Providing Housing Solutions for Travel Nurses: 5 Essential Strategies
Travel nurses have tight schedules and can require immediate housing. The problem is that convenient, affordable accommodations are not so easy to book. In fact, recent stats show the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in U.S. metropolitan areas has surged in the past three years. Experts expect a 2.6% home value growth in the next year, so it’ll be even harder to find suitable solutions for travel nurse housing.
Additionally, the number of travel nurses climbing from 33,000 in 2018 to over 175,000 in 2024 marks a 430% increase, which creates an even higher demand for accommodation.
Meeting this demand requires strategic planning and partnerships. It can also be extremely challenging to do it in high-demand areas.
This article explores 5 essential strategies to provide housing solutions for travel nurses. Each strategy addresses unique aspects of the housing challenge.
Implementing these strategies will streamline the entire process and enhance the travel nurse experience.
Let’s dive in.
The Need for Travel Nurses
Travel nurses are typically required in healthcare facilities that face staffing shortages or need specialized expertise for short-term assignments to perform “travel assignments.” This can include:
Hospitals and medical centers: These facilities sometimes require travel nurses to cover gaps in staffing during peak seasons, such as flu season or periods of high patient volume. They also need temporary nurses when permanent staff are on leave, such as maternity or sick leave.
Rural or remote areas: Smaller healthcare facilities, particularly in rural or underserved areas, struggle to maintain consistent staffing. Travel nurses provide crucial support, ensuring that patients in these regions receive quality care.
Specialized care facilities: From intensive care units (ICUs) to neonatal and pediatric care, travel nurses bring specialized expertise for short-term assignments that match specific patient needs.
Without these positions, healthcare centers are affected by a shortage of nurses, which directly affects doctors, patients, and the institution in general.
However, for nurses, housing options are essential to guarantee their comfort and successful job completion. This is precisely where the problem occurs.
How Do Organizations Provide Housing Options for Nurses?
Organizations typically offer two main options: agency-provided housing and housing stipends. Both approaches come with their own benefits and challenges.
Agency-Provided Housing
Many staffing agencies take the responsibility of arranging housing for travel nurses. This can be especially convenient for nurses who prefer to have their accommodations secured without having to search for housing themselves.
In fact, in 2024, around 70% of travel nurses report using agency-provided services as a preferred option, with many valuing the convenience and the ability to avoid the hassle of finding accommodations on their own
These solutions are typically arranged close to the healthcare facility. Apartments include utilities, internet, and furniture, so travel nurses don't have to worry about setting up or paying for these services.
Staffing agencies also typically negotiate bulk pricing for housing, which can help lower the costs compared to booking housing independently.
Housing Stipends
Housing stipends are another popular option, though not the favorite choice for travel nurses. Here, travel nurses receive a set amount of money to arrange their own housing. This allows nurses more flexibility in choosing where and how they live during their assignments.
Nurses can choose their preferred accommodations, whether it's an apartment, house, or shared living space. Some nurses may find more affordable housing options within the stipend provided, allowing them to pocket the difference.
On the other hand, nurses in high-cost areas like Washington, San Diego, Boston, and Manhattan might have to cover additional expenses if their stipend doesn’t cover the full cost of housing.
Housing stipends vary widely depending on the area. You can expect a range from 700 to $5,000 per month, depending on the needs and area.
The Challenges of Providing Housing for Travel Nurses
Providing housing for travel nurses presents several unique challenges. You need to address diverse needs, manage costs, and ensure quality and safety.
The transient nature of their assignments adds complexity, as they require flexible, short-term housing solutions that still offer comfort and reliability.
Typically, length of stay, region, services, type of accommodations, and state of the house (furnished or not) are the main reasons that affect costs.
Finding suitable locations near healthcare facilities is a primary challenge. Proximity to work reduces commute time and enhances convenience, but areas near hospitals often have higher rental costs and limited availability. Basically, you must balance affordability with quality.
Ensuring availability is another hurdle. Travel nurses might need housing on short notice, so you need a robust network of housing options that can be mobilized quickly. This demand for rapid response can strain resources and relationships with housing providers.
Another issue is the variability in housing preferences and needs among nurses. Some may prefer furnished apartments with full amenities, while others might look for budget-friendly options. Providing a range of choices that cater to these varied preferences without compromising on essential amenities is necessary but tough.
Maintaining high standards of cleanliness and safety in all housing options is non-negotiable. This requires regular inspections and a responsive system for addressing any issues that arise. Consistent quality control across multiple properties and providers can be difficult to achieve.
Managing costs effectively while offering competitive stipends or subsidies is another significant challenge. You need to strike a balance between offering attractive benefits to nurses and maintaining budget constraints. This involves negotiating favorable rates with housing providers and monitoring expenses closely.
The Role of Clear Communication for Travel Nurses Housing
Coordinating efforts are required to keep travel nurses informed about available housing options, stipend programs, and any changes in policies or availability.
Clear, ongoing communication helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures nurses feel supported throughout their assignments.
5 Strategies for Providing Housing Solutions for Travel Nurses
Taking into account all the factors, challenges, and arising issues in the travel nurses housing market, these are our most effective strategies that will help you solve your nursing shortage and housing problem.
1) Partner with Local Hotels for Discounted Long-Term Stays
Travel nurses face challenges in finding suitable housing quickly. You can streamline this process by partnering with local hotels, which offer both convenience and comfort. This strategy ensures that nurses have a reliable place to stay, which means they can focus on their vital work. Focus on the steps below to form these partnerships:
The reality is the hospitality industry is growing more than ever and even saw a growth of $19.4bn over the five years to 2024
One reason is that the extended stay market for hotels has opened more for the healthcare industry to get better deals, especially in stays that are longer than 30 days. In fact, this makes up almost 50% of the total length of stay, so it provides good revenue for hotels.
To get the best deals, first, you need to research and compile a list of local hotels that offer extended stay options and have amenities suitable for travel nurses, such as kitchenettes and laundry facilities.
Approach hotel management to negotiate discounted rates for long-term stays. Emphasize the potential for continuous business and the reliability of having travel nurses as guests.
Regularly review the hotels to ensure they maintain high cleanliness, safety, and service standards. Solicit feedback from nurses to address any concerns promptly.
Lastly, clearly communicate the benefits of staying at these partner hotels to the travel nurses. Highlight aspects like proximity to healthcare facilities, the included amenities, and the negotiated discounted rates.
Loyalty Program in Nursing
To further enhance this strategy, you can establish a loyalty program with partner hotels. This program could offer additional perks such as free nights, upgraded rooms, or meal vouchers for nurses who frequently stay with these hotel partners.
Follow these steps to create the perfect program for your nurses while partnering with hospitality organizations.
This would add value to the arrangement and encourage nurses to choose these housing options consistently.
2) Offer Furnished Apartment Rentals
Travel nurses require housing that offers comfort and convenience without the hassle of extensive searches. Furnished apartment rentals provide a home-like environment with necessary amenities, making transitions smoother for nurses. Here's how to offer these accommodations:
Identify key locations: Research areas near healthcare facilities to identify potential apartment buildings that offer furnished units. Proximity reduces commute time and enhances convenience.
Build partnerships: Contact property managers and landlords to negotiate terms for renting furnished apartments. Highlight the steady demand from travel nurses to secure favorable agreements.
Create a preferred list: Develop a list of preferred furnished apartment providers and share it with travel nurses. Ensure these providers meet high standards of quality and safety.
Streamline the rental process: Simplify the application and rental process. Work with property managers to establish a straightforward process, possibly with pre-approved arrangements for travel nurses.
Monitor and review: Regularly check the quality of the apartments and collect feedback from nurses. Address any issues promptly to maintain high satisfaction levels.
Where to Look?
If your organization is providing housing stipends or wants to rent directly for the nurses, it might be difficult to find a reputable place to look.
These are our top choices for sites that offer housing options for nurses, including any kind of amenities needed for each location, like a gym, pet-friendly housing, several rooms, no stairs, etc.
| Hotel Engine | Hotel Engine helps you find different accommodations. Browse properties, access discounted rates, and book your stay without having to search multiple platforms or follow multiple steps. |
| Extended Stay America | With filters to find housing to suit your specific needs, this is a good platform for any special requirement. |
| Travelers Haven | Focuses on corporate housing; this page is specially designed to provide comfortable and functional solutions for workers in the healthcare industry and other industries. |
| Furnished Finder | Much like Zillow and other rental platforms, this is an easy interface to look for good deals, with no booking fees. |
3) Use Extended Stay Housing Services
We know that work shifts in healthcare are long. In fact, studies show that only 43% of nurses reported that they worked fewer than 13 hours on their last shift. However, the rest of the shifts are typically still longer than 8 hours.
This takes a toll on the nurses’ energy, and burnout is a common thing. That’s why nurses are 2.5 times more likely to suffer burnout after a long shift and even end up resigning. This means that most travel nurses don’t have the time or energy to also care for the services and upkeep of their accommodation.
Extended-stay housing services offer a practical solution for travel nurses seeking temporary accommodations with the comforts of home. These services provide fully equipped living spaces, reducing the stress of moving and allowing nurses to settle in quickly.
Here's how to use this strategy:
Contact extended stay providers to negotiate corporate rates for your travel nurses. Emphasize the potential for ongoing business to secure the best possible terms.
Work with the housing service to develop a straightforward booking process. Ensure they can accommodate last-minute bookings and provide flexible check-in/check-out times.
This negotiation will make the lives of your nurses easier. Inform travel nurses about the availability of these extended stay options. Highlight the benefits, such as the inclusion of utilities, housekeeping services, and the convenience of move-in-ready accommodations.
To enhance the appeal of extended stay options, negotiate additional services such as grocery delivery or shuttle services to nearby hospitals and even house cleaning services. This added convenience can significantly improve the travel nurse experience, making these accommodations more attractive and supportive for their demanding schedules.
4) Create a Housing and Services Stipend Program
Creating a housing stipend program can significantly simplify the process for travel nurses, giving them flexibility and control over their living arrangements. This strategy allows nurses to find housing that suits their personal preferences while staying within their budget. Follow the steps below to get started:
Determine stipend amounts: Assess the cost of living in various locations to set appropriate stipend amounts. Ensure the stipend covers average housing costs, utilities, and any additional expenses.
Develop clear guidelines: Establish clear guidelines on how the stipend can be used. Specify acceptable housing options, such as apartments, extended-stay hotels, or short-term rentals, and outline any restrictions.
Simplify the reimbursement process: Create an efficient and transparent process for nurses to claim their stipends. Provide a user-friendly system for submitting receipts and tracking expenses to ensure timely reimbursements.
To determine the stipend amount and provide fair compensation for your nurseries while still getting affordable housing, take into account elements like tax, the role of the employee, travel frequency, and how flexible the stipend can be. As shown in the tab above, these parameters will help you provide a fair stipend that’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
The nurse turnover rate reaches up to 36.6%, making it hard for healthcare to keep staff. However, stipend programs that go beyond just travel nurse housing can help you retain more nurses.
We also advise you to prepare a monthly pay breakdown of what nurses can get to underline your organization's stipend benefits to both nurses and stakeholders.
Insider Tip: To maximize the effectiveness of the stipend program, you can partner with housing agencies or platforms that offer discounts to our travel nurses. This will stretch the value of the stipend and provide nurses with vetted, high-quality housing options, enhancing their overall experience.
5) Collaborate with Online Rental Platforms for Short-Term Leases
Online rental platforms are extremely popular and an easy solution that your nurse workforce is already using, just like everyone else. That’s why this market is exploding. Studies have even shown that by 2026, the short-term rental market is expected to reach a valuation of approximately $8,907.1 million.
These platforms contain a huge amount of rental properties that ensure your nursing staff gets the right accommodation. Just in 2023 alone, there were a total of 1.42 million listings ranging from all pricing, sizes, amenities, and specifications,
These platforms offer a wide range of furnished and short-term rentals, making it easy for nurses to find accommodations that suit their needs.
So, how can you collaborate and make arrangements with these big platforms? Here's how to implement this strategy:
First, research and identify online rental platforms known for quality listings and reliable service. Focus on those offering short-term and flexible rental options, such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Furnished Finder.
Then, contact these platforms to negotiate partnerships or discounts for travel nurses. Highlight the potential for steady business and the specific needs of travel nurses to secure favorable terms.
Develop a comprehensive guide for travel nurses that includes recommended platforms, tips for using them, and any discount codes or special offers available through partnerships.
Lastly, provide detailed instructions on how to use these platforms effectively to find suitable housing. Include information on filtering search results, reading reviews, and verifying the legitimacy of listings.
Partnering With Airbnb
While reaching these big companies might seem stressful, it’s actually easier than you think. Airbnb has a website just dedicated to creating partnerships that meet your needs. This can be removing application fees, providing better options for travel nurses, furnished housing options, and other housing assistance.
Similarly, other booking platforms can be reached to establish a better deal for both parties, and you just need to send your housing requests.
Improve the Stay of Your Travel Nurses
Providing housing solutions for travel nurses requires strategic approaches. The 5 strategies above address all the different aspects of the housing challenge.
For example, partnering with local hotels offers immediate, convenient options. Furnished apartment rentals provide a home-like environment. Extended-stay housing services offer flexibility and comfort. And housing stipends give nurses the freedom to choose their accommodations.
Implement these strategies to enhance the travel nurse experience, ensuring reliable, comfortable housing tailored to diverse needs.
Finding reliable, qualified healthcare professionals doesn’t have to be a challenge. If you're looking for expert staffing solutions to fill your healthcare roles quickly and efficiently, contact us today and get the assistance you need to find the right travel nurses.
FAQs
How much money do travel nurses get for housing?
Generally, travel nurses are provided a housing stipend, which can range from $1,000 to $3,000 per month, depending on the city and cost of living. Some agencies may offer company-provided housing or reimburse nurses for housing costs instead of a stipend.
How do travel nurses find housing?
Travel nurses can find housing through several methods: an agency, housing websites (like Furnished Finder or Airbnb), Facebook groups & forums, real estate agents, and more.
Where are travel nurses needed most right now?
As of now, states with a high need for travel nurses include:
California – particularly in areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Texas – especially in cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
Florida – known for seasonal spikes in demand, especially in places like Miami and Orlando.
New York – a major healthcare hub with consistent demand.
Midwest Regions – states like Illinois and Michigan have ongoing needs for healthcare professionals.
Where do travel nurses get paid the most?
Travel nurses tend to earn the most in high-cost areas or locations with significant demand for healthcare staff. The highest-paying states for travel nurses include:
California
Hawaii
New York
Massachusetts
Texas
What are the best travel nurse housing sites?
This depends on the needs of the nurse or the agency. These are some of our recommendations.
Furnished Finder – Popular for travel nurses, offering short-term, fully furnished rental options.
Airbnb – Provides a variety of housing options with flexibility in terms of length of stay.
Travel Nurse Housing – A dedicated platform for finding temporary housing.
VRBO – Offers vacation rentals that can also be suitable for traveling nurses needing short-term housing.
