Homelessness

Nurses General Nursing

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If you graduate nursing school, assuming you were living with your parents, and you had a lot of student loans and your parents said, "You graduated, now, get out" and you found a job as an RN in a field you wanted to get into or didn't, say you had no money and you had to live in a van for awhile, how would the facility feel about your lack of address? Say you had no friends you could reach out to to allow you to utilize their address for your mail. I know companies not related to medical field who have no problem with you living in a car or van or whatever that helps you save money on rent or mortgage so you can pay off student loan debt.

I'm not living with my parents, but I will be in this situation soon, so I'm hoping facilities would have no problem with it assuming you can prove you can maintain cleanliness.

I'll have enough money saved up by the time I graduate where I can afford a van, preferably white cargo van, where I can avoid the stress of paying rent/mortgage bills.

Good luck. I always wanted to get far far away from the hospital after I got off work. I did find a van to match your avatar.attachment.php?attachmentid=25944&stc=1

I'd try to park by a lake in a safe campground with showers and BBQ grills, either that or ...down by the river!!! I had to go there. It is Saturday night after all.attachment.php?attachmentid=25945&stc=1

Good luck. I always wanted to get far far away from the hospital after I got off work. I did find a van to match your avatar.attachment.php?attachmentid=25944&stc=1

I'd try to park by a lake in a safe campground with showers and BBQ grills, either that or ...down by the river!!! I had to go there. It is Saturday night after all.attachment.php?attachmentid=25945&stc=1

That van reminds me fo the one from the movie Old School with Will Ferrell. I love Chris Farley. One comment on this post had "down by the river" comment too. I l o l'd

If you think living out of a van will work for you, go for it

Another option could be living in a storage unit or renting a cheap office space. I have seen youtube videos on this.

I was homeless for a night technically between moving out of an apartment and then sleeping on a Craigslist guy's cough for a couple months before I bought my house. (I didn't want to pay for a hotel room or stay with anyone.) You gotta do what you gotta do. If you've figured out it's cheaper to live in your own van than renting a room somewhere and figure the stress level of accommodating your daily living in a van is less than the stress of paying rent then good for you. There are a good number of people converting different types of vans just for this purpose a la the tiny house movement.

Much more desirable if it's a choice you're deliberately making vs. having to do something because you have no other options. My biggest problem could be the security aspect of leaving all your stuff in the van while it's parked. I've had stuff stolen from my car before...

Either way as suggested get a PO Box or Mail Boxes Etc. mailbox or similar for your address. Get a gym membership or shower at work. But don't forget that you'll need cash for vehicle maintenance too (and gas.)

Walmarts do allow campers and such in their lots, approved by their managers:RV Parking at Walmart – Walmart Locator

Here's some motivation to keep things simple:

"Why millionaire pitcher Daniel Norris lives in a van"

Why millionaire pitcher Daniel Norris lives in a van | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Just make sure it doesn't look like this:

Be advised that if you're in the dating mood I assume it could take a really special person to date someone living in a van.

I'm not sure where you live but if it's a city, check into housesitting. I graduated high school 24 years ago. I have a school mate that has NEVER had place of his own. He has housesat for 24 years in San Francisco. He has a backpack and a suitcase and a PO Box. No kids, no spouse, no car, no bills except for cell phone. And he gets paid to live in nice houses.

Specializes in PMHNP-BC.

I see lots of comments about showering. A $50 gym membership gives you a restroom, shower, steam room, pool, etc...just saying...I actually got this tip from a homeless patient who had a stipend he used for a gym membership for just that purpose.

Another option could be living in a storage unit or renting a cheap office space. I have seen youtube videos on this.

I'll have to look on youtube for that. I think there were metal bands like Death and Morbid Angel during the early 90s who did that in Florida. They would reheorifice songs in storage units too. I wonder if the gates are like 24 hours or something where you could go in when you get off for the night and sleep. I could climb the fence but I'll be 31 by the time i graduate. I'm 29 now, I feel like I'm 45 already.

Managers at storage facilities have told me they have law enforcement deal with those caught attempting to live in storage containers. I don't think criminal trespass charges would bode well for professional licensing. Don't recommend it.

You may be able to rent a room in someone's house till you can get on your feet

Nobody at work cares where you live. Nobody at work will know where you live unless you tell them.

As far as the van- Why not? You need to make sure you get a good night sleep, and show up to work on time. For some people, camping or living a bit rough is a hardship, for others it is normal. I have lived in a 22 foot sailboat while working as a nurse. I know nurses who would consider my house a hardship- no cable TV, no take out, and come home to a cold house and have to turn the heater on.

I think you're way ahead of yourself and if you were my kid I would say 1) save your money but wait til you're closer to graduation (you're 3 yrs out?) before over thinking it and closing off other options, 2) renting a room with laundry and kitchen privileges close to work/public transportation will save a significant amount of money in terms of gas/insurance/repairs/maintenance and other "convenvience" costs.

I know many travel nurses that literally live out of their RVs and trailers full-time. They get a local P.O. Box for a period of time and receive their mail there.

#Vanlife, the Bohemian Social-Media Movement | The New Yorker

Just saw this since I've been following this thread (yes, I'm wayyyyyy behind on my issues of TNY).

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