Eminem once said and I quote, “Palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy…”.
The start of this journey across the country was a rollercoaster of emotions. I just resigned from my full time position, packed all my prized possessions into my car, said goodbye to my family and friends and headed west. One of the biggest concerns for me was “what do I pack?”. I asked some #travelnurses I’ve come across while working as a staff #nurse and all of them gave similar but different advice. “Bring pots and pans!”, “Scrubs!” (duh), “comfortable sneakers”, the list goes on. If you’re planning to drive to your next #travelassignment, here are my suggestions based on what I used and learned I needed (or didn’t need) for my #crosscountry assignment.
Video Credit: PereSoto Media ™
First of many road videos
My first advice is pack a carry on suitcase with everything you’ll need for the time you’ll spend on the road. In my situation I was planning for five days on the road. Pack clothes, personal garments, toiletries bag, etc., and keep that carry on accessible in your car (I carried baby aspirin in my carry on because driving for 16 hours at times I can feel the blood clots developing, I know I’m dramatic, but I’m not wrong.). I purchased big totes with lids to store “home” things. These totes double as laundry baskets too:), you’re welcome in advance.
Personal Items
We are there to work but we also have to remember to make the most of our time off. Work hard, play harder. Here’s my list to do both.
Personal toiletries (depending on the cost of living where you’re going pack extra)
Makeup, skincare and makeup tote (Target sells a multilevel, snap on tote small enough for all your makeup)
Small makeup bag with makeup brushes
3x pairs of jeans
2x sherpa lined pants (We went to Yosemite in January)
3x hoodies
2x work jackets
2x pair of shorts (dress for the season, I went to California)
10x shirts (about 3-4 dressier shirts the rest T-shirts)
Enough undergarments to change 3x a day (to be safe, may have gone overboard but don’t judge me)
Jacket (foldable)
Scrubs, now I packed enough for a week (4) plus one extra pair since I do laundry once a week. Use your judgement. There’s a lot of stuff to still pack
2x dresses (for any social event, remember on assignments depending on the season there is always a reason)
2x Rompers
1x pair of high heels (neutral color)
2x pair of vans (versitle for me)
2x pair of sneakers or sub a pair for hiking boots (if you’re into it)
1x pair of WORK sneakers
2x hats (for bad hair days)
I found that rolling your clothes instead of folding gave me more room to pack in my suitcase. For those bulky items such as jackets, I spread them over the rolls of clothing and viola! Clothing packed into one suitcase.
I used one tote for all my bathroom needs. Since the cost of living was high in California I bought and packed all the stuff I needed for everyday use. The goal is to not spend that hard earned stipend on things we have at home.
Tote Number One
24 roll toilet paper (It’s for two people, relax)
6 roll paper towels
Family sized body wash
Shampoo & Conditioner
Blow dryer (assume you won’t have one)
Hair brushes
Hair accessories
Hair products (I do the curly girl method so these are a lot)
MEDICATIONS (Motrin, Tylenol, ASA, benadryl, antacids, Neosporine, Zofran, prescription medication, etc should be packed in your carry on in case you need this on your trip)
Detergent pods
Fabric softener
Dryer sheets
Wet wipes
Lysol
One bed sheet (you never know)
two pillows with pillowcases (cuz you never know)
Your tote should be pretty full by now :)
Tote numero dos (Tote number two for those who don’t speak my languages)
Tote number two I used for kitchen supplies. I rented an airBnB which had very basic pots and pans ( literally one pot, one pan) and simple seasonings but not enough for how I like to get down in the kitchen. It was also missing some tools and seasonings I use during cooking as well so thankfully I packed this bad boy up with all my basic cooking supplies.
1x large frying pan (may also double as a weapon)
1x 4-Quart sauce pan with lid
1x 2-Quart sauce pan with lid
1x stock pot
1x Wooden spoon
1x tongs
1x spatula
1x chef knife
1x smaller knife
Plastic utensils, plates, cups
Cutting board
Small rice cooker or #crockpot
Seasonings (I want to express the importance of seasonings because I guarantee you won’t find your ethnic/special seasonings at your local supermarket)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Ziplock bags of assorted sizes
Bag clips
COFFEE
Coffee maker or #Chemex (purchased on Amazon)
Travel mugs (to take the coffee in so you can be your best at work)
Lunch bag (I have a flexible, cloth like one that folds by the brand #Built)
Plastic food containers (for those homemade meals)
#Hydrojug (click my affiliate link for a discounted price)
Nonperishable foods in my cabinets
Items I bought for the actual trip in my car were:
Electric cooler (Amazon K-Box Electric cooler and warmer)
I can’t rave enough about, this is a must have for a long road trip. We ate out of this thing during our trip lessening our stops to gas only.
Car air mattress (if you’re driving with someone else like I did, this comes in handy to take turns and sleep on)
Car power converter (Also an Amazon item, this gives you electrical outlets in your car)
Bike rack
Bikes (California has great bike paths)
Bike basket
Extension cord with cigarette lighter plug socket
Antifreeze fluid and windshield wiper fluid
Travel pillow
Blanket
Moccasins or Crocs (more comfortable to take on and off in the car)
Instant packs of coffee
Individual coffee creamers
Cold cuts
Wraps
Mayo (or whatever you put in wraps)
24 pack of water
Individual packs of crystal light
Snacks
Prepackaged salads (put it in the wrap with cold cuts and thank me later)
1x case of monsters for those long drives (I prefer Redbulls but time was running out)
Fruit cups
Instant oatmeal
Peanut butter
jelly
I forgot to mention, I did bring my work backpack with me which I packed the regular stuff I keep in there (extra scrubs, stethoscope, PPE, etc,.) I packed a portfolio where I keep a hard copy of my contract, important personal documents (SS card, birth certificate, passport, nursing license, etc). In this backpack I also stored my laptop and Ipad with all the chargers I needed.
Miscellaneous Items
These items I packed as I sought necessary in order of accessibility.
Personal speaker
Portable chargers
Hand warmers
Heated jacket
Printer
Lap desk (those things that you can work on your lap with)
I found that wearing my moccasins and keeping sneakers accessible was great for those spur of the moment adventures (we had many). I also layered clothes which was convenient to take on and off as we crossed many climates. I do regret taking my printer as I probably used it once but I was afraid of not finding somewhere to print documents. You’d be surprised at what a hospital might ask you to print out and bring hard copies of so I’d rather be safe than sorry. The first week of my assignment I stayed at an extended stay as recommended by fellow #travelnurses. This gave me the opportunity to scope the area and pick where I wanted to live instead of committing blindly to a place.
I hope this list covers most of the basic and not so basic necessities of travel nursing and if you have any recommendations or want to share on what you #pack for your #travel #nursing #assignments comment below!
Photo Credit: PereSoto Media ™
Taken on the Badlands of California
(there's my car)
Comments