Travel nurses often tour the country, connect with new people, and enjoy unique experiences. While at it, they grapple with many travel nurse housing challenges which are easily avoidable. Nurses require proper housing for their convenience and to help them execute their duties effectively. Some of the crucial things they seek in housing are proximity to public transportation and work.
5 Travel Nurse Housing Challenges Brought By COVID19
Working as a travel nurse comes with numerous advantages, but you will face various challenges, especially during the prevailing pandemic. These challenges include:
Trouble Finding Housing
Searching for the ideal travel nurse housing option can be frustrating. Avoid beginning your search for housing alone. Discuss your needs with your agency. Apart from helping you find suitable housing locations, they will plan your moving-in and moving-out days and settle the cost of furnishings and utility bills. Dealing with an agent helps eliminate unnecessary stress.
Housing options surpass your budget
Finding the ideal housing that fits your budget can be difficult if you’re doing it independently. Numerous expenses are affiliated with relocating, even when you’re doing so temporarily. Further, you may end up living in less convenient and unsafe areas. To manage costs, consider getting a roommate with whom you can cost-share.
You own a home already
If you own a home within your hometown, you may struggle to move to a different location. You’ll need to get someone to take care of your home while you’re gone, settle the bills, and manage housing expenses in your new location. To avoid this travel nurse housing challenge, rent your home out to earn extra money.
Settling down in your new location
Shifting to a new location can be difficult. You have to struggle with finding your way to amenity centers which can be disappointing. Still, you’ll need to settle down fast to enjoy your stay and offer your best to the community. Consider getting new friends or inviting your old ones over to counter the loneliness and get a support system.
Everything else is overly costly
On average, renters in America spend $1,021 monthly on housing. Sometimes the rent in your allocated city could surpass that amount, but your housing allowance should cater for renting a modest area to live within your city. Determining the average rent costs eliminates possible frustrations later on because once you sign your contract recognizing your options can be difficult. Discuss your situation with a housing expert before signing your contract.
Other Challenges Healthcare Professionals are Facing During the Pandemic
Apart from housing, professionals in the healthcare industry have been facing other challenges, as seen below.
Reduced jobs and working hours
Some nurses working in non-critical departments are losing their jobs as non-urgent or elective medical processes are being put on hold to help manage the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, many hospitals are struggling with the loss of income and are seeking to cut costs. As a result, many nurses have to remain at home without any pay.
Nurses are also experiencing substantial hour cuts while others are losing their jobs. Despite these challenges, it’s evident that the role of nurses in fighting the pandemic cannot be ignored. The world has learned from the pandemic that nurses are the heart of proper healthcare systems in America and the world in general.
Lack of enough nurses
Different states in the US have been grappling with nurse shortage pre-Covid. At the beginning of the pandemic, when Covid-19 patients flocked hospitals across the country, the demand for more nurses increased, especially in intensive care units and emergency rooms.
Currently, out of the more than 3 million employed registered nurses, almost 60% work in hospitals. However, only a tiny percentage of registered nurses employed in hospitals have been posted in critical care units.
While hospitals in the US hurry to fill numerous crisis nursing positions, front-line nurses are getting overworked. Nurses working in critical care departments are caring for numerous patients at a go. These conditions may compromise the quality of care patients are receiving.
Shortage of PPEs and face masks
As the coronavirus cases surged in the US, some states reported a shortage of personal protective equipment. Health workers require protective gear to secure themselves and ensure their patients are safe from Covid-19. The increasing demand for PPEs has triggered disruption in supply globally. The WHO requested a 40% increase in PPE manufacturing to meet demand.
Conclusion
Regardless of the challenges in travel nursing, you can have a great time exploring new places, interacting with new people, and learning new things.