How to Prepare for Your First Travel Nurse Assignment
Congratulations on landing your first travel nurse assignment! Before you get caught up in the excitement of traveling to a new city and getting paid to change lives, find out what to expect. Part of being a successful travel nurse is learning how the tricks of the trade. Here’s what to pack, how to mentally prepare, and a few other things you need to know before you begin.
What to Pack
Before you start packing, find out what will already be provided. If there’s a kitchen in your housing unit, does it already have a microwave, coffee maker and toaster? If the unit is furnished, what size is the bed? Is there a television? Ask ahead so you don’t bring things that are already supplied for you. Start with items you need on a weekly basis.
- Clothing and shoes
- Uniforms
- Personal electronics and charging cords
- Personal care products
- Luxury items
- Equipment related to your hobbies and activities
Pack items that will remind you of home. Bring that candle with the special scent or the blanket you wrap up in on dreary days.
How to Enjoy Your Stay
Check visitor centers on your way into town. Stock up on brochures so you know what to explore your first days and weeks on the job. It’s normal to feel stressed the first time in a new place. Go for a hike or escape to a ghost town to remember why you wanted to travel nurse in the first place.
Build friendships from the first day. Even if you’ll only be there 13 weeks, one of the best things about travel nursing is the relationships you build all over the country.
Prepare for Next Time
While you’re on your first assignment, you’re going to think of things you wish you had. You’re also going to find some of the things you packed so carefully stay in the box the entire time. Keep a list on your cell phone for things to pack and things to leave behind so your next trip is even more comfortable than the first.
Are you looking for your first job as a travel nurse? Apply at Emerald City Medical Staffing today.