…With Travel Nursing Jobs?
It’s one of the biggest questions asked by potential travel nurses…”Where will I live when I take on new travel nursing jobs?” Understandably, it’s a big concern and one hesitation among those considering whether or not to bite the bullet and apply for travel nursing jobs here in the United States or overseas. Obviously, your housing can have a big impact on your experience as a travel nurse, so today we’re going to explore housing options for travel nursing jobs.
To start, there are really two options for you if you are going to become a travel nurse: Agency arranged housing or stipend pay for housing. As the name implies, agency arranged housing is provided for you by your travel nursing agency. For the stipend pay option, you will arrange your own housing and your agency will provide you with a stipend, which may or may not match the actual cost for your personally arranged housing. There are pros and cons to both.
Agency arranged housing is kind of like pressing the “EASY” button! Your housing is arranged for you by your agency. If you’ve secured the best travel nursing agency to represent you, they will take all of your needs into consideration: Location desires, pets, travel companions, children and commutability are all factors to discuss with your agency prior to your placement. Obviously, some cities have more options than others, but you want to ensure your accommodations are safe, convenient to your workplace and activities you enjoy, and conducive to the lifestyle that you wish to have. Typically, with agency arranged housing, you’ll find yourself in a fully furnished apartment, condo, or home, with most things you’ll need to survive your assignment. You’ll want to check with your agency to see if housewares, like dishes, linens, and vacuum cleaners are included, so you know what to bring along from home or purchase locally.
If you would like more control over your accommodations, you may choose to select stipend pay. With the stipend pay option, you’ll have to do all the legwork yourself. With options like VRBO, or Air BNB these days, this has become an easier task than in the past, but you’ll have to negotiate with owners, search locations, ensure furnishings, etc. all on your own. Stipend rates vary from agency to agency as well, so if you want to make sure you’re covering your costs, you’ll have to do a bit of research in advance. Additionally, if you run into an issue with your accommodations upon arrival, you will not have the ability to call on your travel nursing agency to help you out like you would with agency-provided housing. If you have very particular needs or desires for your housing, or if you have a mobile home, this option may be for you, but you will have a bit more work to do in advance of your arrival.
The choice is yours…agency provided housing or stipend pay. Typically, we recommend choosing agency-provided housing for your first few travel nursing jobs…it will make your life a whole lot easier as you embark on your new journey. For the best pay, benefits, and housing options, check us out at https://travelphp.com/
