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How to Survive as a Travel Nurse Spouse

First, why are we traveling?

Student loan debt…. Yeah, that’s the number one reason we hauled all our non-essential possessions to a storage unit and hit the road. Our combined student loan debt totaled around $90K! Not to mention the additional $20K for my cosmetology school tuition.

My husband and I could never buy a house, purchase “new-to-us”How to Survive as a Travel Nurse Spouse with Hunter and Malorie vehicles when the time came, and build up a nest egg for when we decide to have a child without drowning in debt. So, here we are on our second assignment in Charlottesville, Virginia (our first being Janesville, Wisconsin) as my husband Hunter tackles his second out-of-state traveling nurse contract.

Many people, including me, didn’t understand how the whole “travel nurse” life worked when we started this adventure.

An abbreviated summary of our situation involves my husband being an employee of Travel Nurses, Inc., which puts him in contact with hospitals around the country that are looking for people qualified for a needed position. For Hunter, that is an operating room surgical nurse ‘OR’ position. He gets the benefit of choosing where he and I would like to go. These contracts last about 12 to 13 weeks, with some offering an extension for another 12 to 13 weeks if they need help. Those 12 to 13 weeks can leave the nurse’s spouse sitting around wondering what to do next. Thus, this blog was born.

Whether you are a travel nurse’s spouse who is racking their brain about ways to stay busy, make some money, or just not go crazy being a new face in a new town, or if you’re someone who wants to step into the shoes of another for a moment, then this is for you (and me).

So, what are your ideas for travel nurse spouses??

GOOD QUESTION! I’m still exploring all the options for myself, but here are a few I’ve considered or accomplished:

Start a Journal/Blog

We can use journaling as a type of therapy that can help decrease your anxiety. Physically writing your thoughts, struggles, and values can help you find clarity and peace during physical or mental storms you may face. Having a private journal where you can sort through your emotions while traveling will allow your creativity to shine.

A blog is a great way to share that creativity through your personal experiences with others. If you’re wanting to keep your friends and family up to date in a way other than just Facebook or Instagram posts, then creating a blog where you can be endlessly creative can be a wonderful way to stay busy while documenting all the good and bad moments of your journey.

Dog Mom

Travel Nurse Hunter and Spouse Malorie and their dogsWhat better way to spend your day than getting sunshine and staying active outdoors with your fur babies?!

Hunter and I have a Shepard lab mix, Lizzy, who will be 6 in April, and a miniature dachshund, Millie, who will be 2 in July. These girls keep us busy and add so much fun to our lives. Lizzy would stay outside playing with her tennis ball all day. Millie prefers to stay on a heating pad wrapped in a blanket, but occasionally she will grace us with her presence and enjoy some sunshine. Dogs can learn as much as we will teach them. Learning new tricks takes repetition, consistency, patience, time, and dedication. I learned this firsthand while working as a registered behavioral technician for a period.

Local Job

Travel Nurse Hunter and Spouse Malorie

Right now, there are so many job opportunities. “We’re Hiring” is in almost every window of local businesses. The only concern I’ve experienced with searching for a local job is the inconvenient fact that Hunter and I will only be in town for 13 or 26 weeks. This can hinder some businesses from putting their time and energy into training an employee who is going to leave after a short period.

However, I had a great encounter with a local salon in Janesville, Wisconsin, the location of our first travel contract, who offered me a front desk position paying $10/hour. Currently, in Virginia, I am using my cosmetology license to cut hair at Sport Clips. I love local businesses and the personal connections that can be formed by working for a local business owner.

Although applying for a job in a chain could allow for a smoother transition within that company when you move to another state.

  • Coffee shop
  • Restaurant
  • Store

Volunteer Work

Travel Nurse Spouse Malorie

Community work is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in a community! Community service can be a great way to help others and stay engaged with others if making an income is not a priority. Animal shelters are my weakness. I’d be helping there every day if I wouldn’t bring every animal home with me (so far, I’ve been guilty of bringing 4 animals into my and my family’s lives…). If you’re creative and have made connections within the community through a church or gym, you can establish your own community service project.

The war in Ukraine started the week after Hunter and I moved to Wisconsin. This was heartbreaking for many, especially since I have done mission work in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. I started a personal hygiene bag drive with Crossfit 608 and Janesville Church of Christ members. This was community work that brought so much humility, personal connections, love, and satisfaction to know that we were helping others in need. All you need is some creativity and a cause you are passionate about helping.

Remote Job

Remote jobs are becoming the new normal thanks to Covid. People can do a lot of work from their homes, allowing freedom to individuals who often travel, stay-at-home parents, or just want a non-traditional job. You can move across the country without being tied down to an in-office job is mind-boggling yet ideal for an individual who is married to a travel nurse!

“Not Yo Momma’s” Housewife (or Husband)

Travel Nurse Hunter and Spouse Malorie

I say “not yo momma’s” housewife to eliminate the former women in pearls vacuuming their prestigious home persona. I am totally not that woman, nor do I expect other women to strive for that unattainable and quite extreme standard. Running a home can be a full-time job that requires organization and time management.

There is much to do to ensure that home runs smoothly:

  • groceries
  • meal prep
  • laundry
  • appointments

This list can get a lot bigger for one who has kids! We can easily fill your daily schedule with completing tasks around the home so that your spouse can focus on their job with little to no stress about their family’s physiological and safety needs (see Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs).

Independent Entrepreneur

Just like remote job opportunities are booming, so is the ability to start your own business! It’s important to know that being an entrepreneur is not a career that comes with little responsibility, time, or effort. Launching your own business will require countless hours and dedication to succeed, but if you have a service or product that you believe is worth sharing, then every ounce of energy put into your business will be worth it!

Fitness/Health addict

Travel Nurse Hunter and Spouse Malorie

When I think of fitness and nutrition, two things come to mind: dedication and action. Fitness and nutrition can take as much, or as little, of your time and energy as you desire.

If you are a travel nurse’s spouse who has a lot of free time, researching healthy recipes can be a great way to spend your time. I thoroughly enjoy meal planning for Hunter and myself. Not only does meal planning ease the daily stress of figuring out what to cook, but it also helps us to eat clean and save a good bit of money on the budget. Finding a daily exercise routine is also a significant activity to direct your energy towards. I recently introduced Hunter to CrossFit. Let’s just say….. he is obsessed! We enjoy quality time together every evening while we motivate and better ourselves physically and mentally.

 

Travel nursing can be so rewarding for both the employee and their spouse. The financial benefits, adventure, and new experiences are uncountable. Along with every experience come obstacles, and we are no exception. I hope this short bit of advice helps those alongside their loved ones as they serve others on the front lines.

Best of wishes to all of those starting this adventure and to those who are continuing this journey.

This blog does not reflect the stance or opinions of Travel Nurses, Inc. It is a personal opinion of a travel nurse or their spouse.

About the Author

Malorie is the wife of one of our Travel Nurses, Hunter Jackson. She is a licensed cosmologist with a degree in psychology as well. She travels with Hunter and their two pups!

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