RV Travel Tips for Your Summer Travel Nurse Contract

For those of you preparing to take the plunge into RV life for your summer travel nursing contracts, this article is for you!! The RV life is distinctive from that of your routine apartment stays while on contract. While it will require you to pack your luggage perhaps in much the same way, there are other necessities that you won’t want to be without!

Find an Appropriate Site to Park Your RV

You can’t park your RV just anywhere, and even if you have a friend or family member in the city that has offered up their driveway, is that actually where you want to stay for eight to 13 whole weeks? There are a surprising number of options out there for RVs all within a wide range of prices. Yes, you can simply google it, but the pros at RV camping have established websites and even smartphone apps to help you find what you need allowing you to filter by geographic location, price points, and even amenities. Here’s a rundown of our top three favorites:

Campendium – With access via website or smartphone application, this service searches for free and paid RV campsites nationwide. Additionally, it has a blog focused on the RV camping lifestyle that may be helpful. It is free, but with a paid subscription you can access other features and remove ads from the experience.

HipCamp – HipCamp is popular not only for RV campers but for anyone looking for an outdoor overnight experience. It offers bookings for RVs, tents, treehouses, cabins, and glamping, and provides tips on attractions near your stay.

AllStays – The AllStays website offers free comprehensive maps and lists for RVs, Truckers, and Campers. Furthermore, they have four specialized smartphone apps. One specifically for Camping RVs, RVs and Truckers, Overnight Parking, and Tent Camping. There is a one-time fee to download the app, but it works with or without the internet and is ad-free.

Obligatory RV Essentials

The items on this list are prerequisites to a successful RV trip. This is where your must-have list diverges from the more typical travel list. Some people may travel in their RVs without everything on this list, nevertheless, best practice for your safety and security includes the following items:

Leveling Blocks – You may find these under other names including jack pads, stabilizer pads, or stacker blocks. Leveling blocks serve to stabilize your RV if you’re parked on uneven ground and are useful on soft ground to prevent sinking. You can find these online, at specialty camping stores, and likely even at your local Walmart.

Drinking-Water Hose – You’ll need this hose to connect your RV to the city water system so that your sinks, shower, and toilet will function. A drinking water hose is different from any green garden hose because a garden hose can emit chemicals into the water. A drinking water hose is created from materials rated safe for humans. Within the drinking water hose category, however, you’ll find a variety of options. The most basic is the drinking water hose, which is also referred to as a potable water hose. You can also find heated water hoses, freeze protection hoses, anti-tangle, and anti-kink hoses, and some with a mix of those qualities.

Emergency Roadside Kit – For a comprehensive list of what you should include in your emergency roadside kit there are plenty of sources online. We took this list directly from the National Security Council:

• A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench, and tripod jack
• Jumper cables
• Tool kit and/or a multipurpose utility tool
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Reflective triangles and brightly colored cloth to make your vehicle more visible
• Compass
• First aid kit with gauze, tape, bandages, antibiotic ointment, aspirin, a blanket, non-latex gloves, scissors, hydrocortisone, thermometer, tweezers, and instant cold compress
• Nonperishable, high-energy foods, such as unsalted nuts, dried fruits, and hard candy
• Drinking water
• Reflective vest in case you need to walk to get help
• Car charger for your cell phone
• Fire extinguisher
• Duct tape
• Rain poncho
• Additional items for cold weather include a snow brush, shovel, windshield washer fluid, warm clothing, cat litter for traction, and blankets

Extension Cords – We aren’t talking about the type of extension cord you use in your house to plug in your TV or help the phone charge reach from your nightstand. When your RV power cord can’t reach the power supply, you need an extension cord but not just any typical extension cord will work. You’ll need a proper RV extension cord, for guidance on the topic to ensure you buy the right one, check out RV forums, or visit a camping store and ask for advice.

Stock the Kitchenette

You’re bringing your kitchen with you this time, and unlike the AirBNB apartment you stayed in last time, your kitchen doesn’t come with pots and pans and doesn’t have ketchup in the fridge door. It’s a small space, but you want to be able to use it, and a little stocking up will help you out in the long run. Here are a few items to put on your shopping list:

• condiments (pick a few of your favorite sauces and spices)
• dry goods (cereals, oatmeal)
• cooking oil or spray
• canned goods (or other packaged food with a long shelf life but that you will legitimately eat)
• plates, cups, and silverware
• plastic containers for your leftovers or fresh foods
• trash bags
• paper towels
• dish soap and sponge
• kitchen towels

Bathroom Essentials

On top of your usual bathroom essential pack list for trips, you’ll need a few other supplies:

• bath towels

• toilet paper

• toilet cleaner and toilet brush

• plunger

RV Travel Nursing at its Finest

RV travel nursing isn’t something that all travel nurses do, and yet it is picking up in popularity for those nurses who enjoy the nomadic lifestyle of travel nursing and are looking for ways to connect more with the outdoors. The beautiful state and national parks across the country often offer RV parking, and if you settle into the RV travel nurse lifestyle you could experience the secrets of nature that many locals miss.