Job Ideas for Travel Nurse Partners

Is a spouse, partner or friend accompanying you on your travel nurse job? Here's a few ideas on how to keep both incomes flowing.

Travel nursing is a great career if your partner's occupation requires you to pick up and move at a moment's notice Traveling allows you to find work in many places, in a short period of time. But what if your partner is the one who wants to accompany you? Is there a way to keep a second income coming in?

Many traveling RNs bring their significant others with them on assignment. If your partner also works in healthcare, talk to your travel nursing agency. Our “travel teams” look forward to sharing the adventure of travel and bonding over new experiences.

But what if your partner isn’t in healthcare, and having two incomes on the road would really be nice? Let’s explore the various travel nursing spouse job options that are available.

Many professions are ideally suited to remote work. A recent Pew Survey, reported that 35% of employed Americans work fully remotely. If your travel partner is currently working in a field like telemarketing, accounting, information technology or design, perhaps their employer would be open to an extension of their remote working hours. If your partner has skills in a telecommuting-friendly field, websites like FlexJobs, Working Nomads, and SkipTheDrive advertise remote employment opportunities.

The ‘gig economy’ is everywhere these days. Creative types like writers, artists, programmers and even translators might be interested in registering with sites like Upwork. These sites essentially act as ‘agents’ for freelancers, serving as a central location for firms seeking temporary services, facilitating client communication and payment. It can take a little while to establish yourself on these sites, but the more jobs a freelancer successfully completes, the more work comes their way. If your partner is a ‘people person’ and you have a suitable vehicle available, working for a ridesharing service is another freelance employment option.

Those with administrative or clerical skills might think about temporary work from established agencies like Kelly Services. In addition to clerical work, these agencies fill positions in shipping centers or manufacturing facilities that are temporarily understaffed.

Many popular travel nursing destinations have a “high” season in which hospitality and tourism opportunities abound. Websites like backdoorjobs.com and CoolWorks list short-term jobs, seasonal work, internships, and volunteering opportunities. These sites can offer seasonal employment in anything from sustainable farming to teaching tourists how to snowboard. Some positions even come with RV spaces if you and your partner will be traveling by camper. What a great way hold onto your housing stipend!

While volunteering doesn’t necessarily provide a second income, it can offer much in the way of personal satisfaction. It’s also a wonderful way to stay busy, meet people, and really get to know a new community. A national organization with multiple chapters across the United States, such as the United Way or the American Red Cross, affords the opportunity for your partner to serve the people in your new community — and he/she can help out through another to chapter when you move to another assignment. For those who are just embarking on a their working life, volunteering is an awesome way to gain experience and build a resume. Links to a wide assortment of temporary volunteer positions can be found at redcross.org.

Although it may seem daunting, it is certainly possible to travel as team. Ask your American Traveler recruiter to tell you about how some of their clients have made it work!