What to pack for a Travel Nurse Contract

Congrats on landing your first nursing contract! This is miracle in itself, considering the extensive paperwork and hurdles one must overcome in order to start their travel nurse adventures.

Throughout my contracts, I have stayed in nursing quarters, shared-housing and self-contained apartments. I started off with no idea (and no gear), as a result, I ended up spending money on things I could have brought with me.

Nursing Quarters

I stayed in nursing quarters on my first gig in WA. The room was a single bed with a desk and wardrobe. There were shared bathrooms, shared kitchen and a shared lounge room. If you are residing in nursing quarters here are my recommendations:

1) Sheets

Remember to pack your own sheets! I was provided hospital sheets and blankets, I felt like a patient rather than a resident. I had to make an unexpected trip to Kmart to purchase some PINK single sheets and a duvet.

2) A good knife

Meal-prep is a lot easier when you have a good knife. We had one good knife on the floor and one of the veteran travel nurses would often hide it in his locker.

3) A shower caddy

Lockers in the bathroom were allocated for all of our toiletries, a shower caddy makes it easy to transport all of your goodies to the shower. This will spare you from asking the person next to you if you can borrow some of their body wash.

4) Thongs or plastic birks

Athletes foot. Enough said.

5) Containers

I had to buy lots of containers to take my food to work! I also recommend a keep cup if you are caffeine fiend like myself.

6) Eye-mask and ear plugs

Shift work essentials! Nursing quarters are noisy and there aren't always good blinds. The floor I was on also had renovations happening, often I would wake up to drilling.

A communal kitchen dinner in the nursing quarters

Shared Housing or Apartments

Shared housing and apartments tend to offer a more refined and civilized living environment, however, they often lack the social interactions that can be found in the nursing quarters. Here are my packing tips for this type of nursing accomodation:

1) Cleaning and household items

Laundry detergent, dish washing liquid, dish scrubber, soap and pegs. Any household items you use at home, bring them along and it will save you buying twice. That first grocery shop in a new town always shocks me.

2) Coat-hangers

I seem to buy these every-time I go somewhere new. The wardrobes often have very limited hangers/ wardrobe space.

3) A Wifi Modem

Often there is limited service in some of the places you will go. A portable wifi modem is an essential. I recommend a Telstra one, these can be picked up at Coles or Woolworths for under $100. I am lucky enough to bring my work-from-home partner along with me and he relies on this modem heavily.

4) A Large Cooking Pot

I love cooking in bulk and often the places you stay aren't set up for long-term residents, rather, offering tiny pots and pans.

5) Any hobby related items

We always bring our surfboard, it's a great way to explore new beaches, maintain fitness and meet new people. Your hobbies shouldn't stop just because you are on the move.

My partner Ted and I outside our apartment we stayed in while contracting in the Northern Rivers

I hope this list helps! Undoubtedly, it will grow in size as I progress throughout my travel nursing journey. Best of luck on your new adventure!

Happy Coasting!