5 Things You Might Forget on a Travel Nursing Assignment

Whether this is your first travel nursing job or your fourteenth, it’s easy for certain items you’ll need to slip your mind.

Rather than making a trip to the store for everything you forgot each time you take an assignment, why not make a checklist to keep in your suitcase? Here are some things travelers frequently forget:

First-aid kits

Sure, you’re a nurse, but when’s the last time you put a first-aid kit in your car or checked an existing one? If you get sick or injured on a road trip, the last thing you want to do is navigate an unfamiliar city in search of medicine.

Make sure yours includes staples like ibuprofen as well as allergy medication, cold lozenges and indigestion tablets.

Flashlights

You may arrive late at night to your new assignment and have to unpack in the dark. You might have car trouble and need to shine a light underneath your vehicle. Or you might have a power outage and be forced to fumble around in the dark when you’re headed to work.

In any case, you’ll want at least one flashlight with you so you’re prepared for anything. If you remember, pack two so you can keep one in your glove box and bring the other inside to your new home.

Vacuums

Most housing does not include cleaning supplies like brooms and vacuums. While you can pick up a broom for a few dollars at a local store, a vacuum is much more expensive to replace or buy for every assignment.

Stick yours in the car before you head out so you don’t have to shell out $50 or more when you arrive.

Phone chargers

There are few things scarier than being in the middle of nowhere alone and having a dead phone. Keep a car charger in your glove box so you can always charge your phone. Then put your home charger in your bag the minute you wake up so you don’t leave it behind.

Chargers aren’t always available in local stores, and waiting for one to ship can mean days without a phone.

Towels, pillows and sheets

Don’t pull up to your new home without sheets and a pillow for your bed and at least one towel. You don’t want to head to the store before you can sleep or even shower. And if you’re working a shift soon after you move in, you’ll need time to rest and get ready.

Consider buying a set of sheets and towels and keeping them in a large pillowcase in your trunk. You’ll always be ready for your next job and won’t have to make a last-minute trip.

Following a checklist and mentally thinking through everything you need to bring can help you prepare for your next travel assignment. What do you recommend bringing along — and what do you always forget?