Traveling NP Update

I finished my last locum tenens assignment in October. My partner moved to the USA in December so my priority has been getting him situated. I planned on us being in Miami for 2 months so we could spend time with my family and friends for the holidays. I rented a mid-term rental in Brickell/Downtown Miami because it is walkable. I figured that would make the transition easier since he is used to that coming from Europe. Then I was going to take a locum tenens assignment possibly in my favorite place, San Diego, CA.

However, it has been a bigger adjustment for my partner to move here than we expected. So, he would like to stay in Miami a few months longer. He would like to get more comfortable with driving here, as he never really drove in Europe since public transportation is convenient there. I am so used to moving and living in different places, that I forgot it can be a challenge to live somewhere new.

In the meantime, I have been working telemedicine part-time. This has allowed for greater flexibility. I can make the same amount I make working as a locums tenens NP full-time, as a part-time telemedicine NP. The only difference is my housing and rental car is not covered. It makes me wonder if it is worth going back to being a travel NP – if I can make double the income doing telemedicine, and/or work less.

The thought of traveling and living in new places still interests me. I supposed I can always just get a mid-term rental and pay for it myself, while working in telemedicine in a new state. Although telemedicine is easier than working in clinic, it still has its challenges. It drains me to tell patients again and again that they do not need antibiotics after being sick for 1 day; and having to deal with angry patients who think seeing a telemedicine provider is like going to McDonalds and they can order whatever they want from the menu.

I do miss working in clinic sometimes because at least there is more complexity. Vs in telemedicine I am doing simple visits such as UTI’s, erectile dysfunction, cold symptoms, and birth control, etc. It can get tedious. I also want to keep my “hands-on” experience. I believe after working in telemedicine only for 2 years it may be difficult to get an in-person job.

So, I am at a crossroads. I will have to continue working telemedicine for now, and I think at a minimum I will pick up at least one 3-month locums assignment this year.

Would you rather work part-time in Telemedicine and pay for your own housing and car for the equivalent pay of working full-time in clinic? Or would you rather work full-time as a Traveling NP and have your housing and car covered? Not to mention free travel…

My Favorite Loyalty Program

As a seasoned traveler, I have my collection of points and miles. Although it is hard to choose, one of my favorite loyalty program is from American Express. Here are the main reasons why:

-Plenty of opportunity to earn points: AMEX often has large sign up bonuses on their cards so you easily earn hundreds of thousands of points. You can also sign up for a shopping portal at Rakuten to earn Amex points for regular shopping. For example, if you go through Rakuten and shop at Macy’s, you can earn an extra 5 points per dollar spent (bonus points earned varies each day).

-Good transfer partners: I am able to transfer AMEX points to their partners to use for travel for amazing value. Examples of their transfer partners include: AirFrance, Delta, Jetblue, Hilton, British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, ANA etc

-Ability to travel in business class mostly “free”: I mostly use my AMEX points to transfer to travel partners so that I am able to travel in business class internationally for free. I put free in quotation marks because you still have to pay fuel charges which can range from $5 to $500 depending on the airline. For example, I often transfer 50,000 AMEX points to AirFrance to travel to Europe in business class one way. If I were to cash out the points for cash it would be less than $500 in value. By using it for business class travel, I am able to get at least $2500 of value from those 50,000 points.

-Benefits: many of the AMEX cards have perks and benefits I like to use. For example, the platinum card provides lounge access which is great for someone that is routinely in airports. Some of the cards offer travel insurance which reimburses you for flight cancellations or trip delay. They also have travel credits that can be used for dining, uber, or flights.

Check out my Travel Credit Cards page if you are interested in earning points and miles. Please be responsible in paying off the card each month, and avoid redeeming points for gift cards!

Questions from Readers – January

Occasionally, I will include a blog entry answering some of the most common questions I get from readers about locum tenens as a nurse practitioner. Feel free to comment any questions you have or email me at travelingNP.com@gmail.com.

  • Can you do locum tenens with children?

When I first started doing locum tenens I recognized it would be difficult to do with children. However, during my travels, I have met many locums providers that travel even though they have kids. There are many ways to do this. You can either bring the kids with you or leave them at home.

For providers that work in acute care, they will work their 12 hour shifts consecutively, and make their schedule so that they have almost 2 weeks off in between. They will fly to their assignment for those 3 days, and then return home for the 2 weeks. Of course, this is only an option if you have a spouse that is able to help or a nanny. The benefits of traveling when you have kids, is you get compensated more but also have more free time to spend with your children during off time.

I know another traveling NP that traveled in an RV. She was able to bring her husband and young child along. Her husband was able to work remotely and her child was under 2 so they didn’t need to be in school. She said it worked for her and they loved the adventure. She also enjoyed making a higher income so she could spend more time off in between assignments. Traveling in an RV made it more comfortable because they were able to keep their things there, and didn’t have to pack at the end of every assignment.

I met another traveling NP, that did locums assignments within 2-3 hours from where she lived. She had school aged children but would still take assignments driving distance from home. She worked four 10 hours shifts so she would have long weekends at home. Her children would stay with their father. She said she didn’t mind the arrangement because it gave her some alone time and her kids were mostly in school and doing sports during the weekdays.

Some locum tenens providers will have their spouse homeschool their children. So they are able to join them on assignment and are accommodated with furnished housing large enough for all of them.

Everyone is different and I think nowadays people are living a less traditional lifestyle. So, doing locum tenens with kids is definitely possible!

The White Coat Investor Podcast

I have listened to the White Coat Investor Podcast since 2019. The White Coat Investor was one of the first blogs written to help medical professionals learn about investing and finances. If you are not already a reader/listener, I highly recommend! I am honored to have been interviewed for the Milestones to Millionaire podcast. You can check out my episode on apple podcast or watch the youtube video below:

Medical Surveys

If you want to make some quick cash by doing medical surveys, join the following website “Sermo” link below. If you use the referral link below you get $20 after completing your first survey. I usually do them if I have a patient cancel at work and have some free time. You can make anywhere from $15-200 per survey.

https://app.sermo.com:443/?sermoref=737956d5-b9e8-4abd-9aeb-b2d3f6d69184&utm_campaign=tell-a-friend