7 Lessons learned from Travel Nursing after 40

Aug 15, 2022 | Misc

After reflecting on our first travel nursing assignment, there are a few lessons we’ve learned that we thought might be helpful to others embarking on this journey.

We’ve summed it up with what we hope will be 7 memorable tips that will give you a leg up if you’re just starting out.

1. Avoid thinking you know the area before you arrive

Do not have any preconceived ideas of the place you’ve been assigned to. Doing too much research and thinking you know everything about your temporary home base is a mistake. Instead, embrace being in a new place. Live like a local, get out and explore it for yourself, treat this experience like the adventure it is, and have a little fun!

2. Don’t think of yourself as a replacement at work

Filling a temporary role as a travel nurse can make you feel like you’re just a placeholder for the next nurse. But don’t let yourself fall into that trap! You are valued and needed, so don’t believe that you’re just a cog in the wheel. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to be a unique and effective nurse for every patient that welcomes you into their home.

3. Pay attention to the fine print in your home health travel nursing contracts

When negotiating your travel nursing contracts, be extra diligent about questions related to your assigned area. You need to know ahead of time how much distance you’ll be asked to drive each day because it determines how you are reimbursed for your mileage. Don’t lose out on compensation because you overlooked those fine details.

For example, some staffing agencies will only pay mileage after you’ve traveled to the first patient or if you are traveling to/from the office. This means the cost of traveling from home to the first patient or the office is at your expense. Imagine how much that would cost if the first stop of your day were more than 50 miles from home.

4. Find your tribe wherever you go

Remember to keep living life and don’t just show up to the next destination for the job. Part of what makes travel nursing so special is the opportunity to find community and happiness wherever you go. So don’t be afraid to get below the surface to find things and people in the surrounding community that enhance your life and stay. For us, this meant plugging into a small, local church and joining a small group. Finding people to connect with outside of work really helped to feed our souls while we were away from friends and family back home.

5. Create a daily routine

Just like finding your people is a very important aspect of fully embracing travel nursing, so is finding your daily groove. Make a point to establish daily routines and set aside time to stop and enjoy the little things.

This could be anything from taking daily walks, routinely going to Saturday markets, or frequently visiting the same coffee shop or diner. Do the things that make it feel like a home away from home.

6. Immerse in the local vibes & scenery

Don’t be afraid to become one with your surroundings! It might sound cheesy, but go where the locals go and do what they do…at least a little bit of the time. This will help you to really soak up the vibe both in the community and in the surrounding landscapes. Really take time to marvel at details!

Here in San Rafael, we’ve really learned to appreciate the green grassy hills full of golden poppies.

It’s stunningly beautiful and a happy memory we take away from this place.

We love spending Tuesdays at Jerry’s Barbecue where we are transported back in time to another era, including live music of the Grateful Dead and Deadheads twirling about. These are experiences will miss.

7. Become a planner

If you aren’t a planner, it’s probably time to add that title to your newfound identity in travel nursing. In this job, you’ve got to plan, plan, and plan some more. For starters, you’ll need to memorize your timelines and know exactly where you need to be and when ahead of time.

Most job listings are posted 30 days prior to the start date, so you’ll want to start applying for those about a month before your current assignment is up.

However, you could also wait until you’re ready to leave if you want the highest-paying jobs. Last-minute job postings that need to be filled immediately will often pay more, but they also want you to show up ASAP.

Whichever it is, think about it ahead and plan accordingly. You’ll also want to have several backup plans, including all of the research for housing and things to do in the area.

“Being a travel nurse from the 90s is not that much different from today. However, technology has evolved to make things more streamlined and efficient, but taking care of people and making a difference in their lives is still the same.” – Lynda Donaldson