Traveling can be dangerous. Living in a new city and exploring it can also be dicey. Traveling nurses quickly learn the ropes of travel and exploration, keeping themselves safe while learning the lay of the land. If you’re considering travel nursing, this article will give you some tips on how to stay safe when you’re on the road.

Ten Tips for Staying Safe

1. Get organized about where you’re going. Research the area you will be working in by using the Crime Mapping tool to see what dangers the area pose.
2. If you’re driving, plan your stops in advance in towns and not rest areas. Towns have more people, especially if you need to stop after dark. Truck stops are good locations for a pit stop. They’re open 24/7 and are always busy.
3. Map out the area once you get there. Drive around and scope everything out in the daylight, paying attention to grocery stores, or other places you’ll visit regularly.
4. Invest in AAA or some other roadside assistance. It’s a cost-effective and always-ready way to protect yourself in the event your car breaks down. If that happens, stay safely locked in your car until help arrives. If you don’t feel safe, call the police.
5. Make sure your family, friends, or the agency you’re working for has your itinerary. Also, make a plan for when you will check in.
6. Be careful when booking a hotel. Look for locations with rooms on the inside of the hotel, where your door does not connect directly into the parking lot. Read consumer reviews of the hotels before booking to be more secured.
7. Ask for a room on the second floor, at least. Ground floor rooms are always more vulnerable to theft.
8. Travel with redundant systems.
   For example, have two sources of money on hand. Or, have a printed map in addition to your electronic mapping system. That way, if you lose a signal, you have a backup.
9. Never leave anything valuable in your vehicle overnight.
   Especially never have anything that someone could see through the windows.
10. Always park under a light or well-lit area.
    It’s even a good idea to park your car where you can see it from your second story window or at least by the front door of the hotel so the front desk can see your car.

While these are 10 of our best tips, make sure you follow your instincts when traveling. If your gut says there’s something wrong, go ahead and react with further precautions. The whole goal of the traveling nurse lifestyle is to have fun, work hard, and explore a new city or healthcare organization. Getting organized around travel safety before you hit the road is imperative for the responsible travel nurse.

MAS Medical Staffing has a variety of roles open in a number of cities around the nation. Our goal is to put our team in the best situations, at the best pay, but to also provide you with all of the tools you need to enjoy your time on the road. Start the conversation and get started on your next big adventure.