Organizing a successful and enjoyable summer assignment requires careful preparation. Of course, as a travel nurse, you can seek out places you'd like to visit, such as these top destinations.

It pays to start early, so here are nine tips for planning the best-yet summer assignment of your professional nursing career. 

1. Find a reputable travel nurse agency.

Connect with a recruiter as soon as possible so you have enough time to get the assignment you really want. Be clear about where you want to go (and where you don't) and make sure to consider contracts that fit your schedule and travel preferences. 

Instead of sending your personal information (resume, personal identification, medical records) off to someone you don’t know via email, ask if they have a link on their website where you can apply instead.

Never send your information to someone who has a generic email address (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.). This is a red flag that you could be the victim of a scam. 

Always ask for the travel nursing agency's business website, phone number, and physical address as a way to verify their reputation.

Legitimate agencies will also have reviews on Google, Facebook, and Glassdoor.

2. Solidify your work schedule.

Figure out your ideal summer schedule to determine which jobs best fit that timeline. Make sure to take any planned trips into consideration. 

Do you want to work fewer days? Do you prefer a schedule that gives you more days off consecutively? Will you be working the same shift the entire contract? Is it required to work every other weekend or be flexible between first and second shift?

Before signing your contract, make sure to ask about block scheduling, and if a building will offer overtime (OT) to travelers.

3. Consider the setting carefully.

Hospitals see more patients during the summer months, especially in the ER. As early as Memorial Day weekend, hospitals tend to get busier with patients coming in due to trauma, car and motorcycle accidents, heat exhaustion, and unfortunate incidents related to fireworks.

More people (children, teenagers, and adults) are out and about in general. That, coupled with longer daylight hours and summertime holiday parties, tends to flood emergency departments, making for longer patient wait times.

If you'd prefer a slower work environment, consider contracts that may be less reliant on walk-in patients.

4. Check licensing requirements.

Make sure you have the necessary nursing licenses and certifications for the states where you plan to work. Each state may have different licensing laws, so it’s essential to research this detail before accepting a job.

 📌 Pro tip: do a quick double check to ensure that your BLS, TB test and physical are still current. There's nothing worse than accepting a dream contract and realizing that something is going to expire halfway through. 

In some instances, states that are not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) may have an emergency order in place where they will accept any state license. Your recruiter can provide additional guidance and clarification on licensing and any background check or fingerprint requirements.

In case you missed it - Ohio officially joined the compact states in January 2023! This means that nurses with a compact license can take a travel contract in Ohio at no additional cost. Learn more about what the Buckeye State has to offer.

5. Find housing that makes sense.

Determine your housing options and preferences before accepting a job. Look for affordable choices in safe neighborhoods.

Whether you're traveling solo or with a buddy, consider renting a furnished apartment from a trusted company, like Furnished Finder, or using a housing stipend provided by your agency to split the cost of a hotel.

Summertime is vacation season, so finding housing might pose a greater challenge in popular tourist destinations. If you're concerned about using a company like Airbnb or VRBO to rent a space, consider booking your first week or two at a hotel. That gives you a guaranteed place to stay with no added stress. Be sure to connect with fellow travelers to see if anyone would be open to shared housing, especially in areas like Boston, Massachusetts or San Diego, California.

Join the travel nurse housing Facebook group to connect with fellow travelers, see which properties are available to rent near you, and to learn which areas to avoid.

6. Budget wisely.  

Create a summer budget that includes living expenses (both at your primary state of residence as well as where you might be staying while on assignment), travel costs, and other expected financial outlays. Be sure to save funds for leisure activities and exploring the area.

Want to get more guidance from seasoned travelers? Follow these travel nurse influencers for helpful tips and tricks about how to budget.

Don't forget to keep all of your receipts for when tax season comes around!

7. Expect traffic.

If your assignment is in a popular tourist area, it may take longer to get to work. This is especially true in a big city if you're working early in the morning (think about San Francisco, California on a Monday at 7 a.m.). 

Just in case, build in extra travel time and consider housing near the building to minimize your commute. Take advantage of public transportation if you're comfortable doing so.

8. Decide if you're bringing family.

Your spouse or children might enjoy spending time at your new contract location. So, consider whether to bring them along. For some travel nurses, this simply isn't practical. If you decide to take your family or pets, ensure that your housing arrangement can accommodate them.

Strategically build in block scheduling so that you can have two or three days off consecutively. Alternatively, you might ask them to join you toward the end of your assignment so you can explore the area together without worrying about being on-call.

9. Plan for downtime.

Make the most of summer's spectacular weather by planning for relaxation. Depending on where you're going, you might want to consider renting an RV for short trips. Take advantage of your days off to explore the local area, try new activities, or simply relax and recharge. 

Follow the RV Travel Nurse Couple, @WereOutNAbout, on Instagram!

Use these nine tips to carefully craft your adventure this summer as a travel nurse.

Ready to see what's available? Click below to view our open Travel RN positions across all settings.