Travel nursing comes with both benefits and challenges.
Dating and relationships while travel nursing can be some of those challenges — especially when you are changing locations every few months.
But those obstacles don’t have to keep travel nurses from meaningful relationships.
Travel nurse dating is not only possible — but can be a reality when you have the right mindset, outlook, and determination.
Keep reading to learn how travel nurse dating can work for you and tips to help you succeed.
Table of Contents
- Travel Nursing and Dating: Is it Possible?
- How Do Travel Nurses Date? Finding Potential Love as a Travel Nurse
- Top 5 Tips for Dating as a Travel Nurse
- Trusted Staff Nursing: Spend More Time Living a Life You Love Without Sacrificing Your Career
Travel Nursing and Dating: Is it Possible?
There’s no reason why your travel nursing profession should get in the way of a romantic relationship. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet that special someone on one of your assignments.
All dating relationships take work, and pursuing a dating relationship while travel nursing is no exception. However, dating while working as a travel nurse may require a bit more commitment and compromise than it would in your hometown.
Even with the extra work involved to make travel nursing and dating work, it is absolutely possible — and totally worth it.
How Do Travel Nurses Date? Finding Potential Love as a Travel Nurse
Travel nursing and dating can go hand in hand when you have the right resources available. And fortunately, dating resources and opportunities are readily available for nurses who love to travel and change assignments regularly.
To make dating while on assignment a reality, be willing to:
- Try travel nurse dating sites
- Explore the city and get involved in local events; and
- Find local meetups
Travel Nurse Dating Sites
We’re no longer living in the year 2000 when dating websites were new and were either considered dangerous or only for those who were desperate.
Dating sites are now not only popular but are one of the primary ways singles meet potential dates. With over 1500 dating apps and with specialty dating sites for …
- Seniors
- Farmers
- Pet enthusiasts
- And more
… travel nurses are bound to find an online travel nurse dating site to fit their desires and personalities.
You know the saying about kissing a lot of toads before you find your prince (or princess)? The same may be true about online dating — you may go out on many less-than-stellar dates before you find a compatible partner. But giving dating apps a try may be a fun place to start to find both romantic or friendly relationships.
And if it doesn’t work out, all is not lost — at least you get a night out on the town.
Get Out and Explore
One of the greatest perks of travel nursing is the opportunity to travel to so many different locales. And with each assignment comes a new city and new activities and events to get involved in.
All you need to do is get out in your new city and see what (and who) is out there.
Finding activities and events that interest you will likely put you in contact with others who share your interests. For example …
- If you love hiking, getting involved in a local hiking club will not only help you enjoy the outdoors but can also help you meet hikers who become potential dates.
- If dancing is a favorite pastime, a local dance club may put you in contact with fellow dancers.
- If working out is your passion, getting involved in a local gym may be a great place to meet people.
- Volunteer for a local event, charity, or non-profit organization to find new friends with mutual passions.
The options are endless. Just get out there and start exploring.
Not only will you meet potential dates, but you’ll also be able to make friends, which can help ease the feelings of loneliness that often accompany new travel nurse assignments.
Join Local Meetups
Maybe you prefer to take it slow and want to find friendship before romance. Local meetups could be the ideal solution.
Meetup apps abound, so finding a way to meet new folks couldn’t be easier.
Apps like …
- Meetup
- Bumble
- Nextdoor
- Skout; and
- More
… can help you connect with the community and the people who live, work, and play there.
You never know, one of those new friends you meet may become the special someone you’ve been waiting for.
Top 5 Tips for Dating as a Travel Nurse
If you’re ready to give travel nursing and dating a try, the following tips can help you get started — and keep a relationship alive even when you travel to your next nursing assignment.
#1: Be Honest About Your Job
Communication is key in any relationship.
Be upfront from the beginning. Be honest about your nursing job that usually requires changing locations as often as every thirteen weeks.
Of course, contracts can be shorter or longer and can also be extended — which would be ideal if you meet someone, and your relationship gets serious.
On top of being candid regarding the transient part of your job, you may also want to let dates know about other parts of your job — like your shift schedule or the type of nursing you do.
For example, the stress and emotional weight of working in critical care or intensive care units can be heavy, so explaining that at the beginning of a relationship may help your date be more sensitive and understanding.
Or if the person you are dating understands that you work three twelve-hour shifts in a row, they may be more apt to plan dates and activities around those work hours.
Honesty is the best policy when it comes to making an acquaintance that may grow into a deeper relationship down the road.
#2: If You Start Dating Someone You Work With, Know the Pros and Cons
Some people make a pact with themselves not to date a coworker — and for various reasons. In the end, if things don’t go well, and you decide to break off a relationship, continuing to see that coworker can be awkward, at the least.
For others, though, avoiding awkward situations is not a good enough reason to have such a strict stance on dating those you work with. After all, dating someone in the same profession will likely mean that you have a lot in common, and you understand the stresses and challenges you share in the same job.
No matter where you land on this subject, it’s important to know if your workplace has any special regulations about dating coworkers.
Travel Nurse Staffing will work with you to help you find the right placement and will stay in good communication with you throughout your assignment.
Pro: You Understand Each Other’s Travel Nursing Contracts and Schedules
Dating a travel nurse can be a benefit when you’ve both experienced temporary placements and the changing schedules common in the nursing profession.
And what’s better is when you date someone who actually has the same schedule and days off that you do. Enjoying each other’s company while de-stressing from a strenuous workweek can be fun and invigorating.
Con: Breakups Can Be Tricky
Breaking up is hard to do — or so the old Neil Sedaka song goes. And when a relationship with a coworker takes a turn, breaking up can indeed be hard.
At the least, a breakup can be awkward when you have to see and work with the person you’ve been dating. At worst, a bad breakup can end in anger and hostility — and bringing those emotions to the workplace can be a disaster.
Before deciding to date a coworker, take your time.
Getting to know a coworker on a friendly basis first may help you know whether dating is a good idea or not. In the end, you’ll need to weigh the consequences and determine if the risk is worth it.
#3: Set Your Expectations
Know what you expect from yourself as well as the person you will potentially date. Setting expectations from the beginning can help keep you out of relationships or situations that can be challenging in the end.
Answering the following questions honestly can help put you in the right place to have healthy and enjoyable relationships:
- Am I looking for a fun night out?
- Am I interested in a long-term relationship?
- Do I only want to date casually?
- Am I willing to continue a long-distance relationship?
- Am I open to dating coworkers?
Being honest with yourself from the start can help you also be honest with the other person. And doing so can help protect both of your hearts from uncomfortable and unwanted heartbreak.
If you decide that you’re open to a long-distance relationship, travel nursing can even work in your favor.
Since travel nurses are able to live in places across the country, it can give the person you are in a relationship with a good reason to come visit you on your days off. You’ll be able to rekindle your relationship while taking in the sites together.
#4: Use Technology to Your Advantage
Technology and the ease of communicating in the 21st century make travel nursing and dating a viable possibility.
We’ve already mentioned the numerous dating apps available. Once you’re on a dating app, if your travel nurse assignment changes, it’s simple to update your profile and begin looking for more relationships in your new location.
If you’re in a relationship when you move to a new assignment, technology makes staying in touch easy and effective.
With communication through platforms like …
- Skype
- FaceTime
- Texting; and
- Snail mail (for the old-fashioned)
… regular interactions across the miles are not only possible but can also be frequent.
So don’t let a short assignment keep you from getting into a relationship. It may even be possible to extend your contract or find another assignment in the same city if you get into a serious relationship.
#5: Communicate Well With Your Agency
Not only is it important to communicate with the person you’re dating, but as a travel nurse, it’s also extremely important to stay in good contact with your agency.
Whether you want to …
- Lengthen your contract
- Obtain another assignment in the same city; or
- Secure a position in the city where your love interest lives
… communicating well, and often, will help your agency be able to find the assignment you desire.
Trusted Staff Nursing: Spend More Time Living a Life You Love Without Sacrificing Your Career
Trusted Nurse Staffing works hard on your behalf. We seek to find the ideal placement for you with competitive salaries, temporary to permanent placements, benefits, and other perks.
Choosing Trusted Nurse Staffing as your travel nurse agency is the first step to a successful travel nurse career. We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and personal attention. We’re here for you and are available when you need us.
Let us help you find the nursing job of your dreams — and maybe even the date of your dreams, to boot.
Contact us today to get started.