Some travel nurses travel alone, inviting friends & family to visit; some travel with spouses & children. Extra bedrooms for extended families is possible-the extra expense is usually payroll deductible. Typically, housing is furnished & usually in apt complexes or condos close to the facility; they are usually gated communities with all the extras-like pools, clubhouses, & fitness centers. On shorter assignments or if preferred by the nurse, accomodations can be made in extended stay hotels- usually suites with room service & transportation to work provided. Working as a travel nurse has it's good and bad points: Travel nursing orientation is typically only three days of general orientation & 1-2 shifts with a preceptor on the floor. Travelers are always first to float. Benefits do not usually inlcude any sick or vacation days. Also, repeating TB testing, FIT testing, fingerprinting for licensure, & orientation 3-4 times a year can wear on your last nerve. Some of the advantages of working as a travel nurse include getting to travel to the most interesting places & top hospitals in the country (or the world, for that matter), making more money than you would as a staff nurse-- and lots of it is tax-free (covered in the next sections). Plus, hospital & staff politics are not a part of your life as a temporary employee. Time off in between assignments can add up to as much as 90 days a year & if you schedule your contract dates wisely, you will have most holidays off. Now that you've decided that a travel nurse job might be right for you, you will need to get one! That requires a little homework... Continue on to the How-To Guide - Finding a Recruiter ---> | 
