Travel nurses are amazing professionals, traveling all across the country to provide quality care in facilities that have staffing gaps. However, some nurses feel hesitant traveling to places where they know no one. One solution to this is to travel in pairs or groups with other travel nurses. This is a great option for many people. In this article, we’ll explain how this works, some tips for a good experience, and some of the pros and cons of travel nursing with a friend.
Can Travel Nurses Travel Together? You Bet!
As a travel nurse, you get to design your career. That means you choose where to go, which assignments to take, and when you take time off between assignments. You can also choose whether to travel solo, with your family, or even with other travel nurses. So, if you’re wondering whether it’s possible to travel with another nurse, the answer is absolutely. Remember, you’re in charge of what you do as a travel nurse.
Some Tips for Travel Nurses Who Want to Travel Together
Of course, traveling with another person can be tricky and might require a little extra planning compared to solo traveling. If you want to start travel nursing with a friend, there are a few tips we have to help you have an amazing experience:
Talk to Your Recruiter to Find a Travel Nurse Job that Fits Your Needs
Choose Your Travel Buddy Wisely
Another important tip for traveling together as travel nurses is to choose your companion wisely. You can absolutely adore a person and be their friend, but still be incompatible with them as far as traveling, living, and/or working together. There’s a good chance you’ll spend a lot of time with your travel bestie, so make sure that’s something you’re okay with. You don’t want to find that they’re driving you crazy two weeks into a 13-week assignment.
Travel Nurses That Travel Together Should Set Clear Expectations
Some of the best advice we have for travel nurses that want to travel together is to have really clear conversations about your expectations. This type of traveling can be an absolute blast, but it can also be downright miserable if you have different ideas of what it should look like. For instance, if one person wants to spend every waking minute together and the other wants more of a roommate relationship, this can cause a problem. Be frank about what you’re expecting and what you need. Share this with your traveling partner before you start searching for assignments together.
This includes everything from how often you want to see each other and whether you’ll be living together to if and how you want to split expenses. It’s best not to assume anything and lay everything out on the table just to make sure this arrangement will work well for you and your travel buddy.
Pros of Travel Nursing with a Friend
There are many reasons nurses choose to travel together for assignments. Having someone with you can offer many benefits, including:
Less Loneliness on the Road
One thing many travel nurses are concerned about is loneliness and homesickness. Traveling away from home where you don’t really know anyone can be difficult and even scary for many people. Even if you’re excited, it can still be a little daunting to travel on your own. When traveling with a friend, you’re guaranteed to know at least one person once you get there. You also know you have someone to talk to and get in-person support when you need it on assignment. This is a big plus for traveling in pairs or in a group as a travel nurse.
Travel Nurses Can Share Travel Expenses
Many nurses who choose to travel together also share a lot of the expenses, namely travel expenses. Of course, if you’re flying, then you both have to buy a ticket. However, if you’re driving to your assignment, you can ride together and share the costs for gas and other travel expenses. This can help you both save money while living the dream and being a travel nurse.
Just keep in mind that driving together also means you’re likely limited to sharing a car during assignment. So, make sure you have vehicle sharing rules all sorted out for commutes, errands, and adventures.
You May be Able to Share Housing
Another reason you might want to travel with another nurse is to share housing. This helps with loneliness and also can help you save on housing. Often, splitting a two-bedroom place is much cheaper than renting a one bedroom or even a studio apartment. This means you may be able to save more of your travel nurse housing stipend than you might otherwise!
Drawbacks for Travel Nurses that Travel Together
Naturally, there are also some potential downsides of traveling with another travel nurse. Therefore, make sure you consider these points before you find a travel nurse job with one of your friends:
You Might Get Sick of Each Other
Even if you’re not living together, if you travel with a friend, you’re probably going to see a lot of them. In many cases this is great, but keep in mind that some people can start to get on each other’s nerves when they spend too much time together. A great way to avoid this is to be truthful and clear on how often you expect to see each other. Also, trying to make other friends while on assignment can also be helpful for preventing this. Just know that it is a possibility, and you might need to make specific plans to avoid it.
You May Limit Your Assignment Options
Any time you’re adding criteria to which assignments you take, it does limit the pool. If you’re planning to travel with a friend, then you’ll need to find a travel nurse job that is in the same general area at least, if not at the same facility. As a top travel nurse agency, we have many jobs to choose from, but it’s still important to know that you might need to be more flexible on things like destinations if you want to work together or near each other.
It Might Get Competitive for Travel Nurses with the Same Specialty
Another thing to consider is that it can get competitive. If you and your friend have the same or a similar specialty, then you might find yourself competing for the best jobs in a particular area. Once again, there are things you can do to avoid this, like choosing to travel with a friend that works in different departments than you, but it is still a potential drawback. Fortunately, we have a ton of great assignments to choose from at any given time, so we can help you both find good positions as travel nurses.
Making Your Dream Job Come True at AHS NurseStat – Your Travel Nurse Agency
Our team at AHS NurseStat is here to help you pursue your dream job as a travel nurse. We are an agency that specializes in matching nurses with facilities who need their help. Our team is available 24/7 to help you find your next assignment and offer the support you need to travel across the U.S. doing what you love. If you’re ready to get started, visit our online job board or talk to one of our expert recruiters today!
