TRAVEL NURSING TIPS: COPING WITH LIFE ON THE ROAD [OPINION]

Are you launching a career as a travel nurse, or even considering it? This unusual career can be very rewarding, but whether you’re brand new to the nomadic lifestyle of travel nursing, or a seasoned veteran, here are some tips to make the process go smoother and make your home away from home a little more comfortable.

Packing Light For Travel Nurses
Unless you’re taking an administrative travel nurse position, you’ll need to pack plenty of scrubs, but fortunately, those are very lightweight and take up little room in your suitcase. You’ll definitely want to go out on the town or at least out to dinner on your days off, so while you’ll want to pack some casual clothes, as well, don’t bring your whole closet. Pack a few versatile pieces of clothing, preferably in the same color scheme so that you can mix and match to create more looks out of a few pieces of clothing. Don’t forget to pack one or two workout outfits as you’ll want to try to take advantage of the hotel gym to stay fit on the road.

If you love books and movies, rather than lugging along half your library, a DVD player, and binders of movies, the new technology makes things a lot simpler. Electronic book reading devices such as Kindle will keep your suitcase light, and with the right accessories, can even be plugged into your TV to view movies. If you subscribe to services like Netflix or Amazon Prime, invest in a small Roku to view your favorite movies and TV shows via the hotel’s wireless connection. These devices can fit in your purse or carry-on bag if you’re flying.

Eating Healthy In Hotel Rooms
Some travel nurses get lucky enough to get an actual apartment, or a hotel room that has a kitchenette. Hot tip: if your company is going the hotel route, Residence Inn has full kitchens in all of their rooms, including a full-size refrigerator and stovetop, plus an actual oven where regulations allow it. They even provide a toaster, dishes, silverware, and cookware. Being able to cook makes a huge difference in eating healthy while working as a travel nurse.

If you’re driving and can bring along a few extras, consider bringing along your own blender as well as a toaster oven and electric skillet if you are unfortunate enough to be in a hotel that doesn’t have a kitchenette. You can also buy electric pots for boiling water to make pasta, but be careful not to bring too many small appliances for your room.

Hotels usually have a breakfast buffet with yogurt and fresh fruit snacks you can grab in the morning to eat for lunch or for snacks between meals in your room. Stock up every morning whether you’re in the mood for yogurt or fruit for breakfast or not.

Read the full article here: http://www.inquisitr.com/opinion/4015285/travel-nursing-tips-coping-with-life-on-the-road/