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How Van Life Made Travel Nursing Easier for Meg & Ty

The ‘travel’ part of a traveling healthcare career looks different for each person. Some travelers embark on the journey solo – no family and no kids. Others pack family and pets into an RV to tour the country.

Meg and Ty , the PCU travel nursing couple behind We the Wanderers , have arguably gone to the next level. They live full-time in a renovated van. While some might assume #vanlife is cramped, Meg & Ty’s weekly adventures show this lifestyle doesn’t hold them back. Keep reading to find out why van life was the best decision these two made.

How the Travel Nurse Van Life Started

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Travel Nurse Across America (@travelnurseacrossamerica)

Meg and Ty started travel nursing as a couple in 2019 and soon felt that finding housing and packing and unpacking for their travel nurse assignments and off-day adventures was tedious and costly. The solution to their problems? Pick up the travel nurse van life.

“Before the van, we were spending all of our time on our off days trying to find places to stay,” Meg says. “We thought, ‘If we had a van, we’d have it much easier going on little trips.’”

So, they went after the dream, researched what they would need, found an empty old FedEx van, and renovated it during a contract in North Carolina. Then, they were ready to experience how to live in a van full-time.

“Finding a new place to stay is completely cut out with the van,” Ty states. “There’s no stress with that, so we can just focus on having fun.”

Adjusting to Van Life

Living in a van full-time does come with adjustments. “It’s a very simple life,” Ty states. “That’s something that needs to be understood before hopping into it.” 

But if you can see yourself living minimally, making these adjustments can lead to worthwhile experiences. Here are a few ways the couple prepared for life on the road.

Preparing for Mechanical Issues on the Road

Mechanical issues are bound to pop up at some point. Meg and Ty follow a few safety measures to avoid roadside problems and get quick help when they experience a bump in the road.

First, they stay on top of vehicle maintenance by getting regular oil changes and tire rotations. Then, when they do experience an issue, they use AAA’s roadside assistance to get them to a mechanic.

When road-tripping, the travel nurse couple informs their families of where they go as a safety measure. Then, in case of emergency, they have a GPS/satellite phone they can use to contact help.

Organizing and Downsizing Belongings

Determining what you’ll bring on the road and what you’ll leave behind is an important step to starting van life.

“It’s all about space. Every inch matters here, so we try to pack down and only bring the things we know we will be using,” Ty says.

When packing for a new assignment, they consider the time of year and climate where they are going. Packing cubes help them compact items and slim down space. Then, any clothes that are necessary to bring that they don’t want to be wrinkled go on curtain rods.

Meg & Ty’s Van Life Essentials

Even though Meg and Ty had to carefully plan what they would bring into their home on wheels, these are some essentials they can’t do without having.

• Burner stove – A burner stove allows them to cook and meal prep for work, which helps them save money by not eating out at restaurants.
• Portable power station – This allows them to charge phones or use laptops on cloudy days when they don’t want to use all their solar energy.
• WiFi – Meg and Ty have a wireless router that acts as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, giving them access to the internet as long as they have cell service.
• Toilet – No explanation needed.
• Fridge – For drinks and food (especially Ty’s ice cream).
• Espresso machine – Meg’s must-have to wake up in the morning.

What Makes Travel Nursing in a Van Better?

You might wonder, “Why live in a van instead of travel nursing in a camper?” Both have perks and disadvantages, so if you’re considering it, think about what would fit your lifestyle best.

With the van, Meg & Ty can park in more places and drive through national parks and forests without maneuvering a camper in tight quarters. Additionally, the van’s solar panels keep them from relying on electric hookups at campsites.

“Not having to worry about packing up everything or worrying about finding a spot at a campground has saved us a lot of time and energy,” Meg explains.

Still, there are stressful situations you must consider when living in a van. You have to take extra precautions for safety, whether that’s determining what you’d do if someone breaks into your space, having contingency plans during weather emergencies, or preparing for potential breakdowns on the road.

“It’s not all you see on social media all the time,” Meg reminds us. “Make sure you’re okay with being flexible and can go with the flow.”

But with that mindset, van life works well for Meg and Ty. They have the consistency of always having home close by, and taking adventures on their cross-country treks is effortless. The van has been with them on assignments in Washington, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona, and there’s no sign of them stopping.

Are you interested in learning more about van life? Head over to the @We.the.Wanderers Instagram page , and keep reading TNAA’s blog to see how you can be a healthcare traveler at any stage of life.

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A nurse working to fight the coronavirus in California lives in a 75-square-foot van with his wife and 2 cats

• Danny Rekart and Lindsey Graham live in a 75-square-foot van with their two cats, Mogley and Bagherra.
• They have been traveling since 2016, when Rekart started working as a travel nurse, and living in a self-converted van since 2019.
• When he's not camping or backpacking, Rekart works as an ICU nurse on the coronavirus floor of a Southern California hospital.
• Rekart and Graham love the van lifestyle, as it brings them closer to nature. It also means Rekart can avoid commuting, as the van is often parked on the hospital grounds.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

Danny Rekart, 34, is a traveling ICU nurse . Currently, he's working on the coronavirus floor of a South California hospital.

At the end of a long day fighting COVID-19, Rekart goes home to his wife, Lindsey Graham, 33, and two cats, Mogley and Bagherra.

Luckily, home is only a few feet away: It's a 75-square- foot self-converted van that's often parked on hospital grounds.

Keep scrolling to see what being a traveling nurse living van life to the fullest is like.

Danny Rekart has been a travel nurse since 2016.

Rekart and his wife, have been together for 13 years. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, they had never lived anywhere else until Rekart's first travel nurse contract in Los Angeles, California, in 2016.

Travel nurses are essentially free agents that step in when hospitals need experienced nurses to fill in for someone on maternity leave, because their population fluctuates by season, or because they require a certain skill set, among other reasons. The job, which usually consists of three-month contracts, was created in response to worldwide nurse shortages.

Formerly a chemist, Graham quit her job to travel the country with Rekart.

Rekart and his wife, Lindsey Graham, spent four years bouncing between temporary apartments before deciding to try living in a van.

"We were getting killed financially in month-to-month rent, nonrefundable deposits, moving fees, and general moving expenses," Graham said. "We knew something had to change so we could continue our traveling without breaking the bank."

Initially, they only planned to travel for Rekart's job for about a year. After four years, they decided to move into a van, inspired by Rekart's cousin who had an RV.

"We thought an RV could really help us out in our lifestyle because we're getting apartments in towns like Seattle and Denver and LA, where it's very expensive to rent, but most of the time we're out in nature doing things like camping, backpacking and such," Rekart said.

Graham said they were spending so much time in nature that their apartments basically became overpriced storage units.

"Van life brings both our lives together," she said. "We have a home life, and we have adventure time."

They settled on a van instead of an RV because Rekart's job keeps them in relatively urban places for at least three days a week. A huge RV would have been hard to navigate through cities, and difficult to park, as the two don't spend much time in RV parks, preferring instead to park in residential neighborhoods when they can.

Once they decided to give van life a go they made it happen within weeks.

Within a month of deciding to travel and live in a van, they bought "Bruce," a 21-foot Ram Promaster 3500. They found Bruce on Craigslist, lightly used for $33,000.

They converted the van entirely themselves, spending about five months on the build.

They said they spent six weeks living in the van with nothing but a mattress in the Seattle winter, while Rekart finished his contract there.

"We bought the van a little bit earlier than we anticipated because the price was so good. We literally moved our apartment into our empty shell van and lived there," Graham said. "It was good because we learned what you need and what you don't need. I was hell-bent on having an inside shower. After those six weeks, I understood that we didn't need it."

They renovated the van without any prior experience. They did research, watched YouTube tutorials, "and hoped for the best."

Their van features a queen-sized bed, a compostable toilet, a 65-liter fridge, a three-burner stove and oven, storage cabinets, a hanging closet, a "garage" under their bed that stores bikes, snowboards, and solar panels.

"The style that we went with was a wooden look, with cabinets and such — we wanted it to feel like a real home," Graham said.

They say that their priorities were a big kitchen and a comfortable bed.

"I really wanted a big kitchen, I really wanted a big sink, and I wanted a queen-size bed. And I had to have an oven because life without pizza just isn't a life," Graham said.

They're currently in Southern California, with Rekart working on the coronavirus floor of a local hospital.

The two have been in Southern California since November, and Rekart's contract goes through the end of July.

They were in Baja Mexico on vacation in February when the coronavirus situation really began getting serious in California. Things were pretty normal before they left.

"Right before we left, everything was normal," Rekart said. "And then my floor was the coronavirus unit, and there were like 12 patients with potential coronavirus. So I was thrown into it. It's a 10-bed ICU, and almost all the beds are coronavirus patients, almost every time."

He describes the early days of fighting the coronavirus as "scary" and "chaotic," saying that guidelines on protective gear (PPE) kept changing, fear of running out of PPE was rampant, and that knowledge of the virus was still slim.

"It's kind of settled itself out a bit," he said, but adds that he's still dealing with coronavirus patients "on a daily basis." 

Rekart worries about getting Graham sick, but they've figured out a few ways to minimize risks.

"We definitely were nervous, because if he's going to get it, he's going to give it to me, there's no doubt about it," Graham said. 

They say they're a little more relaxed now than they were initially because Rekart has been working with coronavirus patients for months now without any issues. However, they're strict about mask-wearing and handwashing, and Rekart, who showers at the hospital, leaves his shoes in a plastic bag outside the RV and all of his work clothes in a backpack in a closet.

They limit their grocery store runs to once a week, and usually "boondock."

"Boondocking" often refers to free camping in the RV community , where campers don't use the amenities and hookups RV parks typically provide. By doing that, they've been able to limit their interactions with others.

"We are never reliant on having to have water or electricity or anything like that," they said, though they added that they used to rely on a local Planet Fitness for their showers, which became a problem when gyms closed during the pandemic.

"I think 15 days was the longest I went without a shower," Graham said.

Lately, they've been stationed on the hospital parking lot to make things more convenient for Rekart.

"One thing that we learned with van life is that it opens up so much free time for you. You don't have to drive and commute as much to do certain things, so you find yourself with hours of more free time per week," he said.

Graham adds: "We spend our time the way we want to spend our time, and a lot of the time it's going to be in nature."

Graham says that they really only live on 75-square feet when they're in a city, and that van life has allowed them to spend more time outdoors.

"For the most part, when we're in nature we always have our sliding door open," Graham said. "We always have our back doors open. So the outside becomes an additional space for us. It's our living room."

She added that van life "is a movement, it is a community of souls that believe in living simply and blissfully uncomfortable so that their main focus is on experience and not stuff."

"Van life was the answer to our problems, problems we didn't even know we had or realized were an issue," she said. "It gave us our lives back, and our time, to truly live our lives as we see fit."

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Travel Nursing with a Family: Everything You Need To Know

March 27, 2023

Megan Bebout

Can you be a traveling nurse with a family?

• Travel nursing with spouse: pros and cons
• Travel nursing with kids: pros and cons

3 things to consider when travel nursing with a family

• How Fusion Medical Staffing helps you travel nurse with a family
• ✨ BONUS ✨ Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Travel Nursing with a Family: Everything You Need to Know

If you’ve ever wondered how to be a travel nurse with a family, you’re not the only one. It’s actually an FAQ that a travel nursing agency like Fusion Medical Staffing hears often! There are lots of ways to become a travel nursing family. For example, many nurses choose to only take travel assignments during school breaks so that their kids can come and not miss school. Others may decide to work travel nursing jobs in locations that are within driving distance from home so they can see family on their days off. And some travel nurses successfully bring their partners, kids, and pets along on every assignment, all year round.

It’s up to you to decide how you travel nurse with family and no matter what you decide, Fusion Medical Staffing is here to help.

Travel nursing with spouse

Did you know that traveling as a couple is good for you and your relationship? According to a survey from the U.S. Travel Association, couples in a romantic relationship report traveling together makes them significantly more satisfied in their relationship , communicate better, enjoy more romance, and spend more quality time together. When it comes to taking a travel nurse assignment with a spouse, these are the pros and cons.

Pros to travel nursing with a significant other

Experience new places together.

As a travel nurse, you have the chance to explore new cities and towns around the country. And your significant other can too, even if they’re not a fellow medical traveler! Travel nursing with a spouse is a great way for you and your partner to experience different cultures and environments with your travel nursing contracts. Traveling as a couple and exploring new places together can strengthen your relationship, all while building memories that last a lifetime.

Financial stability

Another perk to traveling as a couple is the opportunity to save more money. Typically, travel registered nurses make more than permanently staffed nurses because they accrue more expenses while traveling. For example, in addition to the hourly wage, travel nursing pay packages usually include the option for a housing stipend, travel and meal stipends, and sign-on or completion bonuses. 

Travel nursing stipends are meant to cover the cost of temporary housing, meals, and travel expenses that occur while on the job. That way, you and your partner save money by paying less (or nothing at all!) for lodging, food, mileage, and other travel costs.

If your partner is also a medical traveler, they’re entitled to the same benefits. That means that you both get the option for travel nurse housing, travel, and meal stipends, but only one of you has to use them while the other can pocket the cash. This makes it easier to enjoy life on the road without feeling like you’re sacrificing too much financially.

Cons to travel nursing with a significant other

Finding employment opportunities.

A possible downside to travel nursing as a couple is finding employment opportunities for your significant other. Chances are, if your spouse or partner is a fellow medical traveler, this may not be as difficult. However, if your significant other works outside the realm of healthcare travel, you may run into some employment hiccups.

The good news is, there are loads of jobs that your spouse can do while on the road . As of 2022, 16% of U.S. companies are fully remote. A remote job is a position where you can work outside of the typical office environment — all you need is an internet connection. From copywriting to virtual assisting to web design, there are many remote job options available for you. (Psst: Fusion Medical Staffing is often hiring corporate employees, and we offer remote job options! Check them out here. )

Instead of working remotely, your spouse can find local jobs at each new location you travel to. Popular travel nurse spouse jobs include substitute teaching, driving for a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft, and babysitting or nannying.

Spousal loneliness

Travel nursing with a spouse can be a great opportunity for couples to experience different parts of the country while still earning a living. On the other hand, travel nurse spouses may find themselves feeling lonely being in an unfamiliar place without additional family and friends nearby. This sense of isolation can be intensified when you’re away working long hours at the hospital or medical facility.

To help curb feelings of loneliness, travel nurse spouses are encouraged to engage in hobbies and activities that they enjoy outside of work. Studies show that taking up a hobby can greatly improve a person’s mental health and well-being. Common hobbies include reading, writing, listening to music, knitting, cooking and baking, and hiking.

Travel nursing with kids

It can be hard to leave your kids or extended family behind while you work a weeks-long travel nursing assignment away from home. So, why not bring them along instead? According to child experts, traveling is one of the most valuable things you can do for your children. Not only will your kids learn more about different people and cultures, but they’ll also develop skills and characteristics that they’ll use throughout their lives. These are the pros and cons of travel nursing with kids.

Pros to travel nursing with kids

Increased learning opportunities.

Travel nursing with kids is an excellent way to provide them with increased learning opportunities. With each new location, your kids are exposed to different cuisines, cultures, and traditions that will help mold them into more adaptable adults who embrace diversity. Plus, on your days off, you and your entire family can visit historic sites, museums, and other important landmarks in each travel nursing location to gain additional insight into different parts of the country. Travel nursing with kids widens their perspectives, teaches them adaptability, and increases their capacity for empathy and cultural sensitivity — a win-win-win.

Spending more time together as a family

One of the major selling points to travel nursing with kids is the chance to spend more time together as a family. Research shows that quality family time has ample benefits for children and parents.

👨‍👩‍👦 It builds children’s self-esteem

👨‍👩‍👦 It strengthens the family bond

👨‍👩‍👦 It fosters positive behaviors

👨‍👩‍👦 It encourages healthy communication

👨‍👩‍👦 It can increase your child’s academic performance

Travel nursing with kids also helps reduce feelings of separation and loneliness, which will help with their emotional and mental development. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to bond with your family in an environment far from home when you travel nurse with kids.

Cons to travel nursing with kids

Challenges with schooling.

When it comes to travel nursing with school-aged kids, you have two options for their education. One option is enrolling them in local schools where you’re working your travel nursing job. The other option is home-schooling or remote learning. 

To enroll your child in a local school, make sure to have all your records in order. That includes proof of residency, medical records, a birth certificate, and previous school records. While it’s not required, it can also be helpful to bring a copy of your child’s current coursework to help keep them on track with the curriculum.

If local education isn’t the right move for you and your family, consider home-schooling or remote learning. The way online learning works is students work from home to follow a set curriculum and submit assignments to teachers through an online portal. Recently, remote learning has become more popular in families across the U.S. since its spike in 2020-2021.

Leaving friends behind

Moving away and leaving friends and family behind can be hard for anyone, especially your children. Travel nursing with kids requires them to say goodbye to their friends, teachers, and their familiar surroundings, which can be difficult for kids at a certain age. However, there are steps you can take to help make the moving process easier for them (and for yourself!).

According to the Child Mind Institute, it can be beneficial to have a conversation with your children before relocating about what the move will be like and what challenges could come up. That way, you can problem-solve in advance together. Another suggestion is to involve your kids in the move, so they feel like they have some type of control over the situation. For example, invite your children to help pack or think about how they want to design their new room.

Before you pick your travel nursing assignment and pack your bags, there are a few things to consider when travel nursing with a family. They are transportation, housing, and childcare or education.

Transportation

Whether you’re traveling across the country or just a few hours away from home, getting around can be tricky. Luckily, there are several transportation methods available to make your travel nursing journey easier and more enjoyable for you and your family. With careful planning and research into the best transportation solutions for your needs, you can make your experience travel nursing with a family as stress-free as possible. Some popular transportation options for travel nursing with a family include:

🚗 Renting a car (✨ pro tip: ✨ check out travel nursing rental car discounts )

🚙 Driving the family car

🚎 Travel nursing in an RV (✨ pro tip: ✨ find out what you need to do to get your RV ready for travel )

🚂 Taking a train

✈️ Booking a flight

No matter what transportation method you choose, make sure it’s financially and realistically practical for you and your family. To make the trip even easier, come up with a plan for how to keep your kids entertained along the way. From movies to video games and apps to books to arts and crafts, there are lots of ways to keep your children happy and entertained on long trips no matter how old they are.

It’s important to understand your medical travel housing options when travel nursing with family. Typically, you have two options when it comes to travel nursing housing . You can either accept a tax-free housing stipend or you can go with agency-provided housing. It’s up to you to decide what works best for you and your family.

You may have different housing needs when travel nursing with a family than if you were traveling solo. For example, you may need pet-friendly housing, or more than one bedroom so your kids have their own room. Regardless of the housing option you choose, you may wind up paying for part of the cost out of pocket to ensure there’s enough space for your partner, children, and pets.

If you pay more for housing than the travel nursing housing stipend allows, you can ask your recruiter if you can divert a portion of your taxable wage to the stipend to avoid paying taxes. If not, save your lease agreement and travel nursing contract so you can prove that you paid more than what you received for housing and deduct the difference from your income taxes.

When deciding which is right for you, the housing stipend or agency-provided housing, consider these questions to help make your decision:

🏡 Do you need pet-friendly housing?

🏡 How many bedrooms do you need?

🏡 How big of a space do you need?

🏡 Do you need a place that’s already fully furnished?

Here’s a secret: you can avoid the headache of finding temporary lodging with each assignment and travel nurse with a family in an RV or opt for travel nursing van life . Either way, you’re still eligible to receive the housing stipend as long as you have a tax home — you can learn more about tax homes in this medical traveler tax guide . Instead of using the stipend to cover a lease, you can use it to maintain your mobile lifestyle and pocket what’s left over.

Reliable childcare

It can be tough to find reliable childcare when you travel nurse with a family. Unless your partner is available to be a full-time caretaker or you have the support of friends and family, you may rely on local daycares, babysitters, or nannies to help keep an eye on your little ones. No matter what type of childcare works for you and your family, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place before signing your travel contract.

“It’s important to plan ahead when traveling with a child,” said Fusion Medical Staffing travel nurse Kylee. “[The first thing I do is] research valuable resources for my family and me in that particular area before deciding on an assignment. These resources include daycare, school, and housing. For previous assignments, I’ve used Care.com because they provide background checks. Schools and other educational needs can be found simply by researching the specific area and/or surrounding areas of your assignment.”

Travel nurse with a family with Fusion Medical Staffing

Ready to start travel nursing with your family? Fusion Medical Staffing makes it easier on you by offering one-of-a-kind benefits. Travel nursing with Fusion Medical Staffing not only provides access to high-paying jobs across the country, but it also gives you benefits for the whole family.

When you travel with Fusion Medical Staffing, your spouse, domestic partner, and children are also covered. From medical, dental, and vision insurance to mental, financial, physical, and social support through an employee assistance program (EAP), Fusion Medical Staffing has what you need for peace of mind while you’re working a travel nurse job.

Frequently asked questions

Can you bring your pets on a travel nursing job.

Pets are part of the family, too. Chances are, they just want to be part of the fun. Just like you can bring your spouse, significant other, and kids along on your travel nursing assignment, you can also bring your cat, dog, goldfish, or any other pet. Of course, travel nursing with a pet comes with its own set of pros and cons.

The obvious pro is that you get to have your beloved pet with you while you travel the country. On the downside, finding pet-friendly housing can be a challenge depending on the location where you’re working your travel nursing job. Here’s a guide to help you find pet-friendly housing no matter where you are, plus some hacks for traveling with pets .

Can you be a travel nurse as a single mom?

Did you know that nearly 10.5 million American adults are single parents? If you’re one of them, you may be wondering if you can travel nurse as a single mom. The good news is you absolutely can! Travel nursing as a single mom is a great way to provide for your family while experiencing new locations around the U.S. With the right balance of work and exploration, travel nursing as a single mom can be a rewarding experience for you and your kids.

Can travel nurses work close to home?

Instead of bringing your family with you on your travel nursing assignments, you may want to work closer to home so you can have the best of both worlds. While this may be an option, there are a few factors to consider.

You may have heard of the 50-mile rule, also known as the radius rule. This rule states that a travel nurse must work at least 50 miles away from their tax home in order to receive tax-free stipends for housing, travel, and meals. Most people think the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is behind this rule, but typically, it’s established by travel nursing staffing agencies or healthcare facilities.

According to IRS Publication 463 , you can accept tax-free stipends if “you need to sleep or rest to meet the demands of your work while away from home.” However, the reimbursements are only supposed to be paid when you’re away from your tax home for work. If you’re returning home on your days off and not incurring expenses, you may run into issues receiving your stipend. Seek professional advice from a tax adviser with experience on this topic if you’re unsure about travel nurse stipend requirements.

Another thing to keep in mind is that local travel nursing can severely limit your job options. The more flexible you are, the more travel nursing job opportunities you’ll have available to you, and vice versa. With help from a travel nursing recruiter, you can find the right job that fits your needs, as well as your family’s needs.

Now that you know everything there is to know about travel nursing with a family, you can share your travel adventures with the people you love the most. What are you waiting for? Search for travel nursing jobs and decide where you and your family will go next!

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RV & Van Life Is The Best Travel Nurse Housing: 6 Reasons Why

Cross-country travel nursing jobs are an amazing way to make more money and see the country. However, travel nurse housing can be expensive and challenging to find.

Some clever healthcare professionals solved the travel nurse housing problem by moving into an RV or a van.

Nomad travel nurse Brandon Donnie ( @simplicity.ventures ) thinks RV travel nursing is ideal: “I literally get paid to travel the country, save lives, and take my home and family with me. The freedom this lifestyle has given us and the humbling experiences we have had along the way has truly been a dream come true.”

Five nomad travel nurses share why travel nursing with an RV is the best way to get the most from your job and travel. These nurses will convince you to leap into RV or van life too.

What is a Travel Nurse?

You can choose a travel nurse contract over a staff position if you are an RN.

“A travel nurse is essentially a contracted nurse who assists hospitals all over the nation when they are low on staffing,” says Lindsey Graham ( @LindseyandDannyVanlife ). Her husband, Danny, has been a travel nurse for five years. “The contracts are generally 13 weeks long and can be extended out a maximum of a year.”

Travel nursing appeals to those who love travel, adventure, new experiences, or seek temporary opportunities to increase their salaries.

How to Find a Travel Nursing Job

Giving up a comfortable permanent home can be intimidating, but it’s easy to find a travel nursing job.

“There are numerous Travel Nurse Agencies that can assist you in your endeavors to find these temporary assignments and they act as a middleman to draw up the contracts, negotiate pay on your behalf, and some even provide benefits,” advises Lindsey Graham.

There are many travel nurse agencies, but she recommends checking out American Mobile Nursing (AMN), Nurse Choice, and American Traveler.

Why an RV or Van is the Best Choice For Travel Nurse Housing

Travel nurses receive a housing stipend with their compensation. Short-term stay apartments are the most popular travel nurse housing option, but some travel nurses prefer to live in an RV or van.

Five experienced RV travel nurses share why they chose RV or van life for their travel nurse housing:

Make and Save More Money As a Travel Nurse

Income boosts are a significant travel nursing perk.

For example, Chase & Lindsay doubled their income and paid off their remaining $60,000 student loan debt.

Lindsey Graham agrees that in her experience, her husband Danny makes way more pay as a travel nurse vs. his previous staff nurse position.

However, travel nurse housing can cut into that extra revenue. Month-to-month rent, required for three-month travel nurse contracts, is often much more expensive than annual leases and requires multiple non-refundable deposits.

“We began to notice year after year we were getting killed financially on travel nurse housing,” remembers Lindsey Graham.

Travel nurse companies provide travel nurse housing services, but the requirement to opt out of the tax-free living stipend makes this option a drawback.

Instead, it’s possible to pocket the housing stipend and save significantly on travel nurse housing costs by staying in less expensive RV parks. “We get to save and invest the housing stipends, minus rent and utilities,” says travel nurse Brandon Donnie.

Extra pay plus savings on travel nurse housing results in big profits for RV travel nurses.

RV Travel Nurses Maximize Time Off

Many travel nurses enjoy exploring their temporary homes on days off. Living in a van enables travel nurse Megan Ty ( @we.the.wanderers ) to take local trips when she’s not working.

“As nurses, we only work three days a week, which means our four days off are spent exploring the area we are in,” she explains. “We used to spend so much time packing and finding lodging for our mini getaways during the week. Now we have everything we need in our van, so we can just take off after work and pull into a free campsite.”

“Travel nursing allows both financial freedom and the freedom to take time off traveling around the U.S. and abroad,” says Chase and Lindsay. The travel nurse couple now only works half the year and spends time between contracts traveling. So far, they have visited 13 countries.

RV Parks Are A Pet-Friendly Travel Nurse Housing Option

Four-legged family members are part of many travel nurses’ families. However, finding short-term travel nurse housing that is also pet-friendly can be a challenge. Fortunately, almost all RV parks allow dogs and cats.

RV life provides a safe environment for Chase and Lindsey’s cat while they’re at work.

Travel nurse Abby Fiore ( @abbylerioux ) says her dogs love living in the RV park. “With two little dogs along for the ride, we invested in an outdoor gate that we situate around the front door so they can come in and out as they please. This has allowed them to have an easy transition from a big yard to tiny living.”

Travel Nurses Love Relaxing At Their Campsite

While living in an RV or van may not seem initially appealing, these travel nurses enjoy their travel nurse housing when they return from a long work day.

Chase and Lindsey prefer travel nurse housing at RV resorts with full hookups (utilities). “It’s reassuring to know that we have everything we need,” Lindsey explains. “Everywhere we’ve stayed has also had fitness facilities as well as a swimming pool and hot tub for relaxing on days off.”

Abby Fiore and her wife have fully embraced living in the outdoors. “The last two years in our RV have sparked a love for the open road and nature that we didn’t realize we had.” As night shift nurses, campsites that allow them to soak in the sun are their favorites!

Eliminate The Search For Travel Nurse Housing

Searching for a new home on short notice every few months is inconvenient, expensive, and cuts into valuable time off. RV and van travel nurses simply hop behind the wheel and drive to their next assignment.

Brandon doesn’t miss the travel nurse housing process. “We don’t ever have to look for housing, never pay ridiculous rent prices or utilities, and our home is always with us!”

Having your bed and belongings in every assignment location is also convenient. “Life between contracts is no longer stressful because we are home no matter where we go,” says Lindsey. “We no longer live out of boxes.”

Travel Nurses Get Paid to Travel the Country

Exploring the country is one of the best parts of travel nursing. There are many exciting travel nurse destinations, whether you want to check out a new state, become immersed in a city, or try living on a mountain, beach, or desert.

Meg and Ty hope to use an assignment to check a major item off their bucket list. “Alaska is very high on our list for a travel assignment…Our goal is to make our Alaska dream come true next summer!”

Travel Nursing With an RV

Are you convinced to try van or RV travel nursing? 

“Our advice would be to give this lifestyle a test drive (no pun intended),” recommend Meg and Ty. “There are several companies that allow you to rent vans and RVs for extended periods of time. If you are considering whether this is a good choice for you, renting a home on wheels for a week will give you the insight to make your decision.”

Don’t let inexperience hold you back. “There is a whole world out there to explore, and while the fear of the unknown is real, the world that will be discovered makes it worthwhile,” says Abby Fiore. “If two city-raised women who never knew what an RV was can do it, then I believe anyone can!”

An RV is the best travel nurse housing option for Brandon Donnie. “Take the leap! If this is your dream, there is no time like the present. The rewards outweigh the risks and pay off bountifully!”

Learn More From Our RV Travel Nursing Experts

Are you a travel nurse curious about RV life? Subscribe to Rootless Living to learn more about work, travel, and nomadic living. Read the full articles from our RV travel nursing experts:

Chase & Lindsey

Featured in Rootless Living’s January/February 2021 issue

Follow on Instagram: @WereOutNAbout

Lindsey & Danny Graham

Follow on Instagram: @LindseyandDannyVanlife

Featured in Rootless Living’s July/August 2022 issue

Follow on Instagram: @abbylerioux

Megan and Ty DeWitt

Follow on Instagram @we.the.wanderers

Brandon and Donnie Gibson

Follow on Instagram: @simplicity.ventures

Subscribe to Rootless Living Magazine

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Today in the chart

What’s it really like to be a travel nurse here's eight pros and cons..

For nurses who work on the same floor every shift, travel nursing might seem like a mysterious and magical career choice. And in some ways, it is all it’s cracked up to be — but in others, it’s not.

Travel nursing might seem like a mysterious and magical career choice for nurses who work on the same floor every shift. And in some ways, it is all it’s cracked up to be — but in others, it’s not.

At least, that’s the perception of one travel nurse, Duffy McCaughan, BSN , who’s worked in Pennsylvania and California throughout his career. McCaughan began travel nursing almost two years ago and went through the agency American Mobile , which has placed him at several Kaiser hospitals along the West Coast. He’s worked in telemetry, the ICU, pre- and post-cardiac catheterization, among others.

McCaughan sat down with us to discuss the pros and cons of his experience so far.

Pros of Travel Nursing

While hourly rates of travel nurses can be lower, McCaughan says he’s making about double what he did at his previous employer, one of the area’s best-compensating hospitals. How? The stipend you receive as a travel nurse for your housing, food, and more isn’t taxed, so all that money goes into your pocket.

More Autonomy

Travel nurses get to pick their assignments, so even though McCaughan recommends first-timers take the first thing they’re offered, once you build up your resume, you can choose the gig that feels best for you. With that freedom, you can also see the parts of the country that appeal to you, and McCaughan says that brings him a sense of happiness that translates into his work.

Meeting New People

You can grow your nursing network, which McCaughan feels has been central to his career. You also learn different styles of nursing and are exposed to new ways of performing critical tasks.

You Learn a Ton

This is perhaps the most important upside! Switching environments so often hone your communication skills and adaptability. As McCaughan explains, “When you’re not traveling, you just know the culture and flow of your floor — you don’t think twice. Traveling, you learn to ask questions, be flexible, and not be stubborn about how you think something should be done.”

Cons of Travel Nursing

Frustration.

Part of being exposed to new environments, McCaughan says, is that you’ve seen different — and often seemingly better — ways of running a healthcare system. Of course, McCaughan adds that you never do anything unsafe, but at times, it can be challenging to leave behind your tried-and-true approach.

Not seeing the same people for more than a few weeks — McCaughan’s contracts have been about three months each — can create a sense of isolation. On top of that, you might get switched to a different floor, where the faces are entirely new, in the middle of a shift.

Working With Lots of Personalities

The more places you work, the more people you deal with. The other side of advancing your communication skills is that each batch of new people poses a different set of potentially exhausting demands and quirks, McCaughan explains.

Less of a Relationship With the Hospital

As a travel nurse, McCaughan says you exist “to fill” the hospital’s personnel holes. “It took getting used to, but now I know my role, and that’s what it is.”

Ultimately, McCaughan has enjoyed his experience and would recommend it to fellow nurses interested in seeing the country and who love being active. Just remember to make friends, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and do the best job you can. “That way,” he advises, “you’ll have even more options.”

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