Phaxis

Finding Housing as a Travel Nurse

travel nurse housing

Sharing is caring!

If you are hitting the road as a travel nurse, you have a thousand things on your mind. Starting with choosing your next assignment destination, planning a trip itinerary, and naturally, where are you going to stay.

 

There is over 1.7 million traveling nurses currently employed in the US. It may seem intimidating to find the right place, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Fortunately, there are ways to quickly locate housing. Whether you are a novice nurse or a seasoned professional seeking a better method to rent, here is our guide to navigating travel nursing housing:

 

Types of Travel Nursing Housing

 

One significant perk of working as a travel nurse is that your housing costs are covered by the employer. Score! Now, the methods through which you gain this advantage varies.

 

After accepting your new travel nursing assignment, it is time to find housing:

 

Traveling Nurses’ Stipend

 

Sometimes your employer gives you a stipend to use as a tax-free housing allowance for travel nurses. This is provided by your company to choose and purchase your own residence. In this situation, you are given more freedom when making your own decisions and picking a location that is ideal for you.

 

Depending on where you are working, your stipend covers a different amount. In cities where the cost of living is high, you receive a corresponding amount to cover your housing costs. Alternatively, in less expensive places, you receive a different sum.

 

Travel Nurse Housing Sites

 

Despite the wide variety of travel nurse housing options, the following are some of the most popular ones:

 

Hotels

 

In order to have greater independence, some nurses choose to reside in a long-term hotel. Due to having access to hotel amenities and a kitchenette, you are able to stay in a comfortable place and save money on food by cooking your own meals.

 

If there is a nursing shortage in a city without agency housing, hotels are frequently used.

 

Bed and Breakfast

 

Some bed and breakfast owners accept nurses who require temporary housing. If accommodation is not available and you prefer something a little more personal than a hotel, a bed and breakfast is an option for you.

 

Bed and breakfasts are often owned by families and are flexible in accommodating long-term stays for visitors.

 

Furnished Residences with Short-Term Leases

 

Fully furnished apartments with flexible lease terms make it simple to stay in the area for the duration of your trip assignment. Each apartment is furnished with everything you need to move into your new home.

 

There are apartment subscription services that provide variable lease lengths with no lease break fees or subletters required, unlike standard flats that require you to sign a yearlong lease that might be hard to get out of. Furnished Finders is a great resource for finding flexible leases.

 

Conventional Apartments

 

Regular flats are also rented by traveling nurses, where the most common lease is for one year. In this case, you have the chance to talk with your landlord about your occupation and come to an arrangement for a unique lease that fits your needs.

 

Holiday Rentals

 

A long-term vacation property like Airbnb is another option for travel nurses. Although these residences normally come with basic amenities, a good tip is to check everything it includes so you know what to bring.

 

As long-term stays are harder to nail down, you need to be sure your rental is available for the months you will be in.

 

Agency Housing

 

Many employers help travel nurses find housing through external companies that help them find apartments. Common household items and amenities are usually included when you rent one of these flats. Since you won’t have much choice over where you end up, this can be a riskier choice.

 

Do travel nurses get free housing?

 

Numerous travel nursing agencies promote the fact that they offer free lodging. The housing isn’t truly free, though. Of course, there is a fee. Companies frequently use the terms “housing reimbursement,” “lodging reimbursement,” “lodging stipend,” or “housing stipend” to describe the payment. On occasion, hospitals will provide housing that is free to the traveler, but this means you are ineligible for a housing stipend since you will not be incurring this duplicate expense. Depending on the rate provided, this could be a very convenient and beneficial option.

Search jobs

 

Networking

 

 

There are various social media groups that provide valuable insights on housing. Sometimes, travel nurses even rent to one another! A savvy recruiter can help guide you on where to look on social media and can oftentimes connect you with other travelers directly. Your recruiter can also ask the hospital for housing suggestions and provide examples of where other travelers have stayed in the past, so don’t hesitate to reach out for more information.

 

As you see, there are many choices available to you for finding houses. Our team at Phaxis are experts in all things travel healthcare. Get in touch with us today for your next travel nursing assignment. We can help!

 

About Phaxis

 

Founded in 2002, Phaxis is now one of the country’s leading recruitment firms. Specializing in healthcare, information technology, accounting, financial services recruitment, office support, legal, HR and marketing, Phaxis partners with highly qualified talent and top employers to create rewarding career opportunities that result in long-term success for candidates and employers. Visit us at www.phaxis.com.

Drew Anson

Chief Delivery Officer

Drew Anson is Chief Delivery Officer at Phaxis, a Workforce Solutions Company based in New York.

In this role, Drew leads the delivery and recruiting working closely with the leadership team to define a model that is efficient at supporting the firm’s current needs and is scalable for future growth.

Drew is a seasoned executive with more than 13 years of Services & Recruitment experience. In that time, he has supported numerous Fortune 100/500/1000 organizations across industries by providing global workforce solutions, namely resources and thought leadership for large-scale projects, implementations, and managed services.

Prior to joining Phaxis predecessor firm Park Hudson in 2021, Drew spent three years at engineering technology and talent solutions firm, Collabera, as Director of Sales in North Carolina. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly eight years at Insight Global, most recently as Sales Manager of the Columbus, OH office.

He holds a degree from Central Michigan University in Sales & Marketing.

Favorite Book:   Extreme Ownership – Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
Favorite Team:   Michigan Wolverines
Inspirational Quote:  “There is no substitute for hard work.”  – Thomas A. Edison