Traveling alone to California

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Hello everyone

I'm looking forward to travel to California in April. I have 4 years experience in tele/med-surg and this is going to be my first travel assignment and honestly I'm scared and nervous. I originally planned on doing in with one of my best friends but she decided to back out last minute. All the pay packages that my recruiter has sent me looks really intriguing but the cost of living in California is so expensive that I wouldn't be really saving if they found a place for me, hence the reason why I wanted to have a traveling buddy in the first place to save money. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in CVICU.

Congrats on doing something that will be fun and rewarding. Don't worry, once you get to your assignment you will meet other traveling RN's especially if the hospital you are going to uses many. Travelers find each other and take each other into the fold rather quickly. You might even meet some when you are in orientation. Sure you might have to do a few things by yourself for a few days, but it won't be for long. In fact you might even meet a friends that you will be travel buddies with on future assignments.

The best way to get travel nurse buddies is to be where there are other travel nurses. Have fun.

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Thank you for responding. I will keep everything you've said in mind.

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Often the only really affordable housing is shared. So look for something suitable in Craigslist or even better post your own ad. Do this before you arrive and you should have several promising leads to look at when you arrive.

If your assignment is at a university based hospital like UCSF or Stanford, you can utilize their housing departments. Many list there only for community members. Before Craigslist became almost universal, I cruised campuses to look at physical notice boards for housing. Hospitals often have a physical or online posting board too. You can also try a hotel for a week, often you will meet a traveler in orientation with a spare bedroom, or will meet a staffer during your first week that rents rooms.

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Thank you, will look into that

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hey! I will be travelling to california at the end of april as well, to souther california. where will you be going?

ive also been working for 4 years, in emergency!

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So many locations, still undecided. (San leandro, fontana, sanfran, Oakland). I have 4 yrs medsurg-tele . Do you know exactly where you are going. You can send me a private message or email me. I would like to talk more([email protected]

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So many locations, still undecided. (San leandro, fontana, sanfran, Oakland). I have 4 yrs medsurg-tele . Do you know exactly where you are going. You can send me a private message or email me. I would like to talk more([email protected]

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Specializes in MS, Emergency.

Hello danisweetcheeks,

I am curious if you ended up traveling in San Fran. Which hospital do you suggest? I am currently in ER too but in Seattle and hoping to start in San Fran.

hey! I will be travelling to california at the end of april as well, to souther california. where will you be going?

ive also been working for 4 years, in emergency!

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I am in the same situation as you! Where are you originally from? Where in Cali?

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