Last Updated Nov 2012
Preparing to leave home for a week is stressful. Preparing to leave home for three months as a new travel therapist is even more so! There is a lot to consider and take care of before taking off for your travel assignment. Between your home, your pets, your car and yourself, you have a lot to do!
The first thing you need to take care of is you! Make sure you have everything you are going to need for the next three months: scrubs, prescriptions, your ipod/ipad, cell phone and charger, camera, etc. Take into consideration where you are going and what the weather is going to be like during your three month stay so that you are sure to bring the right wardrobe. If you are going to be traveling with a pet, make sure all of their vaccinations are up to date and that they are prepared for the ride. Be sure to include food, water bowls, and a blanket to cuddle with!
Now that you have everything you need to set aside, make sure your car is ready to go. Have your oil changed and any needed car maintenance done before taking off. Map out your travel route and either print out an itinerary or save it to your phone. If you are traveling long distance, go ahead and book a hotel room along the way. This way, you can stop and rest just before you start your job as a travel therapist. Take precautions to ensure your safety on your trip.
Next, you will want to touch base with your travel therapy company to make sure you know where and when to report to on your first day and any last minute details that you may have questions about. By this time, you should already have all of your documentation completed. If not, now is the time to make sure the facility for your job as a therapist is ready for you too! Also, if your company is arranging an accomodation for you, make sure you know your new address and who to contact to pick up your keys. If you are taking stipend, make sure you have secured a place to stay and know how to get in touch with landlords.
While away on your travel assignment, your home will still need a little TLC. Make sure someone is checking in on your home regularly just to make sure nothing major happens while you are away. Schedule someone to come take care of any lawn maintenance (i.e. mowing your yard or shoveling the snow on your sidewalk), and if there are any pets that you are not taking with you, make sure you have scheduled someone to take care of them. It is also a good idea to set up timed lights in your home to help keep potential intruders away and to contact the post office to have them forward your mail. This way your home does not appear empty.
When you arrive at your assignment, it is time for work, of course, but some fun in your new location! Visit a local AAA to pick up some travel guides of the 
area. Make a bucket list of the things you want to see and do while you are there. If you have friends in the area, make sure you contact them to set up some fun dates. If you are a stranger to the area, don’t worry, you will meet a lot of new people at your new facility! Therapists, make sure you travel safely and make the most of your three months in your new, temporary, destination!
About the Author: Jill Kenney has over 10 years of experience in the travel staffing industry, and has been with Cirrus since May 2007. She was 2011 Healthcare Traveler Magazine Recruiter of the Year, and has severed in many roles including Recruiter, Trainer, and Team Leader.Cirrus Medical Staffing is an award-winning Travel Company and provider of medical professionals to healthcare facilities across the nation. Cirrus is ranked as one of the top 10 Travel Nurse Companies in the US.
To learn more about travel therapy and travel therapy job opportunities, please visit Cirrus Medical Staffing.
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