Traveling as a couple from the perspective of a travel nurse and physical therapist

As a travel nurse or physical therapist, it can be challenging for some individuals to manage their time at work, traveling and maintaining their relationships. When travel nurses are dating or married, keeping up a schedule where career, travel and free time all come together harmoniously might take a little extra work.

Matt Dubois, a physical therapist, and Shannon Northrop, an RN, both work in Hawaii, and are also in a relationship. We recently spoke with them about of the perks and challenges of travel healthcare positions and how their careers have benefited their relationship.

Traveling and working as a couple
Taking assignments simultaneously often takes Matt and Shannon to locations where they might not know the locals. When traveling together for assignments, they tend to spend most of their free time together. Thankfully, Shannon works three days a week as a travel nurse, so the couple gets to spend at least one or two days exploring the new areas.

That said, the couple stated that it was their "No. 1 goal" to make sure that they are finding jobs in the same area. And for the most part, they have been fortunate to find assignments that allow them to stay close. In fact, there was only one time where they worked in different locations, but this separation only lasted for two weeks before they were able to work in the same area again. They were also located on different islands of Hawaii, making it easy to stay in touch. During this time, Matt and Shannon stayed in contact with the help of phone calls, Skype and Facetime. They also made the short flight in between islands a few times to spend as much time together as possible.

There are some days when Matt and Shannon will find their work schedules full, regardless of whether or not they are in the same location.

"We still have a lot of free time to spend together. It really isn't much different than working permanent jobs as a nurse and physical therapist. The only difference is sometimes Shannon has to work night shift or increased weekends, which means sometimes we can have a few weeks where we don't see much of each other," Matt explained. "We plan to do most of our exploring and fun adventures in each area that we are in on days that we are both off from work so we can enjoy them together."

Challenges with traveling for work as a couple
Matt and Shannon indicated that finding jobs in the same location at the same time is one of the biggest challenges of traveling as a couple. Additionally, they said the nature of their careers means they are away from family and friends. Going home for special events means taking time off, so they have to plan accordingly.

"It is also difficult being away from
family and friends. There are a lot of things that you feel like you 
constantly have to miss out on at home. It is hard to plan times to go
on vacations or make it home for friends' weddings or events working as
a travel health care provider," Shannon explained.

Fortunately, travel health care careers allow for the flexibility of taking time off between assignments for vacations, visits home and other occasions. 

When one has the day off while the other is working, they tend to enjoy doing things for themselves and keeping up with housework around their apartment. Matt and Shannon also take this opportunity to run personal errands or enjoy activities that their significant other might not be interested in.

Bringing both sides to the table
Working in different industries, Matt and Shannon have also been able to grow professionally based on one another's areas of expertise. Because Matt and Shannon both work in health care, it gives each person the opportunity to see the view from an entirely different experience. From dealing with management to different patient care scenarios, Matt and Shannon have found that it's beneficial to have someone to talk to about these different instances. Physical therapists and nurses tend to work closely together, especially in the acute care and home health settings, so getting each other's perspective on a professional level is an excellent asset for both of their careers.

"I think for me having a girlfriend that is a nurse has helped my communication with the nursing staff because I understand a lot of the difficult aspects of their job a little better than someone who does not have a significant other that works in a related field," Matt said.

When Matt and Shannon are traveling for work, they "try to get the most out of each location," whether that means going to the beach or taking a hike during the day or enjoying new restaurants for dinner and drinks in the evenings. Traveling for work definitely allows the couple to explore places together where they have never been before.

Working in Hawaii has it's perks
Needless to say, Hawaii is a top destination in which to work, regardless of the industry. During their travel nursing and physical therapy assignments, Matt and Shannon have been able to explore the beautiful beaches of Maui and Oahu.

When they aren't working, the couple tries to stay active, which is really easy to do in Hawaii as well. They particularly like seeing native wildlife, especially sea turtles, and snorkeling. Hiking is also an adventure, and many of the trails lead to waterfalls where Matt and Shannon can take a dip. For future trips, they want to set their sights on the Big Island and Kauai so that they can take surfing lessons and learn to stand-up paddleboard. With all of the fresh seafood and produce, Matt and Shannon also like to enjoy a bit of foodie travel – happy hour drinks and appetizers with ocean and mountain views are another activity they enjoy.

Although there are some challenges tied to traveling for work as a couple, Matt and Shannon have found a way to carve out time for work, themselves and each other, all while exploring the natural wonders of Hawaii together.