Traveling in Pairs
Travel nursing is even more fun when you have a partner in crime. Maybe it’s with your friend who is also a nurse, your spouse or significant other, or even a fellow co-worker.
I know a couple that are both nurses and have been traveling together for years. They usually work with the same agency and will often work at the same hospital but on different floors.
One of them accepts a housing stipend while the other travel nurse will allow the agency to make housing arrangements for them. It’s a nice bonus for them because they don’t have to go out of their way to find housing and can even profit from their housing stipend.
Benefits of traveling in pairs
They usually work the same shifts (such as day vs night). Yet, they do not exactly need to work the same exact days since working in the hospital only requires a 3-day workweek.
So they are bound to have at least a couple of days off together. They do not need the same days off because this allows them to have some alone time or space if desired.
I have tons of friends that are travel nurses too, so we often try to coincide with each other on our travel plans. For instance, when I traveled to work in San Diego, California, I had three travel nursing friends working there as well. It ended up being such a blast because we were able to explore the city together.
We went to La Jolla to see all of the seals close by, and would go out at night to the Gaslamp Quarter for some entertainment! When one of us would go out of town, it was convenient to have someone else take us/pick us up from the airport.
Although we didn’t work in the same facility, nor did we have the exact same schedules, it was nice already having someone you know in a new setting.
Discover new places while doing what you love.
Traveling with Co-workers
It is also possible to travel with fellow co-workers. I have previously worked with some pretty incredible nurses that were travelers as well. I personally did not plan to travel with them, but sometimes we ended up living in the same area again. We would meet up during our time off and compare our current work and living conditions.
It comes in handy too because if one of us has worked in a certain facility before, the other person can give us the scoop prior to accepting a new assignment there.
I do know some travel nurses that travel with their previous co-workers on purpose. It ends up being beneficial because they will each take a housing stipend and rent a house altogether for them to share.
They profit financially and have more living space rather than if housing arrangements would have been made by the agency. Sometimes a travel nurse will work with a certain agency but may change to a different one if they are highly recommended by a co-worker.
Meet new people while travel nursing.
Traveling with your spouse and children
Many travel nurses bring their spouse or partner along for the ride, even if they aren’t in the medical field. Some are able to work from home allowing them to be mobile, while others will pick up short-term positions.
When traveling with children, some partners will take time off and become the stay at home parent. Agencies easily accommodate the travel nurse and their family.
Traveling in pairs can be enjoyable and even financially profitable. It is great to have some type of support system when tackling a new environment both socially and professionally.
The only limitation in traveling with a partner is sometimes finding a job in the same exact town can be a bit challenging or time-consuming. Whether traveling solo or in pairs, travel nursing can be fun for everyone!
Find travel nursing agencies that are great for families.
