Travel Nurse Housing: How to Make a Comfy Home Away from Home
Travel nurses whether seasoned or new to the niche may struggle more these next two months than at any other time of the year.
BOUNTIFUL, UTAH, UNITED STATES, January 19, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Even the boldest adventurer, or the wandering-est wanderer can feel homesick or nostalgic for familiar comforts, especially this time of year. Travel nurses whether seasoned or new to the niche (not so niche anymore, is it though?) may struggle more these next two months than at any other time of the year. Due to the fact that we know our traveling clinicians struggle more this time of year, we’ve put together a list of tips to help with temporary housing away from home, feel more like one's home. Without further ado, here are our travel nurse tips!Make a Home Away from Home2
1. Picture Frames and Knick-Knacks
When it comes to packing for one's travel assignment, there are of course limits on what they can bring. Furniture is generally impractical, particularly since the rise of popularity and availability of fully furnished beautiful homes and apartments on Airbnb. Most of us have hundreds if not thousands of pictures stored away on our phones (and Facebook or Instagram accounts), however, when was the last time they actually printed even a few of them?
One might ask the infamous Marie Kondo question, what brings them joy? Look for a few knick-knacks in their home that will bring them cherished memories or feelings of comfort and tuck those away into their suitcase.
Head over to the photo print kiosk, and print out some of their favorite photos of family and/or friends to put up around their housing. Consider picture frames that are plastic or lightweight and therefore easily added to their suitcase. We recommend that they remove the glass pane from the frames.
2. Bring their Bedding
It’s rather unlikely that they will have the space in their suitcases to bring all of the bedding. Nevertheless, our sleep is a necessary component of physical and mental well-being. One might consider bringing their favorite sheet or pillowcase.
3. Learning a New City
Nothing makes one feel more like an outsider than not knowing where anything is. Take a few days to explore the neighborhood. Buy a day pass for the public transportation and ride the lines, and on another day, sign up for a walking tour. Locate the nearest pharmacy, drugstore, grocery store, and movie theater. Ask their housing host for a list of restaurants and local hangouts. Are there antique stores? Are there thrift store shops or Saturday neighborhood garage sales? Are there popular shopping malls with big names and trendy cafes? What about community events and festivals? Is there a group that does yoga in the park? Or a dance studio that offers aerobics or Zumba classes?
4. Find Comfort in Smells
Most humans have strong associations to smells. Consider every time one walk into someone else’s home they notice how it smells, as opposed to when one walks into their own home. Buy some scented candles to light for the hours they’re at the new home, and consider some oil diffusers as well that don’t require flame or electricity to have a comforting scent permeate the space. Alternatively, invest in a few plug-in air fresheners that are easy to refill with a variety of scents and small enough to pack and take with them.
5. Bring A Pet
This one requires more planning. One will need to be sure one's temporary housing allows pets for one, and then follow requirements with whatever airline one may be flying with. Still, having one's pet with them is a no-brainer if they’re of a character to settle into new spaces easily. About a third of traveling clinicians do this, so it’s not that unusual. Be warned however that often landlords will require a separate pet deposit, and to bring one's pet on the plane typically involves additional fees as well.
6. Go Green
If one has travel plans that keep them on the ground instead of a plane, consider taking one of their plants. Furthermore, if one doesn't have any plants, spend a sweet little Saturday morning at the local nursery and find one. It isn’t a requirement to have a green thumb to keep a plant alive, but there are some plants that are lower maintenance than others. A gardener at the nursery should be able to give one a recommendation, nevertheless we suggest the hardy yet beautiful philodendron, succulents, umbrella tree, Chinese evergreen, or if one is really nervous a cactus.
7. Comfort Food
We’ve already discussed the importance of learning the city and finding the nearest grocery store, but it must be said that food can be of great comfort. It’s easy to find oneself caught up visiting restaurants and taking advantage of the food delivery apps when we’re tired after a long shift. Yet, taking the time to cook a favorite meal can do wonders for their heart (as well as their tummy). FaceTime a friend or mom while they ask for tips on cooking their recipe, make it about connection as much as it is about nourishment.
8. Unpack – All the Way
It might be recommended to avoid living out of the suitcase and digging for things every time one need to change clothes. A persons first day in a new spot may take a few hours to empty their suitcases and put them away in the closet or under the bed. Unpack and move into their housing, all the way.
9. Reach Out and Connect
Reach out to ones network and find out who has family or friends in the city where one is staying!
We hope even one of these tips can make a difference for their travel career. Travel nurses and clinicians are a vital part of the medical industry, and the happier they are with their lifestyle the better for all. At Elite Specialty Staffing3, we offer generous housing subsidies to all of our travel healthcare clinicians. Learn more on our benefits page1.
Matthew Frand
Elite Specialty Staffing
+1 2083781338
email us here
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1 https://elitespecialtystaffing.com/benefits/
2 https://elitespecialtystaffing.com/travel-nurse-housing-how-to-make-it-work/
3 https://elitespecialtystaffing.com/