RV or not

[chad anderson]

Hello fellow nurses,

Dude out here who has cumulatively 9ish years in. 2 CNA, 2 LPN (LTC) and 5 RN (ER and Med-Surg). Currently working at a Level II to get trauma exp. My exp is more cards and ED non trauma. Should I stick around a year to get trauma exp (1 month in) or is that exp possible on the gig? And if trying to be frugal would investing $20,000-50,000 in a travel trailer for 2-3 years make it worth it in lieu of the stipen? Thanks and cheers!

[guest1168940]

Yes absolutely some places like Cali, northern VA, and Boston area  have very high travel subsidies in lieu of taking their apt but you still have to pay camp ground fee but you have a nice private apt on wheels which you can use to camp after travel nursing. Good luck 

[NedRN]

On 6/25/2021 at 12:57 PM, chad anderson said:

And if trying to be frugal would investing $20,000-50,000 in a travel trailer for 2-3 years make it worth it in lieu of the stipen?

Frugal, no. Costs are usually comparable. Similar to travel nursing, it is a lifestyle decision more than about money. Don't forget, depreciation on campers is brutal. I think it is not worth it for just a couple years. That said, traveling with a pet (RV parks are almost universally pet friendly) or family can make it much more enticing.

Also, if you give up your permanent home for a camper (or address of convenience), you also lose your tax home. Making all compensation taxable.

I would stick around for the year of trauma. You can certainly pick up some trauma experience at smaller hospitals. Either way you go, you can certainly have a career (or 2-3 years) of ED travel nursing without getting much trauma experience. But the trauma experience will give you a wider choice of staff jobs when (and if) you stop traveling.