Finding a Travel Nurse to Travel with You
Are you interested in becoming a travel nurse, but a little intimidated about going to an entirely new city alone? Luckily, you have a few alternatives for finding a travel companion. If you don’t have a spouse or significant other who wants to come along, you may be able to convince a friend or nursing colleague to join you on your adventures. (Pets are welcome, too, of course.) Recruiters can work with two nurses to find travel nursing assignments in the same facility or city.
But if you don’t have any existing connections who want to travel with you, all is not lost. You may still be able to connect with a new travel nursing buddy before you leave.
Here are Four Ideas to Get You Started:
1. Check with your travel nursing agency.
Your recruiter wants you to have the best experience possible, and AMN Healthcare has more travel nurses on our roster than any other travel nursing agency. That means your recruiter may be able to connect you with other nurses who are either planning to travel or are already on assignment in the same city--and perhaps even at the same hospital--where you plan to work. These fellow travelers can then offer advice, be available to talk or even help show you around your temporary hometown.
2. Scour online travel nursing sources.
There are some online sites specifically for travel nurses, and these would be a great starting point for finding a traveling companion. For example:
- AMN Healthcare’s Facebook page is one easy way you may be able to connect with fellow nurse travelers in your new city. We also post about new travel jobs so you can find future opportunities.
- The Gypsy Nurse Network is also on Facebook, with 40K members. Just follow their group guidelines about posting in order to connect with nurse travelers in specific destinations.
- DelphiForums is home to a variety of different communities. Just log onto the Travel Nurses and Therapists group to post about your upcoming assignment and ask if others are based in the same community. This forum is moderated by the Professional Association of Nurse Travelers (PAN Travelers).
3. Conduct your own travel nurse meet-and-greet event.
You can always take the bull by the horns and create your own meet-and-greet event specifically for travel nurses in your hometown. Advertise by posting an upcoming event on Meetup.com, in your local community newspaper, in your hospital’s break room bulletin board/forum sites, or via Facebook or other social media sites. Then meet for a happy hour social gathering, an afternoon picnic or even a walk. Once you connect with other nurse travelers, you can ask about sharing an upcoming assignment in a new city together.
4. Get the word out!
Consider blasting your own social media outlets with the news that you’re looking for a potential travel companion for your travel nursing assignment. Your Aunt Hilda may just know of a neighbor whose cousin is a travel nurse who is looking to visit the same destination. You never know! Crazier lifetime connections have been made just this way, so why couldn’t it happen for you?
