How do your significant others handle it?

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Do any of you travel RNs have significant others who stay at home while you travel? I would love to travel but I have a boyfriend (we live together) who would have to stay home and work. I have heard varying opinions... from "you shouldn't leave him for long periods of time like that" to "if you travel you'll meet someone else" (yeah right)... to "just do what you want."

I know this ultimately comes down to what he and I discuss and feel comfortable with, but I'm just looking for some personal experiences from other RNs to see if this does happen, and if it does, how does it work out?

I guess I see travel nursing as something that mostly single people do. :)

Thanks in advance,

Jess

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I took a one time travel position to AK and was away from my hubby for 3 months. It was a LOT harder than I expected it to be!!! I never want to do it again. We don't have kids, or I would not have gone. But, it was so very hard being away from home and from him. One thing that did help was we both got webcams and got to "see" each other every so often. I really didn't think it would be that big of a deal, but 3 months felt like 9 to me!!! You might handle it better than I did though. Have fun.

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Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.

My SO and plan to handle this by her flying up to see me every see often, and me flying back to see her as well. We both love to travel so the idea of travel nursing is exciting to us. She has the means to be able to fly anywhere I am, and I'm pretty sure with my salary as a nurse I can fly home to be with her if I want.

Both of us our fairly independent souls. We both do well on our own and don't need to see the other person daily. We're actually looking forward to having a break from each other. But we've been together 7 years. It's not as if we're newlyweds. As for "finding someone else".....doubtful. I've been around and I know I'm not missing anything. I definitely want to be with her and she with me. If we wanted to find someone else we've both had plenty of opportunity to do so. Besides after all these years I can't imagine trying to get used to another person. I'm not naive though. I know things happen. But speaking for myself, there's no way I'd find someone who holds my attention the way she does.

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Specializes in ICU's,TELE,MED- SURG.

I work travel part of the year. Almost every Nurse I work with is married with older kids. They call in the am on break. Many take shorter assignments so they may be away 8 instead of 13 weeks but not always. Some do 13 weeks, take a month off and do it again. They take off December and go back out the 2nd or 3rd week of Jan. They also make good money and are happier workers because every time they turn around, they're off a month.

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My boyfriend travels with me (that is hard because he has to change jobs often). You could try it by traveling within a few hours drive of home and see how you like it. If you are having a hard time you can make frequent trips back home until the assignment is over. You could also pick a city that is easy to fly in and out of with your home airport, like non-stop flights and cheaper airfare between the two cities. Find a company that is willing to have a 8 week contract instead of 13. That can be negociated thru companies that say they only use 13 week contracts, you just have to be assertive and don't bend. I use a webcam to talk to my family and that helps a lot with home sickness. I say it is worth it to atleast try. You may find a city that you love and want to stay and then your sig other could move with you.

Michelle

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I've done two travel assignments while my husband has been at home... this most recent assignment he came and visited me for about a month - but I do agree with others, the separation is horrible, and I will not be travelling alone again. We have been married almost 10 years, and I think the separation is even more difficult because we are so happy and comfortable being around each other. I can't sleep when I'm away from him!! Which is why I am looking at filing for the Green Card (I am Canadian), so that we can travel easily and my husband can travel as well. With both of us as travellers, nothing can stop us!!!!

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

I wonder if there are any other travelers with children and husband going along too? Surely there must be, I would love to hear from anyone with family, as I am planning to start my first assignment in July, and have 3 children and my husband coming with me. I really would like to have stayed on at a local hospital, but live in a very rural area with local hospitals 30-45-60 min away. The pay is low in our state even though I have 13+ yrs ER nursing. We are also starting up a small farm, and I plan to work 3 days on 4 off, so we can come back home to take care of the animals and such. I will have to hire someone to feed them for the 3 days we are gone. The kids schooling, I am planning on either talking to the school about arrangements, or having my husband home school them. (He has retired from police work due to degenerative disc disease of his back) He is able to work but I would rather him to work on our farm and stay with our children, as I have the opportunity to make more money than he does if I were to stay home. ( I would have loved to have been a stay at home mom, but he is probably better anyway lol they are very good kids :D ) Soooo, sorry for the very long post, but I would like to hear about others who travel with the entire family!

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make sure if you have a specific schedule you need to work that you have it in your contract. Verbal means nothing.

Michelle

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