As all families are different, travel nursing with a family requires creativity in finding solutions for a particular set of family-related circumstances. There are questions that all traveling nurses ask themselves before accepting an assignment:
- How long is the job?
- When is the best time to travel?
- Is there a pool on-site?
- Does the housing allow pets?
- Is there a laundry facility on-site?
Here are a few other items to think about when considering travel nursing with family.
Does the Agency Allow It?
Not only do agencies allow bringing your family along, they also encourage it. Of course, some agencies have more experience in handling travel nurses with families than others. Your nurse recruiter will play a significant role, so inquire whether your recruiter has experience working with families. There are additional concerns as well when considering bringing your family along as a travel nurse:
- Do you leave your family at home while you pursue travel nursing?
- Should you allow your significant other to join you?
- How about the kids and their needs?
Leaving the Family at Home
This option is the most common among the family scenarios. Many travel nurses, both male and female, leave their families at home while they complete contracts. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Many travel nurses believe that leaving their family at home is right for their relationship.
- Nurses who travel without their families may consider taking a travel assignment that is a reasonable distance from their home, so they are not too far in case of emergencies or if they want to spend their off days with family.
Bringing Along Your Significant Other
Traveling with a particular person such as a spouse, partner or friend is very common for travel nurses. The main reason is it makes things easier than traveling alone. One possible way is for both to be travel nurses. It can be challenging to find both travel jobs at the same location, but it is possible with so many travel opportunities available for nurses.
However, if one traveler is a nurse and the other is not, there might be difficulty in finding work for the other person. Perhaps the non-nursing partner can handle everything other than the job, such as cooking, cleaning and taking care of the home.
Traveling with the Kids
Traveling with children can be an intimidating prospect. Their educational and developmental needs are certainly a factor to weigh. It is essential to understand that children will require additional time when traveling, as well as entertainment on the long drives to work destinations. If you are considering travel nursing with your family or alone, please contact GHR Travel Nursing to see what travel opportunities they can offer you.
