How to Meet Fellow Travelers: 5 Easy Travel Nurse Networking Tips

 

As a travel nurse, how often do you really get to connect with others who do what you do? Nurse networking can be especially valuable when you’re moving from assignment to assignment, giving you opportunities to build lasting connections with people who share similar stories, experiences and perspectives.

That’s why connecting with fellow travelers can make such a difference. Building your network can foster a sense of belonging and fulfillment, provide professional benefits, and give you a community of people who understand the travel nurse experience. From attending conferences to connecting at work and online, here are five easy ways to meet and network with other travel nurses throughout your career.

 

5 Travel Nurse Networking Tips

 

1. Attend Conferences

 

For starters, conferences are a great way to meet and start networking with other travel nurses while learning and growing in your career. TravCon, for example, brings travelers together in Las Vegas every September to learn, earn CE, and build their professional networks.

 

Pro tip: Heading to TravCon this year? Stop by booth #500 to meet the HealthTrust team and say hello!

 

There are also other nursing conferences throughout the year for virtually every career path and specialty, including events for nurse educators, nursing leaders, critical care nurses, ER nurses, Med/Surg nurses, and more. No matter your specialty, there are plenty of opportunities to

connect with nurses who share similar experiences and interests.

 

How to do it: Find a conference that interests you and make a point of introducing yourself to other nurses while you’re there. You can also connect with attendees online before the event or arrange a meet-up with travelers you already know.

 

2. Network at Work

 

Additionally, every travel assignment is an opportunity to connect with other nurses, some of whom are likely to be fellow travelers who are probably just as eager to start networking as you are. So, make a point of introducing yourself to co-workers. Even if you’re the sole traveler, getting off to a good start with full-time staff can only improve your assignment.

 

·       How to do it: If you don’t have a chance to chat much while working, go to staff activities like team lunches, happy hours, or holiday parties. and strike up relationships there.

 

·       Pro tip: Break the ice by asking other nurses about their hobbies, interests, other jobs they’ve had, or their favorite restaurant or places to shop.

 

3. Connect on Social Media & Online

 

Savvy travel nurses have also long used the internet and social media to meet, build communities, start networking, and get info — facility recommendations, housing options, what to do in a certain city, and so on. Some groups even regularly hold face-to-face meetups.  

 

·       How to do it: Search Facebook for travel nursing groups — especially Travel Nurse Network or Scrub Society — or check out r/TravelNursing at Reddit. Ask whether anyone is traveling in your area, or simply start a convo by asking a question, or answering one.

 
4. Travel or Room with Another Nurse

 

The same social media groups and online forums dedicated to travel nursing are also great places to meet potential roommates, which has the added benefit of saving you money by letting you keep more of your housing stipend. Even better, though, it provides a built-in buddy to socialize and explore with, as well as provide mutual support.

 

·       How to do it: Make a point of asking other travelers about their interest in coordinating assignments or living spaces. Eventually, you may find a chance to work in the same city, even if you’re not at the same facility or with the same agency.

 

·       Bonus tip: Some companies even provide bonus cash when you successfully refer other travel nurses into their networks.

 

5. Stay Connected

 

If you do connect with other travel nurses on assignment, make sure you do the work to continue networking and to keep those relationships going when the job is over. Whether that means meeting up at TravCon or other conferences, going on assignment together, or simply emailing or texting during holidays — or when you’re looking for some advice — you’ll benefit both personally and professionally.

 

·       How to do it: Once you get to know a group of fellow travelers, consider hosting small gatherings or group trips to get everyone together.

 

Ready to try out these travel nurse networking tips with a new assignment? We’ve always got hundreds available at HealthTrust! Go to HealthTrustJobs.com to search travel jobs now.

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