will need to have or invest in a great towing vehicle. We started out with Oscar’s relatively new Chevrolet Silverado because we weren’t ready to invest in a bigger and more powerful vehicle at the time.
Our Silverado gave us a good 6-8 months before it finally gave out on us. We learned from that point forward that diesel trucks really are the best way to go if you want something that is going to last and get the towing job done well. These vehicles do NOT come cheap, though and we sort of begrudgingly went through with the purchase because we knew we would be living in the RV for years to come, and to us, it was more than worth the investment.
Choose your RV
Next up, of course, you will need to choose your RV. Again, you can go as basic or luxurious as you want, so this is up to your preference. However, be prepared to spend a decent amount. After all, this is going to be your home, and you don’t want to get something you end up hating. For this reason, make sure you look at RVs in person! This gives you the opportunity to walk around the inside and get a good feel for the size of the RV. Trust me; this is a step you do not want to miss! Pictures only do a trailer so much justice. I would recommend using a website like rvtrader.com to compare the different costs of the RV model you like in different states (our exact RV model costs double in Virginia than it did in Texas!).
Let’s talk accessories.
Boy, you can really go all out with this part. However, there are some basics you will certainly need, and that’ll cost you a few hundred dollars. Some RV shops include these items with the purchase of your RV, which is a major plus, but not always. These basics include two sewer hoses (in case one isn’t long enough to reach the sewer connection at the RV park), plastic sewer hose support (this is where your sewer hose will sit when it’s connected), 3 water hoses (a heated one – you can find these on amazon – hopefully we will have a store up soon where we can link these items!, a spare water hose, and one to flush out black water tank – make sure you NEVER use the black water tank hose for your regular drinking water!), water pressure regulator (controls the water pressure coming into the RV), and power chord for electricity and surge protector.
It would also be a good idea to have an adapter for 30/50 amp service (these come in handy when you park at an RV site that only has 30 amp service and your setup is 30 or 50 amp). 50 amp service is better because it allows you to run multiple electronics/ACs at once without tripping the breaker, but not all RV parks have this service.
Another great basic to have is a water filter that you will connect to your heated water hose/freshwater drinking hose. Some other basic things you should have on hand are an extra extension cord, tools such as a power drill and toolkit that comes with screwdrivers/ratchets, and level/leveling blocks to ensure your RV is not tilting to one side.
Lastly, let’s talk about the cost of an RV spot.
This is going to depend highly on where you are and at which time of the year. For example, RV parks in Florida during the month of December will cost a lot more than an RV spot in a colder place during the winter. The same applies for summertime and spots up north (think Washington, Idaho, etc.). RV parks can charge up to $3,000 monthly for a spot in these desirable locations. However, keep in mind that furnished places can cost just about as much, so you aren’t really losing too much money there. Plus, you don’t have to worry about moving in and out of your RV – you’re already moved in!
Speaking of RV parks, let’s talk about finding one. Due to the recent increase in people purchasing RVs and wanting to live this lifestyle, RV parks have been filling up faster than ever. This poses a unique challenge to travel nurses, especially because this can make or break whether you take an assignment in a certain place.
For our summer assignment last year in Eastern Washington, I must’ve called 15-20 RV parks multiple times in hopes of finding a spot. It wasn’t until the 3rd time I called a specific RV park that I was able to secure us a spot. Even still, the RV park was ~30 min away from the hospital, but we were even willing to drive further just to have a spot. Be prepared for long commutes to and from work in certain areas if RV parks are hard to come by.
I’m not sure why we didn’t think this would be an issue before we decided to embark on our RV adventure, but I am here to tell you that it has been stressful at times finding us spots on the road and while on assignment. This may mean you need to look at the types of places you want to work and perhaps consider working there during a shoulder season (aka not a tourist season!) in order to easily find a spot. You can also search Facebook groups for private listings as well if you get really desperate.
Learning curves galore
Thankfully, Oscar has taken on much of the learning curves that we have experienced since living in our RV full time, but I am here to tell you that there has been A LOT of learning.
Some of the learning includes:
learning how to prep the inside and outside for long travels
how to get the RV hooked up and secured before towing
how to drive and park the trailer (this is a huge one and one I have yet to partake in!)
how to perform the required maintenance
figuring out how often to dump your black and gray tanks
understanding what blank and gray tanks even are
having the right tools/accessories to keep our RV functioning appropriately
troubleshooting when things go wrong
and the list goes on and on.
There are tons of resources available to help you on this new journey (YouTube, for instance), but really the best way to learn is to just get on the road and start doing it yourself! An important thing to remember is to be patient with yourself and allow yourself the time to learn these new skills. You aren’t going to understand it all in one day so take as much time as you need!
Another important tip: RVs are not always made very well. This is an unfortunate truth, but something good to know regardless. It doesn’t always matter what type or brand of trailer you get; sometimes, they are just not made well. Therefore, it’s not a matter of if things will break, but when! Don’t get discouraged when this happens, but learn to roll with the punches. This is the only way you are going to survive RV life!
You will need to downsize… A LOT
This should come as no surprise to most of you, but it is still something that I am reminded of almost daily. You really don’t realize how much you have until you are forced to live out of small closets and storage bins! Luckily for us, the RV we chose has a great amount of storage, so that has helped. However, it still can only handle one season’s wardrobe at a time – our home back in Texas serves as our major “storage unit” where we keep all off-season clothing, but not everyone has this option.
If RV living is something you are serious about, I invite you to go through all your things now and donate what you don’t use on a daily/weekly basis. In doing so, you are setting yourself up for success when you do finally move into your RV. It’s been incredibly nice to live a more minimalistic lifestyle, but we are still guilty of filling our RV up more than we should from time to time. We are still learning!
It isn’t as scary as we thought.
Finally, I wish we knew just how much we love living this way before getting started. Like everything, there are pros and cons to full-time RV living, but for us, the pros heavily outweigh the cons. We have learned so much about ourselves, about each other, how to problem solve, how to not sweat the small things, and how to enjoy the moment so much more.
We have realized we don’t need a lot to live a happy, fulfilled lifestyle. There is something special about knowing you have your home with you wherever you go, and it brings a sense of comfort and consistency to a travel nurse’s ever-changing and sometimes chaotic life. I can honestly say that after a year of living this way, I can’t imagine our travel nurse experience any other way. This lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, but one thing is for sure: it is definitely for us!
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
Many aspects of life require extra energy, particularly fast-paced, labor-intensive, stressful jobs. One job that may require plenty of energy is travel nursing. While the go-to method of gaining energy is caffeine, you can also boost your reserves by making dietary changes. Here are foods traveling nurses should add to their diets to keep their energy up.
1. Nutrient-rich Fruits And Vegetables
One of the best ways to keep your energy up is to load up on nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables such as spinach, strawberries, bananas, and kale. Doing so ensures you get the necessary amounts of energy-boosting nutrients such as iron, vitamin B6, and potassium. These are versatile foods that can be added to many recipes and meals. Many people choose to add cut fruit to yogurt, cereal, and oatmeal breakfasts. You can also blend many of these fruits and vegetables into smoothies. If you want an extra boost, you can also include nutrient supplements and powders such as opti greens.
2. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon and tuna are also useful additions to your diet if you want to boost your daily energy levels. You shouldn’t eat seafood every day, but including these fish, in your diet several times throughout each month or adding a daily fish oil supplement to your diet can be beneficial due to the high amounts of vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein in them. The protein ensures you feel fuller longer and have greater energy stores, while vitamin B12 supports your body’s iron levels and produces red blood cells in conjunction with folic acid.
3. Lean And Plant-based Protein
Protein is an important source of energy for your body, but you need to choose the right kinds of protein. Try to focus on lean meats such as poultry, protein sources that contain healthy fats, such as fish and eggs, and plant-based protein, such as nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. Sources of protein that contain trans fats, such as processed meats, and saturated fats, such as red meat, should be consumed in moderation.
4. Wraps of All Kinds
As a travel nurse, you’re likely going to want many of your meals to be compact, portable, and easy to eat quickly. This applies to lunches and snacks in particular. A great option for ensuring you have a portable meal that also packs plenty of nutrients is by choosing to make wraps. A wrap can include the same ingredients as a sandwich in a more compact package. Wraps have as much variety as sandwiches, too. You can make them out of tortillas or lettuce and fill them with combinations of nearly all the other foods on this list, among others.
5. Green, Black, Or Oolong Tea
Coffee may be the go-to source of caffeine, but there are alternatives that allow your body to process caffeine more slowly and provide you with additional nutrition. Many types of teas, excluding most herbal blends, contain caffeine. Unlike coffee, tea contains a compound called L-theanine. This compound reduces the negative effects of caffeine, such as jitters, and moderates the dispersal of caffeine throughout your body. Drinking one or more cups of tea in a day is highly likely to improve your concentration and alertness. Tea also contains high amounts of antioxidants, namely flavonoids or polyphenols.
6. High-fiber Foods
No matter what your diet is like while you work as a travel nurse, make sure high-fiber foods are included in it. Foods that are high in fiber are well-known for regulating your digestive cycle, but they have other benefits as well. They provide your body with longer-lasting energy stores and regulate your blood sugar. High-fiber foods include most fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. You can also add fiber supplements to your diet.
Many people find that a balanced and nutrient-rich diet has better energizing effects than simply consuming caffeine. You can try out different dietary changes to determine what seems to work best for you. Consulting a dietician or nutritionist can also be quite beneficial.
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
There’s a lot to love about a career in nursing. You get to spend your life helping people. You have the honor of being present for some of life’s most precious moments, from birth to death. And, of course, you also have the assurance of a steady income and ample job opportunities.
Being a travel nurse, however, brings with it a new and unique set of advantages in addition to all those already offered by a traditional nursing career. Here are the top four ways that travel nursing can help you develop into a better healthcare provider:
1. You Learn Cross-Cultural Competence
By far, one of the greatest benefits of travel nursing is that you get to work with patients from a diverse array of cultural backgrounds. This means that you are likely to experience the unique challenges and opportunities of delivering care in a range of languages, which can help prepare you for clinical practice in diverse communities at home.
Even more importantly, perhaps, travel nursing enables you to experience different perspectives, attitudes, and practices regarding birth, wellness and dying. This can not only help you to expand and enhance your nursing practices, but it can also increase your cross-cultural competence and your ability to understand, communicate, and empathize with patients and families whose views on health may differ from yours.
2. Provides Invaluable Experience with Global Health Systems
Another crucial benefit of travel nursing is the opportunity to experience the global health system from a truly hands-on perspective. As a travel nurse, you are probably going to find yourself working with some of the most marginalized and underserved patient populations both in the United States and around the world.
This means you will be equipped to understand and respond to systemic challenges, including the pervasive health disparities which persist in the US and other highly developed and immensely wealthy nations. Such experience isn’t just going to make you a better practitioner, but it can open up important opportunities to make a true difference at the administrative and policy level.
3. Adventures that Feed Your Soul
Whether you are already a practicing nurse or you’re preparing for a career in nursing, you probably already understand the profound emotional labor involved in the work. When you earn your living as a care provider, you can expect to experience extreme highs and devastating lows, often within the course of a single shift.
This can be profoundly draining to a nurse’s mind, body, and spirit. However, when you’re a travel nurse, you can find yourself in some truly incredible places. This means that, in your off hours, you can feed your soul with new adventures that simply wouldn’t be possible in the more familiar surroundings of home.
4. Adaptability, Resilience, and Creative Problem-Solving
Anyone who’s been a travel nurse knows that the job requires a host of unique attributes, including adaptability, resilience, and creative problem-solving. After all, learning to quickly acclimate to a new work environment and the patient roster is a part of the travel nurse’s job description.
That means you’re going to have to learn to deal with stress, think on your feet, and perform at optimal levels even in unfamiliar environments. You are also likely going to learn to creatively improvise, especially if you are working in underserved and remote communities which may lack the resources you have grown accustomed to.
The Takeaway
There’s a lot to love about being a travel nurse, but perhaps the best thing of all is the myriad ways it can help you develop into a better healthcare provider. From supporting cross-cultural competence to increasing resiliency and adaptability to providing unparalleled experience with global and national health systems, travel nursing gives practitioners experiences that can optimize patient care for generations to come.
We hope you found this article on how travel nursing helps develop you into a better healthcare provider. Have you found that you are a better healthcare provider because of travel nursing? Comment below to share your experience.
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
Travel nursing entails visiting new places and meeting a diverse range of patients and nurses. Reading a good romance novel or memoir while traveling or unwinding after a long shift is a terrific way to pass the time. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite novels to save you time.
Laura May has written the ideal beach read. Julie manipulates what the eye cannot see as a graphic designer, but her life and her relationship with her lover Mark remain mundane no matter how she looks at it. Until she meets Ann, an accomplished STEM professional. Ann is also stunning and endearing. Julie can’t deny that their unexpected meeting resulted in chemistry. As their history and present intersect once more in Barcelona, the spark is obvious. Julie must choose between her love for Ann and her allegiance to Mark when catastrophe strikes. Is pure love able to survive when the time is off?
Nora Stephens’ life revolves around books, and she’s not the kind of heroine you’d expect. Nor the brave one, not the dreamy one, and certainly not the sweetheart.
Which is why, when her sister begs her to go to Sunshine Falls, NC, for the month, she accepts, imagining a small town metamorphosis. Nora keeps running into Charlie Lastra, a bookish moody editor from the city. If it weren’t for the fact that they’ve met before and it’s never been cute, it would be a meet-cute.
Nora acknowledges that she isn’t an ideal heroine. Charlie realizes that he isn’t anyone’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again, what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories about themselves they’ve written.
Summers are the measure by which Belly assesses her life. Between the months of June and August, everything good and amazing happens. Winters are merely a place to count down the days until the next summer, a place to get away from the beach home, Susannah, and, most importantly, Jeremiah and Conrad. Belly has known these lads since her first summer, and they’ve been her brother figures, crushes, and everything in between. But, over the course of one summer, one awful and magnificent summer, everything begins to fall into place exactly as it should have been all along.
Alice Gunnersley and Alfie Mack share a bed just a few feet apart. Every day, they converse for hours. And they’ve never met face to face before.
After being in tragic accidents, the two are now long-term residents at St. Francis’s Hospital and share the same ward. Despite the fact that they don’t have the best of the beginning, the close quarters pull them closer together. Alfie believes that he’s finally found a true confidante in Alice, and no one can make her laugh as hard as Alfie can.
However, as their conditions improve and their time draws to a close, Alfie and Alice must determine whether it’s worth continuing a relationship with someone who has seen all of your darkest sides but never your face.
Annika Dev is a romantic who believes in second chances and happy endings. Make Up; her app encourages couples to believe in these things as well.
Fast automobiles, flamboyant start-ups, and high-efficiency break-ups are all things Hudson Craft believes in. Break Up, his software, helps people get out of bad relationships faster. It’s hugely popular, and everything Annika despises.
Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d split up after their summer fling in Vegas and never seen one other again. Hudson is moving into the office next door to Annika’s, and he plans on entering the famous EPIC investment pitch event as well. If Annika wants to keep Make Up afloat, she needs to win this competition. However, as the two rival software developers fight, Annika discovers that battling with Hudson is just too enjoyable for her.
These are just a few suggestions of novels to take on the road while travel nursing. If you have any suggestions on novels for travel nurses to read, please leave them in the comments section below.
Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming travel nurse assignment? Click here to search our housing page.
If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
Unless you’re fortunate to have parents or mentors to teach you how to retire financially independent early on, you’re like the rest of us who learned later in life. It isn’t until we land a nursing job that we discover there are different retirement vehicles, such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and IRAs, also known as Individual Retirement Accounts.
The truth is that nurses are experts in medicine, not finances, and it’s ok if you’re hearing the terms 401(k) or IRA for the first time. This article will cover the basics to be better prepared when talking with a financial representative or advisor. And no matter where you are in life, it’s never too soon or too late to start planning for retirement!
WHAT IS A 401K PLAN?
According to Investopedia, a 401(k) plan is a retirement savings or investment vehicle offered throughout the US. It is one of the most recognized retirement plans because many American employers provide it to their employees.
A percentage of your pre-taxed paycheck will go directly into this retirement account. As an incentive, an employer may match a portion of your contribution. A 401(k) contains investments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds that help your money grow. You can choose how you want your money invested. You can also consult with your 401(k) plan company representative.
REQUIREMENTS
Start date
Your employer will specify when you can join the plan. For example, you may be able to participate on the first day of the calendar year following the completion of the required year of service.
Years of service
Most plans require 1 to 2 years of service before participating in a 401(k) plan. Some employers determine your eligibility using hours served. Check with your employer’s HR department for details.
Ownership
You may be required to put in one year of service with your employer to be considered 100 % vested. What this means is that what you contribute with your own money is yours, but vesting applies only to the portion of your retirement contributions that your employer matches.
BENEFITS OF A 401(k)
You control your money
You have the flexibility to increase or decrease your contributions at any time. You also can be as aggressive or as conservative as you want.
Employer matching
Your employer may offer to match a percentage or all of your contributions. What your employer matches is essentially free money.
The contribution limit in 2022 for nurses under the age of 50
According to CNBC, the maximum amount you can contribute in one year is $20,500, which is $1000 more than in 2021.
A higher catch-up contribution in 2022 for nurses ages 50 and over
Nurses over age 50 are eligible for catch-up contributions into their 401k. You can contribute additional money up to $6,500 above the $20,500 yearly limit.
Tax advantages
You contribute with pre-taxed dollars, which lowers your taxable income. This means that you may pay less in taxes at the end of the year. Your money also grows tax-deferred, and you don’t pay taxes on it until you retire.
Easy payroll deductions
Having your money automatically deducted from your paycheck makes saving effortless. It’s like how the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind.”
Portability
The money you contribute to and earn in your 401k is yours and can go wherever you go. For example, if you switch jobs, you can roll it over to your new employer’s 401k plan, roll it over to another tax-deferred retirement plan, or do nothing and leave it with your old employer. You choose! Be sure to check with a financial advisor to see what would be the best option for you.
A 401(k) is a great option to start investing in if you haven’t already. But what if the travel agency you work for doesn’t offer a 401(k) plan? The good news is that a 401(k) plan is not the only option. Another option is an Individual Retirement Account, or IRA can be an option.
WHAT IS AN IRA?
An IRA is a type of retirement savings account that has tax advantages. You can open an account on your own at almost any financial institution, such as a bank, investment company, or brokerage firm. There are two main types of IRAs a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA.
ROTH IRA REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFITS
Eligibility
You can contribute to a Roth IRA if your income is below a certain level. More specifically, your modified adjusted gross income and you’re filing status will determine if you are eligible. You can check the IRS website for more information. Please consult a financial representative or advisor for more information about your eligibility.
Ownership
Your Roth IRA is yours. You have the flexibility to increase or decrease your contributions at any time up to the maximum contribution limit per year. You also can be as aggressive or conservative as you want.
Contributions
You make contributions with after-tax money. In other words, you use money from your paycheck to fund your Roth IRA. Therefore, there is no immediate tax benefit for contributing.
The contribution limit in 2022 for nurses under age 50
The contribution limit is $6,000 a year if you’re under age 50. Contribution limits typically change every 1 to 2 years.
The contribution limit in 2022 for nurses ages 50 and over
If you’re age 50 and older, you can contribute up to $7,000 a year. Contribution limits typically change every 1 to 2 years.
Taxes
Contributions into a Roth IRA are not tax-deductible.
Withdrawals
A required minimum distribution (RMD) states that you must start to withdraw from your retirement account each year at a certain age. However, there are no required withdrawals until after the owner’s death.
If you’re 59 ½ or older and the account is at least five years old, you can withdraw your money tax-free and penalty-free. Other qualified distributions can be tax-free as well. Please consult with a financial representative or advisor for more information on what is considered a qualified distribution.
Early withdrawals before 59 ½ are taxed as ordinary income, and there is a 10% penalty by the IRS. There are certain instances you can withdraw without being penalized. Consult with a financial representative or advisor for more information.
Growth is tax-free
Your money grows tax-free. Roth IRAs continue to grow through compounding even during the years you can’t contribute.
TRADITIONAL IRA REQUIREMENTS AND BENEFITS
Eligibility
Anyone with earned income can contribute to a Traditional IRA but with income restrictions that differ from a Roth IRA. Please consult a financial representative or advisor for more information about your eligibility.
Ownership
Your Traditional IRA is yours. You have the flexibility to increase or decrease your contributions at any time up to the maximum contribution limit per year. You also can be as aggressive or as conservative as you want.
Contributions
There are some ways you can fund a Traditional IRA.
You can contribute after-tax dollars, but you have to inform the IRS that you’ve already paid tax on those dollars. Please consult with your tax preparer or tax lawyer for more information.
You can roll over other retirement plans, such as a previous employer’s 401(k) plan.
Contribution limits in 2022 for nurses under age 50
The contribution limit is $6,000 a year if you’re under age 50. Contribution limits typically change every 1 to 2 years.
Contribution limits in 2022 for nurses ages 50 and over
You can contribute up to $7,000 a year. Contribution limits typically change every 1 to 2 years.
Taxes
Contributions to a Traditional IRA can be tax-deductible. The IRS website explains when you’re allowed to claim your contributions as a deduction on your taxes. Please consult with your tax preparer or tax lawyer for more information.
Withdrawals
A required minimum distribution (RMD) for a Traditional IRA starts at age 72. Therefore, you must begin withdrawing from your Traditional IRA at age 72. There is a penalty for withdrawing after age 72.
You can withdraw at age 59 ½ or older without restrictions or penalties. The IRS will treat your withdrawals as ordinary income, and it will be taxed.
Early withdrawals before 59 ½are subject to taxes and a 10% penalty. There are certain instances you can withdraw without being penalized. Consult with a financial representative or advisor for more information.
Growth is tax-deferred
Your money will grow tax-deferred. Any earnings you receive on your investment can produce gains of their own, and this type of cycle repeats itself having the potential to make more money. You don’t pay taxes on the growth until you withdraw money in retirement.
The goal is to empower you with some basic information about 401(k)s and IRAs. The good news? You don’t have to be an expert. That’s what financial advisors are for! So remember, no matter where you’re at in your traveling nursing career, you’re in the driver’s seat.
We hope you found these tips for retirement savings for travel nurses helpful.
Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.
“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”
