You got questions, hopefully they have the answers.
The idea of a traveling for therapy and rehab jobs is a fairly new concept. Though it has been around for some time, not many know how to get involved and worse yet, may not know what to do to prepare yourself for the short-term contract assignment. Perhaps you’ve heard of others who have ventured out and loved every second and found their living quarters to be top-notch. Or maybe you’ve heard some who returned with unfavorable results, like the provided housing was “nestled along the shores of a beautiful lake,” when in reality it was a cabin next to a pond full of who knows what! My hope is that all your adventures lead you to the former. This can certainly happen but it will take some legwork from you.
It’s rare that you would make a major purchase, sight unseen, so why would you take a job in a city you’ve never been to and have no idea where you’re living or where you’ll be working. That’s just disaster waiting to happen. So what should you do? Ask questions and plenty of them. Here’s a series of The Ultimate List of Traveling Rehab & Therapy Questions that should help you learn more about the agency you are working with up front. Finding out as many answers to these questions will definitely help you in molding your perfect assignment. Try them out yourself. Have you thought of any other questions you need an answer to?
Short-Term Contract Questions List 1: Housing
- Is housing furnished? (bed, night stand, couches, tables, etc.)
- Are utilities paid? Up to how much do they pay? Which Utilities are not paid for?
- What kind of housing do you offer? Is it private or shared?
- Is it an apartment or house?
- Can I have Pets?
- How close is your housing to the hospital?
- Does the travel nursing assignment allow me to bring my spouse or significant other, children, pets) Are there charges if I do?
- When doing housing through your company can I have a part in choosing our own apartment so we can maybe negotiate with the apartment complex for even better deals?
- Is there a housing package for things such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom? (ie: pots/pans, utensils, towels, sheets?)
- Does the housing you offer come with washer and dryers? If so where is it located? (eg: my room or within the complex?) If in the complex, do I have to pay to use it?
- What about phone service, Internet (wireless), cable? Are they included or do I pay for those?
- How much sooner than my assignment start and end date am I allowed to move in and out?
- Am I able to see where my room would be located in an apartment layout? Such as close to streets, parks and which floors?
- Does the housing I am offered come with A/C and/or heat or would I have to find a way to take care of those needs myself?
- Am I able to know the actual square feet of my apartment before and also see an exact layout of where the rooms are located to make sure the sq. ft. is right for me?
- Do you offer an extended stay option instead?
Hopefully the answers to these questions will get you the housing you deserve and pictured. All it takes is being a little proactive and you will make your traveling career better than you could have ever imagined.
