travel nurse living in van

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.
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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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• Main content

Travel Nursing in an RV – Pros and Cons

By Mariam Yazdi, RN

My husband and I are both travel nurses and we started our journey in San Francisco. We got a taste for the real estate there when we found a studio apartment in the city for…wait for it…$2,600 a month. Yup, all 400 square feet of it. It was furnished, allowed dogs, and was leased to us for 3 months.

>> Click here to see available high-paying travel nurse opportunities!

After a few weeks into our assignment, we became inspired to buy a Volkswagen Westfalia Vanagon, one of those nostalgic buses that look super cute on Instagram (#vanlife.) We bought a big orange one and used it as a means to see the country. We’ve used it to take multi-week road trips, as a temporary apartment when on assignment, and as a daily commuter.

This little van gave us a taste of setting up a portable living situation when going travel nursing and while living in this 60 square foot space was definitely challenging, there are many travel nurses that are doing it right! If you are considering taking your RV, camper, or any other home on wheels to your next travel assignment, add the following pros and cons to your research!

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It’s all about the money, honey.

Cost of renting an apartment can be steeply more expensive especially when renting apartments in highly populated areas. From deposits to pet fees to up-charges for short-term rentals, these costs all add up and don’t “go anywhere” in comparison to spending the same money investing in an RV or RV-like home. If you’re able to get your hands on a deal for a mobile living space - your savings have begun. Oh and that housing stipend? Straight to the bank, baby.  

The space is always yours.

No matter what happens, you always have a furnished space that feels like home. You know exactly where everything is. You know the intricacies and the idiosyncrasies of your space. And for all my healthcare germaphobes out there – you at least know that it’s only your cooties you’re dealing with, and not any previous unknowns. 

Paws and portable snuggles. 

We have always traveled with our two dogs, and from experience, transitions are the hardest on them. The quicker we get into a routine, the better for their digestive systems – and our sanity. When we’ve moved around in our VW van, however, our home stays familiar to them and they go through a more minimal period of acclimation. The tricky part is keeping the space cool, especially during times when we leave for the day or night.

You get to change your mind as easy as one, two, free. 

There are a lot more RV parks than you’d think! If you claim your stake somewhere and decide you’re not vibing with it after a few weeks, you have all the freedom to pick up and head out to the next park that has a café and a swimming pool. (Seriously, don’t underestimate RV parks. There are some pretty sweet ones out there.)

Greater connection with the outdoors. 

This comes naturally when living in a mobile space. It’s easy to get good sunlight and campsites typically have picnic tables and other outdoor amenities that draw people to enjoy the outer space. In contrast, it’s easy to get cooped up in an apartment, and there are way too many first-floor units out there that don’t get enough sunlight…even in the sunniest of cities.

You don’t get to move into a space that’s unique to that city.

Sometimes, I want to get a feel for the city, which to me means living in a space unique to that area, carving my place in the local community of permanent residents and transients alike. It makes me feel like I am truly “living” in the city, not just passing by.

You carry everything with you, like a turtle and its shell. 

There’s something kind of freeing about only packing your clothes, laptop, and yoga mat when you move somewhere for three months. Walking into furnished apartments and setting up life doesn’t take but maybe half a day, and when the assignment is all done, packing up and peacing-out is a breeze. Maybe you even board a plane and hit up your next destination without a second thought. 

What’s your bathroom situation?

You could have one of those sweet RVs that have a shower and toilet (and maybe even a tub). Or the camping site may have community showers and bathrooms. But if you’ve parked your VW Westy in the hospital parking lot like we did for a bit, you better get creative about how to stay hygienic and how to manage your waste. We have spent many weeks showering after work in the cath lab employee bathrooms, using a bucket and kitty litter when the going was inevitable, and stocking up on enough scrubs to make it through a couple weeks without needing to visit a laundry mat. Ideal? Not really. Adventurous? Arguable.  

Any breakdowns and it’s your issue. 

This is true of any renter vs owner situation. If you’re renting and the pipes freeze, your landlord better be high-tailing it over. But if you didn’t take proper precautions of your camper and find out the hard way about cold weather, now you’re shouldering that cost and labor, and it may not be pretty. Not to mention breakdowns that could happen in-transit; if you’re on deadline to make it to your first day, you may find yourself ditching your kombi - with half of your things in it - at a storage facility en route to your next assignment, coming back to save it later (been there, done that).

Storing the thing.

What do you do with this home on wheels when you’re done with it? If you’ve got a place to park it in between assignments, you’re set. But sometimes parents’ homes are already overcrowded with cars and a 5th wheel doesn’t do much to help. Also, if you take an extended break from using it, you must stay mindful of sun-damage, mold, and other unfortunate things that could happen when a space goes unoccupied for long. 

The Bottom Line

When you decide to go travel nursing, you must ultimately do what makes you happiest; this will get you through the toughest time of either option - and there will be tough times. Whether it’s fixing the AC on your home at a truck stop in 100-degree weather, or when you’re on your hands and knees scrubbing your apartment floor (after spending all day moving out) in order to avoid the $300 fee your complex will charge you if you’re unit is not “move-in ready.” Make the decision that best speaks to your soul (and your wallet) and those rough times will all be worth it!

Next Up: 20 Things Every Travel Nurse Needs To Own

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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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Your traveling partner

Considering van life as a traveling healthcare professional

Lots of people are intrigued by the nomadic aesthetic of van life and become interested in giving it a try themselves. Van life has grown in popularity recently, as living in a van gives you freedom unlike anything else. You’re able to travel freely, be in nature, live more simply, unplug from social media and even save money .

As a traveling healthcare professional, you’re always on the go traveling from one state to another. With all of your healthcare traveler jobs , you’re constantly finding new housing options, temporarily changing your mailing address and adjusting bills. Travel nurse van life might be something you consider when you’re in a new place after every 13-week contract.

How van life can work for your career

If you decide to take on living in a van, you’ll likely need to downsize and begin living a more minimalist lifestyle. It’s a big decision, but a major benefit is that your entire life and house will be with you for every assignment. As a healthcare traveler, you’re already diving into new places and building new friendships. In the same way, travel nurse van life will open up a plethora of opportunities for you.

Even if you have pets that you consider a part of your family, it’s possible to take them along on this wild ride with you. You and your pet will both have to adjust, but getting to explore the new sights together will be worth the while. It takes a bit of work upfront to convert a van into a home that can be lived in, but many find the benefits far outweigh the cons.

Pros and cons of van life as a healthcare traveler

The pros of van life include flexibility, fewer expenses, taking part in a minimalist lifestyle, enjoying nature right up front and in person,and less time spent scrolling meaninglessly through your phone. If you have a love for adventure and a traveling career, it can be a great way to let go of some of the things aren’t necessary and live a more free and open-minded life.

With all of the pros, come some cons as well. One thing about van life is that everything is smaller. Maybe you’ve lived in a studio apartment before, but van life can be even more confining than that. You will have to consider the amount of time you’ll be cleaning, using dump stations and public bathrooms a lot more than you do right now. You also need to find a safe site every time you park overnight. The final negative is that cell service and Wi-Fi can be hard to find sometimes.

Begin your traveling adventure with RTG Medical

Maybe you’re already comfortable in your traveling career and you’ve begun thinking about van life, or maybe the first step for you is to find your traveling partner and start searching for healthcare traveler jobs. RTG Medical has helped many nurses, therapists, physicians, lab techs and more find their perfect niche in the world of traveling healthcare. If you’re interested in working with us, reach out today to begin your adventure!

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Travel Nursing and Van life: How Does it Look?

In recent years, many travel nurses have begun to opt for a life on the road . That is, they prefer to live out of a van instead of moving into apartments during their assignment. 

You might wonder, “Why would they do this, when they get a housing stipend anyway?”

Well, if you listen to the testimonies of the travel nurses living the van life , you will see that there are tonnes of benefits. 

The Top Pros of Living in a Van

Now, you can save a lot of money this way . If you already have accommodation, then most (if not all) of your housing stipend can go into your savings. Once you collect a big enough amount, you can even stop working for a bit and travel without any responsibilities. 

Second, you can free yourself from having to deal with the volatile housing market. As you begin living in different places, you will soon realize that rent and housing conditions can vary wildly from city to city. 

While on some assignments your stipend will be more than enough to cover your living expenses, on others you might find that you have to dip into your savings because of the exorbitant rent being charged. 

If you have special needs or a pet, it is even tougher to find good but cheap accommodation. However, if you already have a place to live in free of cost, then you do not have to deal with any such problems. 

Third, all transport issues are solved. Having your own vehicle will save you a tonne of money since you don’t have to pay for public transport. If you want, you could simply park your car in the parking lot of your hospital. Of course, driving a van is not the easiest task, but it is definitely a lot easier than finding or renting a new car at the beginning of every assignment. 

And last but not least – a new world of adventure opens up! Living the van life means that you can take time off between assignments to take a road trip or even take short trips on your days off. You also get live much closer to nature and can simply move to a new location if you get bored after a few weeks in the same spot. 

Cons Of Living In A Van

Like everything else in the world, van life has both advantages and disadvantages. The first problem is that life on the road and living frugally can get lonely since you do not have any roommates or neighbors around you. 

Second, you might find it tough to adjust to the smaller living space and the lack of amenities in your mobile home. However, it is also possible to build a van which caters to your living requirements. And as even basic research will show, some people manage to convert their vans into truly luxurious spaces that anyone would kill to live in . While this might take a heavy investment initially, it will pay off once you start saving money on housing. 

The important thing to remember is that different things work for different people, so make the decision that suits you best. That being said, it seems like travel nurses who have opted into the van life are having a gala time. 

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Travel nursing across america … in a van.

Visiting new places and meeting new people is a natural part of being a travel nurse, but ICU nurse Bob Goldnetz takes that to the next level. From hiking Machu Picchu  to snowboarding the slopes of Oregon and exploring Utah’s slot canyons, travel nursing has allowed him to go just about anywhere he wants. And soon, he’s headed to Ecuador for a medical mission! Here’s how Bob Goldnetz balances nursing with his love of travel.

Becoming a travel nurse

Bob started off as a physical therapy tech, which he enjoyed, but he didn’t feel like he ever got to connect with patients. His mom is a rehab nurse, and she would get letters from patients from decades earlier, while he would completely lose contact with patients once they recovered. Bob realized he wanted a job where he could make a difference, and nursing was a natural fit. With his adventurous lifestyle, travel nursing created the perfect mix of helping others while getting to explore. So, Bob started travel nursing three years ago.

Mastering work/life balance

So far, travel nursing has taken Bob to Salt Lake City, Boise, Portland and southern Oregon, and Denver. Traveling between assignments, he drove Highway 101 all the way down the west coast. During these assignments, Bob mastered the art of work/life balance. He would snowboard, surf, and mountain bike on his days off, and when he had multiple days off, he went backpacking. Then, in-between assignments, he took breaks like a month-long break for snowboarding and another month off for traveling in South America in Ecuador and Colombia.

Travel nursing in a van

“I’d much rather pull over to the side of the road where no one is and make an egg burrito and wake up to the sound of the waves and not the hotel,” says Bob. After taking the van on bumpy roads, which resulted in blown out struts and ripping off the bottom of the van, he decided he needed something that had four-wheel drive and clearance. He found an Astro van, which fit his lifestyle perfectly. Now, he goes through canyons with a couple of feet of snow with no issues.

Helping across the world

This August, Bob will get to combine his love of traveling with nursing for a medical mission. He’s heading back to Ecuador, after his recruiter, Sam, encouraged him to apply for the trip funded by a grant from the Making a Difference Foundation .

“Ecuador was a place I really wanted to go back to — the mountains, the volcanoes, the countryside, the people, the food — it’s just a great culture and so much to see,” Bob says. So he applied.

Sam called him a few weeks later. Usually, Bob and Sam catch up about their lives as well as work, so Bob started to tell Sam about his struggles working on the van. “I’m working on it and I was kind of frustrated,” he says. “I’m like, ‘I’m good, I’m good. Just working on the damn van. It’s being a pain in the ass.’” When Sam told Bob that she was with RNnetwork’s vice president, Bob thought he was in trouble. When he realized the vice president was on the phone to congratulate him on winning the trip to Ecuador, Bob says, “They told me, and I actually teared up a little bit. I was just amazed. It’s such a great opportunity, and I’m really excited to get back there.”

Making friends on assignments

With such an interesting lifestyle, Bob never has a hard time making friends, whether he’s on a plane, hiking on a trail, or working an assignment. He has bonded with other travel nurses because they didn’t know anyone in the area. On an assignment in Denver, he found six other travel nurses who didn’t know anyone, and he organized things for the seven of them to do, from hiking and climbing to seeing new things in Denver. Though he would often hang out with other travel nurses only a few times before they left for other assignments, he became close friends with lots of them.

Working with teams

Bob also gets along well with staff nurses. He explained that he has heard horror stories about staff nurses treating travel nurses badly, but that’s never been his experience. He found that if he was reliable and flexible, the staff nurses were grateful for his help. He said even if he gets holiday assignments or bad shifts, he understands, because his job as a travel nurse is to give the staff nurses a break.

Future plans

Bob is currently on a per diem assignment in Alaska, after driving forty hours from Salt Lake in his trusty van. His plan is to work travel nursing in Alaska until August, then head to Ecuador for his medical mission, and link that trip with visiting Chile and Bolivia. After that, he might go back to Alaska  or he’ll head to Hawaii — with travel nursing, he certainly has lots of options.

Let us help you find your next travel nursing adventure! Give us a call at 800.866.0407 or view today’s travel nurse job opportunities .

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About the author.

Kathleen Stone

Kathleen Stone is a writer for RNnetwork from Salt Lake City, Utah. In her spare time, she loves going to the desert, trying new foods and being with family.

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