How to Deal with Loneliness on Travel Nurse Assignment

• It is common for nurses on travel assignment contracts to experience homesickness and loneliness. 
• Understand how you can protect your own mental health, such as scheduled communication with your support system.
• Learn new tips to combat loneliness while traveling, allowing you to connect with your community wherever you are.

Nurse travel assignments are a great way to see the country, work in very different environments, and make incredible new friendships. It’s exciting, fun, and a great way to enhance nursing skills. However, you might not anticipate that it can be a lonely experience as you find yourself in a totally new setting, on a new unit, without your go-to nurse crew. 

I took a travel contract in upstate New York while I was living in Florida. I knew it would be tough to be away from my family and pets, but the contract was paying well, and I wanted to give it a try. So, I packed up my car, picked some audiobooks to listen to on the 20-hour drive, and set out. 

Upon arriving at my quiet Airbnb, I quickly realized I was going to get lonely. It wasn’t something I had anticipated during my original excitement when I accepted the contract. So, I knew I would have to devise ways to stave off feeling alone and keep myself busy during my days off. 

Even though I met some great fellow nurse travelers to hang out with, I found myself getting sad and homesick a couple of weeks into the contract. I desperately missed my family and pets.  

The first thing I did was find a local yoga studio and hit as many classes as possible. I then researched places near my Airbnb that I wanted to explore and would plan day trips or afternoons to visit. I really enjoy local breweries, so I would check some out on my excursions.  

Breweries and coffee shops are great places to chat with people to feel connected. Whenever I could converse with locals, I would also ask them for tips on things to do in the area. 

I also used my time to make all those phone calls to dear friends and family that I never seemed to find the time to at home. I took an online course on soapmaking, one of my favorite hobbies. Not only that, but it was also a great time to watch the movies I’d been meaning to get around to. 

Mental Health While Traveling 

I asked Liz Wagner, a longtime career travel nurse and author of Will Continue to Monitor: Stories, Experiences, Insight, and Tips for RN Students and New RNs, how she managed loneliness during her many years of travel nursing. “When traveling around the country for nurse contracts, I’ve found that catching up with my close friends and family via Marco Polo or Facetime helps a lot. Through Snapchat, I can send short videos, pictures, and texts, which helps with loneliness.  

Day-to-day updates, weekly phone calls, or video chats make it feel like I’m much closer to my loved ones who are far away. Travel nursing can be lonely at some points, but the moments and people it gives you are worth every mile explored.” 

Being away from home also means being away from your support system. It’s a good idea to ensure your mental health is in good shape. If you’re someone who benefits from therapy and you find yourself away from your regular counselor or therapist, there are now so many options for online therapy.  

Nursing is hard work and is emotionally and physically exhausting. Caring for your mental health while you’re on your own and in a new place is imperative.  

Tips on How to Deal with Loneliness 

Try these things to help fend off loneliness on your travel contract – 

• Check out a gym or yoga studio, 
• If you’re missing your pets, volunteer at the local animal shelter to get some furry friend time in. 
• Look for local meet-ups that offer things you enjoy, like hiking or book clubs. 
• Complete continuing education requirements for license renewal or BLS/ACLS, etc. (an in-person class is also a great place to meet fellow nurses in your area). 
• With so many options for inexpensive online courses, learn something new or build on skills or passions you already have. 
• Plan a dinner meet-up for yourself and other travelers to hang out away from work. 
• Keep appointments with your therapist or other support person. 

The Bottom Line

Keeping busy isn’t a foolproof plan to ward off loneliness, but it certainly helps. Before you know it, your contract will end, and you can resign if that’s an option, or you can hightail it home.  

Hopefully, you had a great experience. Either way, you can feel good about yourself for completing your contract, checking out a new place, and adding to your professional resume. 

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