Alright I like to be honest, and I talk a lot about how amazing travel nursing is! However, every good thing has its down sides, and here are my top 5.

1 – Not Knowing Anyone

This can be one of the toughest things because you are in a new place, and no one is there to figure it out with. Unless you are traveling with someone, which you can do if this is something that freaks you out too much, it can be lonely. I took my first travel nurse assignment in Hawaii, which was incredible, but I am so glad I went with a friend because she made it that much more fun!

Now that I am older, I have an easier time exploring and doing things on my own, but I also make sure I talk to people at work, get into groups on Facebook, or meet people on Bumble BFF. The cool thing about doing this is that I have friends all over the country!

2 – Moving Every 3-6 Months

This one can be a doozy. If you hate moving, you might consider doing more than 2 or 3 contracts in one place. If you really really hate moving, you may want to consider not doing travel nursing. One thing to consider as a travel nurse though; you can only stay in one job for 12 months or less. If you stay longer, your legal tax home has to change to that city/state.

Along with this comes a lot of plane or car travel. Depending on how far you go for different jobs, traveling can be exhausting. I tend to bring my car most places I go, which means days in the car on my own. Despite these things, I personally don’t mind moving or taking these long drives. You have to decide the best means of travel for yourself, and if you can deal with living out of a few bags.

3 – Orientation Again and Again and Again

Every time you start a new job, you get to retake the online modules, go through hospital orientation, and learn the ins and outs of a new unit. Along with that, you get to take another drug test, get a new fit test, and get a physical. All of these things are simple enough, but they’re just the things you have to do as a travel nurse.

4 – First to Float

Travelers are ALMOST always the first nurses to float to other units if it is needed. For an example, as a NICU nurse, I get floated to PICU, PCVICU, and the general pediatric floors. It is one of my least favorite things as a nurse to float somewhere that isn’t my usual specialty. It can be uncomfortable, and you don’t usually get any orientation to that unit. The staff can be ungrateful and unwelcoming (not always), but this can happen in general as a traveler anyways.

Most contracts, I will be floated a couple of times in 13 weeks. Usually when I interview, I ask about floating and if the staff/travelers are being floated a lot at the time of the interview. This gives me a better idea on if I would be interested in taking the job. However, I have had it where the manger told me there wasn’t much floating happening, and when I took the job the staff told me I may as well go orient in PICU. This is the exception, but it was the worst job I’ve ever had.

5 – So Many Scrubs

If you’ve noticed the trend, this list has gotten less serious as it has gone. This one is more of an annoyance than anything. As a bedside nurse, most hospitals have their required color of scrubs. Usually it’s black, navy blue, or else they don’t care. But sometimes, you get a random one that has a teal blue color that no one else wears ever. As a NICU nurse, a lot of places will allow us to wear cute patterned tops. Some places don’t allow those either.

Anyways, as a traveler, I live out of 3 or 4 suitcases. The last thing I want to do is lug around 75 different pairs of scrubs! The best jobs are when I have to just wear the surgical scrubs provided by the hospital.

See, I’ve managed to make friends everywhere I’ve been! So, what things are worrying you about starting travel nursing? Or what things do you dislike most about being a travel nurse if you’ve already been doing it? I’d love to hear from you! Feel free to comment or send me an email! And if you like this kind of content, be sure to follow me on Instagram @thetravelingsopha. Or check out my pros and cons list to travel nursing here!

If you’re interested in starting travel nursing but aren’t sure where to start, I have created an e-book going through the basics and things to expect as a new travel nurse. All the things I wish I knew before I started! Grab yours here.