WHAT if I cannot find my own housing??

[raindrop]

So, has this ever happened to any of you. You accept an assignment and tell the agency that u want the stipend and will find your own housing. A few days before you are to begin your new assignment, you call agency and tell them that you cannot find suitable shorterm housing for yourself. Will they redo your contract and quickly find u something?

BTW, this hasn't happened to me because I always take their housing. But I keep reading how much more u can save by finding your own housing and I am scared that a scenerio like this will happen.

[NedRN]

Ask your agency what they will do. Remember that one way to find housing is to ask your agency what housing they use, then you have the same options they do. Housing is doable almost everywhere outside of oil boom towns and certain remote locations. More depends on your personal preferences, some travelers have such high standards almost nothing will work.

[raindrop]

What if I take their housing for 13 weeks, then get extended for 13 and take the stipened....I wonder if I could stay in the same apt. Hmm.

On a side note and very much off topic, I am getting scared. Yes, age 36 and I am scared to travel. I have been through the wringer the past 2 weeks with the buyer of my house, but it is finally official and it's going to happen soon. Which means I am moving away very soon. I am very close to my mom. We've been locked at the hips for 36 years. I am not joking when I say this, but mom's next door neighbors have referred to us as "Joan and Melissa" for the past 10 years. I am worried about her, I am worried about myself getting lonely, too. I am not a Spring Chicken. I look young, dress fashionable, etc. But meeting ppl at my age is hard enough in smalltown USA, I imagine it will be more difficult in bigger cities, though, I do not know exactly where I am going next anyway. I hope this turns out to be a good thing for the both of us. Sigh.

[NedRN]

I find meeting new people on the road is far easier than in my very small home town. Big city people like relative anonymity and teh huge availability of new people available. Personal styles vary of course.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

You will meet other travel nurses and go on daytrips hiking festivals things like that. Let the agency take care of the housing until you build up your confidence. Scranton will still be there when you finish your contract. Your Mom can come and visit you. It will be fun!

[raindrop]

Ahh. just freaking out. I may try to pick up a 2nd job as a bartender or something temp once I know if multiple extensions are a possibility.

Speaking of multiple extensions. Next time my recruiter wants to submit me, should I ask her if this hospital is known to keep extending contracts?

[Psychcns]

I generally do find people to hang out with but not always. When i don't, I chat with hotel staff about tourist things, I talk with friends on the phone, I swim, meditate, read, pursue interests, walk, shop. It can be lonely but sometimes it takes time to meet people. I like my own company and am willing to be patient.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't. Don't tip your hand as they say in poker. A recruiter will use that to deny an increase when you negotiate the second contract.

You will know what their staffing is like when you get there. If you are there to replace someone deployed in the military for a year or on maternity leave you know there's a good chance they will need someone for that length of time.

Do a good job and they will want to keep you so that they don't have to pay to orient someone else.

[raindrop]

Thanks everyone. I am actually not very nervous about meeting ppl, I think I will do fine. But I am nervous for what mom and I are going to go through being so far away from each other. It's always been just the 2 of us. No other family. We can do this, we can do this. I am going to introduce her to Facetime next week. I think it will help with things.