5 Ways Travel Nurses make Detroit feel like Home for the Holidays

5 Ways to Make Detroit Feel Like Home for the Holidays

One of the hardest things about travel nursing might be when your assignment takes you away from home for the holidays. Even if your family travels with you, there’s still something about waking up in a strange place that just doesn’t feel quite homey.

But no matter where you are, the excitement of a new city is still one of the best things about travel nursing. And with a little effort, you might just be able to make your temporary home feel like, well, home.

Here are 5 things Travel Nurses do that make Detroit feel like home this holiday season:

1.      America’s Thanksgiving Parade

Kick off the holiday season with America’s Thanksgiving Parade. Music, floats, giant balloons, and entertainment travel a two-mile route down historic Woodward Avenue. Starting at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the parade passes cultural and historical sites like the home stadiums of four of Detroit’s professional sports teams, the historic Fox Theater, the stunning Art Deco Guardian Building, The Spirit of Detroit statue, and more.

2.      Ice Skating at Campus Martius Park

In the heart of downtown, Campus Martius Park is a winter wonderland in the colder months. Beginning with the annual Detroit Tree Lighting Ceremony in late November, which features a 60-foot Norway Spruce, the popular park provides fun, entertainment, and an ice-skating rink larger than another famous rink in New York City. It’s a perfect place to get your merry on.

3.      Beacon Park

Partnering with Campus Martius Park to kick off the holiday season, Light up Beacon Park features the Detroit Children’s Tree, horse and carriage rides, and a heated tent dressed up inside like a ski lodge where you can warm up. Throughout the season, Beacon Park features game nights, football game watch parties, an Ugly Christmas Sweater Silent Disco, Family Fun Day, and a New Year’s Eve Kids Countdown.

4.      Sounds of the Season

Music is in Detroit’s soul, and the holiday season doesn’t disappoint. A few of this year’s highlights include the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas musical, Cirque Dreams Holidaze, and Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. And nothing says “welcome home” quite like the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s traditional Home for the Holidays concerts.

5. Holiday Markets

Detroit hosts several seasonal markets for festive shopping downtown.

Glass sheds at Cadillac Square and Capitol Park feature seasonal items, clothing, gourmet treats, handmade items, and more. And Detroit’s most loved way to spend a Saturday, Eastern Market, hosts six special Holiday Market days. They feature food, gifts, and Michigan made products, making an already magical Detroit tradition even more special.

But pack your winter boots and parka — winter is cold in Detroit! There’s no doubt, however, that it’s worth it. You’ll find enough food, entertainment, and shopping to make Detroit one of your favorite assignments.

For more on Detriot during the holidays click here 

Are You Ready to Start Your Traveling Nursing Career with Stability Healthcare?

Stability Healthcare is an industry leader in travel nursing, with excellent benefits, PTO, and competitive pay. Sign up today to become a travel nurse, and get instant access to thousands of open jobs. Our representatives look forward to helping you launch your new career in travel nursing.

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Things to Do on the 4th of July for Travel Nurses

1. Working the Night Shift? Pack a Picnic

Many Travel Nurses work the night shift, so if you’re working the 4th then you may want to enjoy an early breakfast/brunch picnic.

Take all those adorable red, white, and blue recipes you made and celebrate with a picnic in the park.

2. Celebrate at Work

Just because you’re at work doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the holiday! Donning a set of red, white, and blue scrubs brings a bit of the holiday into the hospital.

Celebrating doesn’t just mean going to barbecues. It can also mean adding a little levity to your workplace.

3. Celebrate on the Beach

If you’re lucky enough to have travel nurse assignment near or within driving distance of a beach,

pack up for a fun day in the sun. If you stay until the evening, expect to see fireworks.

4. Explore the local area for the best Firework Viewing Party

Local Newspaper apps and Facebook events can direct you to the cities some of the best local hangout areas for viewing parties.

5. Make new friends with fellow travel nurses!

Speaking of food, why not invite new colleagues to a summer cookout?

Common things bring people together and beyond it being the 4^th of July, most other travel nurses are also looking for a small taste of home. Why not host a Travel Nurse Potluck and make new friends from your facility.

How You Can Make the Most of Each Assignment

You worked hard to earn your nursing credentials and get your career started. Now it’s time to put your credentials to work for you. As a travel nurse, you’ll have incredible opportunities to explore countless new places. A nursing job lasts far longer than a typical vacation, which means you can get to know each new city like a local.

Making the most out of each new destination is a process that begins before you travel there. Research your new home in advance and make a list of everything you’d like to do and see while you’re there. Perhaps you’d love to explore the nightlife or immerse yourself in the city’s cultural heritage, art scene, or natural wonders. Be ambitious with your plans; there’s plenty of time to do it all. And if you fall in love with the city and want to extend your stay, just ask about extending your contract. Another great thing about working with Stability is the company’s high rate of contract extensions.

Are You Ready to Start Your Exciting New Career?

Stability Healthcare is an industry leader in travel nursing, with excellent benefits, PTO, and competitive pay. Sign up today to become a traveler, and get instant access to thousands of open jobs. Our representatives look forward to helping you launch your new career in travel nursing.

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Finding the Right Work/Life Balance as a Travel Nurse

With all of the flexibility that being a travel nurse provides, it makes the perfect opportunity to have an exciting life outside of the hospital. Whether it’s having the time to take an overnight trip to a nearby national park or taking a few days to go to a local music festival, the opportunities are truly endless.

When starting a new rotation in a new city, work may become your main focus, but it is equally Twelve-hour work shifts can be tolling on the mind and body, and having a healthy lifestyle to balance out the stresses that can occur at work will keep you feeling good. Not only will maintaining a good work life balance keep you healthier, but it also has been proven that it increases work productivity.

Making sure you are living your best life outside of work is actually made easier as a travel nurse. There may be fears of not having friends in the city you choose and worrying you may start to feel alone, but we’ve put together some helpful tips on how you can make the most of your time outside of the hospital.

Join a club, volunteer group or organization

Every city or town you work in is guaranteed to have some sort of club or organization that you can join. Joining a group that has a common interest with you will give you the perfect opportunity to be around like minded people and will make for the perfect opportunity to make connections you can utilize outside of the group. Not only will this get you around some good people, but it also will give you something to look forward to from a weekly meeting to a group event. Check out sites like meetup.com for fun group activities.

Take advantage of travel nursing Facebook pages to find other travel nurses in your community

One of the many great things about Stability is our ever growing community of travel nurses. Liking our page, and joining our Facebook group is a great way to find other nurses in your area that are in the same boat as you are. The best part about that? They are new to the city too and are probably willing and ready to explore everything that the city has to offer, even those cheesy tourist things that locals may overlook.

Don’t be scared to do things alone

While hanging out with others, and making great connections with people in your area, it is important to remember that being alone is ok too! There tends to be a negative stigma around doing things alone, but in reality it is actually so important to be able to get out there and do things independently. Becoming comfortable with doing things alone will make settling in anywhere a lot easier and will let you do everything that you have on your bucket list without having to worry about if you can find a friend to check out that new restaurant on the corner near your apartment.

Make a bucket list for each placement

As mentioned in the following blurb, make a bucket list! This is a great way to make sure you are maximizing the opportunities wherever you are. From attending a professional sporting event to trying the special latte at that one coffee shop, write it all down and check things off as you go. That way, you are filling your off time with meaningful activities and you won’t leave missing out on anything that you really wanted to do or see.

 

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Key Women in the History of Nursing

In honor of International Women’s Day (March 8) and March being Women’s History Month, we are going to share some of the incredible women that have shaped the nursing field into what it is today! From the nursing curriculum, the right to birth control, the founding of the American Red Cross, racial diversity, and more, nursing wouldn’t be where it is today without the women that laid down the track.

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Two Very Affordable Cities for a Travel Nurse on a Budget

Travel nursing is a fairly lucrative job, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to blow their entire paycheck just to pay rent or sacrifice your lifestyle choices just to live in an expensive city. There are plenty of ways to build a savings while you are on a travel nursing placement, and picking an affordable city is a great place to start. That’s why we’re sharing with you some of our top picks for affordable cities for your next placement.

Tulsa

Tulsa is Oklahoma’s second largest city, filled with a variety of different districts. From the Entertainment District where you can enjoy Tulsa’s nightlife to Utica Square where you can get your retail fill. Tulsa is great up and coming city, making it the perfect place to take a travel nursing placement.

While it doesn’t have the speed and rush of a bigger city, there is never a lack of things to do. They have a booming music scene with famous venues like Cain’s Ballroom. Tulsa is filled with all sorts of delicious food and drinks. There’s Hodge’s Bend for coffee and cocktails and a delicious, swanky brunch at the Tavern on Brady .

According to US News, the average income spent on living expenses is only 26.54 percent, leaving lots of money to save and spend on activities and that latte you know you need to fuel you through your shift. And the best part…there are tons of travel nursing placements in Tulsa and they all pay pretty well compared to the cost of living. Hillcrest Medical Center, Saint Francis Hospital.

Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids, Michigan lies east of Lake Michigan and sits on the Grand River. Travel & Leisure named Grand Rapids one of America’s most underrated cities and we couldn’t agree more. The city is rich in culture and has enough museums alone to keep you busy on your off days. There are many draws to this city, especially including the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The gardens include art from several famous artists including Ai Weiwei and Henry Moore.

The Fulton Street Farmers Market is filled with an array of options from handmade crafts to fresh fruits and vegetables, making it the perfect place to spend your Saturday morning. Spend your Saturday night exploring the nightlife in Grand Rapids has to offer. It is best known for its many breweries scattered around the town. Breweries, farmers marketing, and history aren’t all this town has to offer, because just a short drive outside of the city there’s Millenium park where you can hike, lounge by the beach, or explore one of the several lakes.

According to US News, the average income spent on living expenses is only 25.36 percent, making this city not only a great place to live, but also an affordable one. The placements in Grand Rapids offer a good sized weekly pay that won’t have to get eaten by bills every month.

 

If you feel like trying out city life for a few weeks, head to stabilityhealthcare.com to request a quote and see what placements are available.

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Tips and Tricks for Budgeting as a Travel Nurse

Travel nursing can be one of the most fun experiences of your life, but it is easy to forget about budgeting when you are trying to take full advantage of the new city you are living in. We’ve put together some tips and tricks to make sure you are keeping track of your financial responsibilities and still able to have a good time.

Take the time to find discounts

There are countless websites that offer all sorts of coupons and ways to save money. Finding the best deal is always in your best interest when you are trying to maintain a healthy budget. There are places you can find deals on just about everything. Here are some of our favorites:

• For travel costs: Hopper, Google Flights, Skyscanner, Kiwi
• For activities: Groupon, Living Social
• For shopping: Coupons, Retail Me Not, Hip2Save

Keep an emergency fund

You never know what can happen in life, so it is always good to set aside a chunk of money so you don’t have to stress if something goes wrong. Pick an amount you think is a valid emergency fund and add a bit of money from every paycheck until you hit the goal.

Set a leisure budget

When you set out to experience a new city, it can be easy to forget how much you actually spend on activities and experiences. Before your placement set a goal of how much you want/or are willing to spend on experiences. Once you are at your placement keep track of how much you spend to make sure you don’t go over your limit.

Cook meals at home

Nursing schedules can be sporadic and random- this means you don’t usually have a set in stone eating schedule. Eating out starts to become the easy and convenient option, but that is most definitely not the cost effective option. It is amazing how much money you can save by eating and preparing meals at home. Check out these quick and easy snacks you can make a home to fuel you through your shift. Of course this doesn’t mean you have to forgo the food culture of the city you are in, but being smart with when you eat out will allow you to spend more on the food that is worth it!

Savings

Your savings account is so important. With a lucrative job like travel nursing, you will be able to put a percentage of every paycheck into a savings account for safe keeping. Putting just a little in every paycheck will add up and you will thank yourself later.

Choose the Right Agency

Choosing a travel nursing agency like Stability will ensure you get the bang for your buck. Not only do they find the highest-paying placements, but the agents also help you find affordable housing and insurance packages. Find an agency that will take care of the major details so you don’t have to.

In the end, it is all about being aware of where your money goes. When you have a big paycheck every month, the easy option is to not think about how much you spend, but before you know it your savings account will have a lot less than you planned. Budget yourself so you can enjoy your traveling lifestyle and take full advantage of your new home.

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Compare For Cash- Compare Your Current Rate with Stability’s for $10 Cash

Who doesn’t love getting paid? Stability Healthcare knows we aren’t the only source for nursing careers, which is why we’re here to prove we have some of the best rates on the market. This month, Stability is running Compare for Cash, a campaign where you compare your current salary or competitor’s quote with us and we will send you 10 dollars!

With travel nurses in high demand, travel nursing salaries are often higher than the salaries of the permanent hospital staff. If you want to fill your wallet and your desire for adventure, travel nursing might be the right fit for you. When picking a travel nursing placement, salary is one of the main considerations for a lot of people because no one wants to be financially stressed on top of moving to a new city.

Stability makes travel nursing easy for you; just pick your destination and we’ll sort out the details.  Not only are you getting the base salary advertised, but, typically, you will receive additional benefits through the Stability Healthcare Nursing Agency. The benefits vary from placement to placement, but the agency assists you with housing, travel reimbursement, licensing support and fees, bonuses, incentives, benefit packages, and retirement needs.

Think you are ready to learn more about the competitive wages that travel nursing offers? Go compare your rates with Stability. All it takes is some basic information about your current position, and not only will we compare your rates with the desired Stability placements for free, but we will also send you $10 just for doing so!

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Top 3 Big City Placements Right Now

Craving the hustle and bustle of the big city? Stability is here to help you find a travel nursing placement that will give you your fill of art, incredible cuisine, music, and culture.

Spread out all across the US, are cities that are rich in culture in opportunity. We’re here to highlight a couple of cities off of Travel + Leisure’s list of the Top Cities in the US from 2017. Read more to learn about Austin, New York City, and San Francisco, and hopefully get some inspiration for your future nursing placements!

Austin

Lying in the heart of the Lone Star State, Austin combines classic Texas with a hip and trendy twist. The residents of Austin make sure the city stays true to its motto of “Keep Austin Weird” by straying away from what one might expect to see when they visit Texas. The city is made up of several different neighborhoods that each hold their own reputation. Some of our favorites are South Congress, home to public art displays and hip coffee shops, and University of Texas, home to of course UT and also a strip of hip bars and 24-hour diners. If you want to learn more about the neighborhoods, Thrillist compiled a complete list of the different neighborhoods that will give you the inside scoop.

Food will be a recurring theme on this list because, let’s face it, a city isn’t that great if it doesn’t have the food to back it up. Austin is a food lover’s dream… from barbecue to Mexican, there’s something everyone is bound to enjoy in the city. You can even combine the two at one of Austin’s many taco joints like Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, where you can get smoked carnitas, pulled pollo, and smoked brisket tacos.

You can’t mention Austin without taking note to its famous music scene. The city is home to festivals like South by Southwest® and Austin City Limits. The city truly comes to life through its live music culture. Being in Austin during SXSW or ACL is guaranteed to satisfy any music lover’s wildest dreams. Not to worry, even if you aren’t able to line up your placement with that timeline, there are countless venues and live shows happening every night.

 New York City

A list of some of the best cities to live in wouldn’t be complete without New York City. It is the picture that everyone thinks about when they think of what a city should be- yellow taxis honking through the overflowing pedestrian groups making their way to the subway stations, walking through Times Square at night with billboards flashing after attending a famous Broadway play, and of course the picturesque NYC skyline.

If city life is what you are yearning for, then NYC is guaranteed to give you your fill. The city is made up of 5 different boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. Each borough is known for its own unique history, but the most popular is of course Manhattan, closely followed by Brooklyn. Manhattan is full of skyscrapers and luxurious neighborhoods from Wall Street in the South to Central Park in the North. You could spend your entire placement on Manhattan and still not get around to seeing and doing everything. Brooklyn is more neighborhoods and parks, a slower pace than Manhattan with artsy neighborhoods waiting to be explored.

As the melting pot of America, you can only imagine the diversity of food that you can find in the city. Try some authentic Chinese food in Chinatown or head to Eataly for some world class Italian food. If you are feeling really adventurous you can make your way to Brooklyn to try the famous Unicorn Bagel or try cereal milk ice cream at Momofuku Milk Bar.

With the flexibility of your hours as a travel nurse, you will have plenty of free time to really enjoy the city. Especially when the rest of the city is stuck in their 8-6 jobs, you will have the freedom to relax and take a stroll around central park or cruise your way through the MET.

San Francisco

On the opposite side of the country lies the coastal city of San Francisco. Known for its place in the tech scene, the Golden Gate Bridge, and its booming popularity. With its mild and gloomy temperatures, this is a city for someone who isn’t looking for a hot summer or a freezing cold winter. People from all over the world migrating to this growing city, has led to the city gaining a reputation of rent prices as steep as the city’s streets. Lucky for you, travel nurses in San Francisco make anything from $1,400 to over $2,300 a week so money won’t hinder your experience.  

Even though this is a huge city, there’s still a decent amount of nature surrounding it. From Golden Gate Park to the San Francisco Bay, this city never makes you feel like you are trapped in a concrete jungle. Some of the more natural highlights of the city include hikes around Land’s End and Telegraph Hill’s garden-lined stairway walks.

This city is home to some of the world’s most famous restaurants. The city is best known for its sourdough bread and fresh seafood, but has so much more to offer than just that. According to Lonely Planet, San Francisco is home to the most restaurants and farmers markets per capita in North America, making this city one for any food lover. Exploring the neighborhoods of San Francisco will lead you to finding a new favorite spot on every corner.

The great part about travel nursing is that it is just a six-week placement. It is the perfect amount of time to go and experience a new city and what it has to offer without having to commit to living there full-time. Who knows maybe you’ll fall in love! 

If you feel like trying out city life for a few weeks, head to stabilityhealthcare.com to request a quote and see what placements are available.

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Sand, Sunshine, and Your Next RN Placement

Travel nursing is the best way to take a vacation, but why not get paid to do what you love and fuel your travels. We’ve narrowed down some of the best beaches that you can spend your time at when you aren’t on the clock. Read more to learn about some of the best places you can be a nurse and stick your toes in the sand with the help of Stability.

Honolulu

When you close your eyes and envision a beautiful sunshine-filled beach stretching across the turquoise ocean, Waikiki Beach in Oahu is likely almost an exact replica of what you are imagining. Stretching two-miles of white sand coast, Waikiki is one of the world’s most famous beaches. Not only does this beach offer typical beach activities like swimming and surfing, but because it is right along the city of Honolulu, the opportunities are endless. From the Waikiki Aquarium to incredible restaurants, this beach is sure to work for whatever mood you may be in.

Honolulu has been named the best beach in the USA and the best island in Hawaii by US News. The best part is, there are plenty of nursing placements available in Honolulu including The Queen’s Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center, Hawaii Pacific Health, and more. Honolulu offers the perfect blend of urban landscape and activity filled beaches.

And of course Waikiki isn’t the only beach in Honolulu, so taking a placement here would give you plenty of opportunities to explore what Oahu has to offer.

The Florida Keys

Having one of the longest coastlines in the country (second to Alaska), everyone knows that Florida is home to many beach lovers. Some of Florida’s best beaches lie in the southern part of the state. Stability has a variety of Southern Florida placements from Boca Raton down to Key West.

Home to miles of uninterrupted coast, we find our favorite Florida beaches at the most southern point of the state in Key West. Travel Channel named Key West one of Florida’s best beaches and we have to agree! The Florida Keys are home to many islands and sandy beaches. Our favorite beach, located conveniently minutes from the airport, is Smathers Beach. This is the most popular beach in Key West, and rightfully so. This sandy beach is the perfect location for a day lounging by the sea or a day full of activities. If you’re feeling adventurous you can go parasailing or kayaking to see the beach from a new perspective.

Flying under the radar, Little Torch Key is an island off of the main part of Key West, which makes for the perfect day trip to relax and enjoy some tranquil beach time on your day off. Travel nursing provides the perfect opportunity to explore with a flexible work schedule.

Santa Cruz

Last but not least, is Central California. Many people think that Southern California is home to all of the Golden State’s best beaches, but the beautiful spots don’t just end there.

With placements sprawling all along the California coast, Santa Cruz is the perfect place for someone seeking regular trips to the beach. Because Central California has a more rocky coastline, many popular beaches are tucked in the nooks and crannies of the cliffs. Panther Beach is one of the Coast Dairies State Park beaches and is a great beach for hanging out with friends and enjoying the sun. It is a little tricky to get to, but is well worth the trek because at low tide another beach called Hole-In-The-Wall becomes accessible through an opening in the rock wall on the south end of the beach.

Santa Cruz alone has over 30 beaches and if that isn’t enough to fill your beach needs, there are plenty more options up and down the coast if you don’t mind a little driving. One of the most beautiful coastal spots in California is Big Sur, and it is a perfect place to take a day trip on your day off.

If escaping for a few weeks to the beach sounds like a good idea, head to stabilityhealthcare.com to request a quote and see what placements are available.

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