time to be a travel nurse
Travel Experts Offer Advice for Making the Most of Your Assignment
By Megan M. Krischke, contributor
September 20, 2011 - From financial matters to packing lists to tips for traveling alone, three travel experts--namely Paul Orcutt, travel consultant for Rick Steve’s Europe, and Christine Ryan, senior editor for Frommer’s Travel, along with packing expert and author, Susan Foster--offer their best tricks of the trade for planning for and enjoying your travel nursing assignment.
Think ahead
Moving to a new location for three months or longer is an exciting adventure, but one that requires some thought and planning.
“Probably one of the first things to do after receiving your assignment is to get a sense of the layout of the city and the neighborhoods of your new city. You may want to have the shortest commute possible, you might want to be where the nightlife is, or be close to the beach or other attraction. Then you can decide if you want to opt for the assigned housing, or take a housing stipend,” suggested Ryan. “At Frommers.com we have community forums where you can post questions about any destination in the world and receive feedback from people who have recently visited that location, or even from locals.”
Foster, a fan of lists, suggest making a list of everything you need to take care of before you leave, such as forwarding your mail and turning off utilities.
“Be sure to contact your credit or debit card providers to let them know your new location, as well as any unusual expenses that you anticipate, to prevent having a hold put on your card,” suggested Orcutt. “You should also keep a list, in a separate location, of your credit card numbers, expiration dates and the number to call if they are lost. Additionally, bring photocopies of important documents such as your passport, drivers license, and birth certificate, as well as medication and eyeglass prescriptions.”
Orcutt also suggests considering whether it would be worth sub-leasing your home. While it might be hard to find a renter for just three months, it could also prove difficult to be vigilant about what is going on at your property if you are leaving for a longer assignment.
Packing
“No matter where you are going and how long you are going to be gone--the only difference between packing for a week and packing for a month is laundry,” quipped Foster. “Once you’ve met the needs for the weather and you can live between your opportunities to do laundry, then you are good to go. We live in a society where more seems to be better, but personally I believe that more is only more. More tends to be overwhelming--you have to store, schlep, manage, pack and unpack it.”
Foster says that women, especially, are prone to over-do it when it comes to shoes. She suggests no more than three pairs. Flip-flops, which pack small, are a freebie. She also recommends picking a color theme for the clothing you pack, ideally a dark color--navy, black, brown or burgundy--that can hide dirt. And think about what can do the same job while taking up less space--a thin wool sweater instead of a bulky sweatshirt, a pair of flats, versus a pair of heels.
Foster offers printable packing lists on her website and recommends that you keep a copy of your packing list, both to assist you in making sure you return home with everything you brought and for insurance purposes if your luggage is lost.
Ryan suggests finding out exactly what is included in your furnished apartment. What about a corkscrew for wine drinkers? If you are an avid baker or cook, will you have the tools you need?
She also recommends assembling a weekend-size bag that can get you through three or four days. In addition to travel-size toiletries and a few changes of clothes and scrubs, include some non-perishable snacks and a hand-washing laundry detergent such as Eucalan, which is a no-rinse detergent. Make a list of what goes in that bag and keep it in the pocket of the bag.
A few other items Ryan thinks would be nice to bring along are a good day bag and several items that will help your new place feel homier--a family photo or a favorite throw.
Planes, trains and automobiles
Another decision you will need to make is whether to fly or drive to your new location.
Orcutt suggests comparing the cost of taking your car versus the cost of using public transportation during your stay. It is important to find out how user-friendly the public transportation is and if you would have a safe, inexpensive place to park a car near your residence. You should also factor in weekend trips you might like to take and consider how important it is to you to be able to go where you want, when you want.
If you are planning to drive, Ryan recommends not relying completely on your GPS.
“GPS systems can have glitches or you can lose service. You should bring a map and have a basic idea of your route before you begin,” she said. “While you may plan to drive until you are tired, it is a good idea to look for likely stopping points ahead of time and make hotel reservations, asking about cancellation policies. Many hotels will allow canceling a reservation as late as 4 or 6 p.m. with no fee.”
Exploring your new home
Ryan and Orcutt both recommend making the small investment in a travel guidebook, such as those put out by Lonely Planet and Frommer’s. In addition to providing reviews and great ideas for day trips, Orcutt says they also make great conversation starters with other tourists.
Looking at a local newspaper or online for an events calendar can clue you in to exciting local happenings. Ryan suggests checking out the farmers’ market as a place to meet people and gain suggestions from locals about the best restaurants and attractions.
If you will be located near a major airport, you assignment could be a good time to find bargain airfares to other destinations. Orcutt suggests checking websites that feature discount travel such as skyscanner.com and kayak.com.
One warning Orcutt offers is that it can be lonely to travel alone. He suggests bringing along a book to a solo dinner to help lessen the awkwardness and also recommends that female travel nurses check out his tips for women traveling alone.
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