Arriving somewhere new, after a long drive or a flight, always feels a little strange. The streets are unfamiliar, your accommodation is quiet, and you’re yet to find a decent coffee. It’s part of the adventure of travel nurse positions, and it passes sooner than you’d think.
A new town becomes home through the little things: A morning walk, a friendly face in the tea room, a favourite mug. When your space feels restful and your days find a rhythm, you recover better after a run of shifts, and have more energy for activities outside of work. Here’s our best tips for how to settle in, wherever your next placement may take you.
Make Your Space Your Own
Take the time to unpack on your first day, even if your placement is only for a few weeks. Hang up your clothes, arrange your toiletries and make the bed just how you like it. These small touches can make your new space feel more comfortable and familiar.
Bring along a few favourite things from home, too. Whether it’s your own pillow, a photo of loved ones or your favourite mug, these little comforts won’t take up much room in your suitcase, but can make a big difference to how quickly you adapt.
Bring Your Routines With You
Keeping a few familiar routines can make settling into a new place much easier. It might be a morning walk before your shift, picking up coffee from a local café, preparing meals for the week or taking some quiet time to unwind after a night shift.
There’s no need to overcomplicate things. Just a few simple habits can bring a sense of normality to your days and help you feel more at home in your new surroundings.
If staying active is part of your routine, our guide to keeping active on short-term contracts has plenty of ideas to help you get moving.
Find Your People
Making an effort to get to know the people around you can make a big difference to how quickly you settle in. Start with your colleagues. Join in on conversations during breaks, ask about their favourite local spots and say yes when someone invites you along for a coffee or a catch-up after work.
Outside of work, take opportunities to meet your neighbours and locals, whether that’s at the weekend markets, a community event or your regular café. A friendly chat can turn into a familiar face, and sometimes even a lasting friendship.
Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations, either. Locals often know the best places to eat, explore and unwind, and following their advice is a lovely way to discover more of your new home.
That’s how you might just find yourself fishing, swimming and exploring at Cape York with the locals, like RN Jacqui did during her placement on Thursday Island.
Keep Home Close
Settling into a new place doesn’t mean losing touch with the people back home. Make time for regular video calls with family and friends, share photos of your adventures or send the occasional postcard from somewhere new. It’s a lovely way to stay connected and share a little of your travel nursing experience with the people you love.
You could even invite them to visit during your placement, giving you something to look forward to and a chance to explore your new surroundings together.
Choose Travel Nurse Positions That Suit You
Finding a placement that suits your lifestyle can make all the difference to how quickly you feel at home. Perhaps you love being close to the beach, enjoy exploring country towns and wineries, or feel most at home surrounded by the wide-open spaces of the outback. Think about what you enjoy doing outside of work and the kind of environment you’d love to spend time in.
Affinity’s Job Board makes it easier to find a placement that suits you, with lifestyle filters to help you search for opportunities near beaches, gyms and recreational facilities. Your Affinity specialist can also help you explore different destinations and talk through what life might look like in each, so you can find a placement that feels like a good fit, both at work and on your days off.
Your Home Away From Home Starts With the Right Support
Every contract is a chance to make a new place your own, and you don’t have to do it alone. With the right habits and the right team behind you, it comes more naturally than you might expect.
Here’s what you can expect with Affinity:
- A dedicated team with you every step of the way, with 24/7 support
- Contract opportunities in every state and territory
- Competitive contract packages
- A smooth onboarding and paperwork process
- The chance to build your skills across diverse healthcare settings
Join us today to discover the travel nurse positions waiting for you.
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