When it comes time to leave for your travel nursing job there can be a lot to remember to do. This list should help you from drowning in post-it-Notes. Mark the date on your calendar and work backwards to check off the things you are going to need to take care of before you leave. This list includes:
At Your Home
- Make sure all unnecessary items in your home are unplugged
- Clear your answering machine of old messages to make room for new ones or set up call forwarding to your cell phone
- Have a left-overs party and then throw out all your perishable food
- Set the heat your house needs to be at while you are gone if you have plants you will want to have a temp that keeps them alive and if you live in a cold climate you will want it to be warm enough that your pipes don’t freeze
- Pack your belongings – see this page for a list of items you may want to take on your travel nursing assignment
- Ship any larger items you may need to your assignment, especially if you are not driving yourself to the assignment
- Backup your computer in case it is damaged during the move to your assignment
- Make sure your pet is ready to travel
- Make sure all your bills paid and set up as many as you can to be auto pay or pay online
- Buy a wireless card so you can have Internet wherever you are
- Renew any prescriptions you take
- Make sure to buy a new memory card for your digital camera or clear off your old one
- If your spouse or significant other and /or kids or someone else is going with you make sure they are ready to go too
- Ask a trsuted neighbor to keep an eye on your home while you are gone
On Your Way
- Map your travel route to your assignment
- Have your oil changed and car maintained
- Book a hotel room along the way if you are driving a long way from your home
- Take precautions to make sure you stay safe on the road
With Your Company
- Make sure you get first day instructions from your travel nursing company
- Check in with your travel nursing company and make sure there are no loose ends to tie up – they should be checking in with you
- Make sure you have your nurse licensure for that state taken care of
While You’re There
- Ask someone to regularly check on your house while you are away to make sure nothing major happens while you are away
- Schedule someone to take care of any pets that aren’t going with you like a bird, fish, etc.
- Make a contact information list for family and friends
- Contact the Post Office and have them forward your mail to your assignment
- Set up timed-lights to help keep potential intruders from getting any ideas
- Visit AAA and get some travel guides of the area you will be working in – and sign up if you are not already a member
- Contact any friends you have in the area your travel nursing job is in and set up some fun dates
- Set someone up to mow your yard or hire a lawn service or in winter shovel your sidewalk
- Make a “bucket list” of things you would like to do in the area
- If you are taking a stipend make sure your housing is set up or you have someone to stay with
- Go online and try to learn as much about your new hospital as you can
- Make sure your Facebook updates are set to only be seen by your friends so you are not telling strangers you are not home. Here are some resource for staying safe online in general – Stay safe Online.org and Cyber security for travel nurses
If there is anything else that we missed let me know so we can get it added.