Travel Nursing in Alaska: Know Before You Go

1. A New Home

Before you make the big move, learning about the city and the area where you’ll be staying is a good idea. The more you know about the destination, the more familiar the area and the facility will be. Check out these helpful websites:

The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce: Relocation Information
Everything you need to know about moving to Alaska

State of Alaska Home Page
Learn about the history and current issues that face Alaska

Travel Alaska
Plan your itinerary of fun things to see and do in Alaska

Travel to Anchorage
Make plans to visit Alaska’s largest city.

2. Documents and Certifications
Because you are a traveling nurse, it is imperative that all your documentation and credentials are available. Nurses should bring their original records and several copies of everything. A recruiter will assist you in getting through the licensing process, from testing to sending copies to the travel company. Make sure you travel with your records to avoid any inconvenient delays.

3. Ask Questions About Your Contract and Travel
Make sure you communicate any questions or issues that you have about the contract or any aspect of traveling to the new location. When you communicate with your recruiter, listen carefully and keep asking questions until you are satisfied and understand completely. Ask about pay rate and confirm that you understand anything outside the norm, such as overtime or bonuses. Get copies of the benefits and health coverage being offered, and don’t forget to look into other general neighborhood issues, such as quality of schools, real estate issues, crime rate and other factors that determine the livability of a place.

4. Take Time to Play
The reason that many travel nurses do what they do is to experience a new place, often one that is vastly different from where they came from. Alaska is like no other place, and travel nurses can take in a wide variety of activities, from relaxing to adventurous. Spend one weekend playing in the great outdoors and the next weekend attending a show and a fine dinner. These sites will help you make the most of your Alaska visit:

Alaska Tour & Travel
Find out how to book cruises, hotels, wilderness adventures and more.

Alaska Trekker
For the outdoors enthusiast.
Southeast Alaska
Specializing in things to do in the Inside Passage.

5. Attitude
As with any change, your attitude can go a long way in making the experience a good one. Keep a positive attitude and remember that every day will bring something new and interesting. Travel nursing is a rewarding thing to do, and not only will you make an impact on patients, co-workers and supervisors, but you’ll also expand your horizons. No experience will be completely perfect, but with the right attitude, you can create many wonderful memories of your travel nursing experience.