Travel Dialysis Jobs: What to Know About Housing

If you’re looking at travel dialysis jobs, one thing you might be wondering is where you’ll stay while you’re on assignment. In most cases, dialysis nurses and technicians travel away from home to take travel dialysis jobs, whether it’s a few cities away or across the country. The good news is there are many housing solutions that you can customize to your needs as a travel dialysis professional. In this article, we’ll discuss what you need to know about housing during your travel assignment. 

Where Will I Live During Travel Dialysis Jobs?

Since you’re likely traveling away from home for travel dialysis jobs, you probably won’t be staying at home. Instead, you’ll need to have different housing, preferably close to the facility that you’ll work in for the next several weeks.

There are two basic options for housing as a travel dialysis professional: agency-provided housing or finding your own housing. If you choose to find your own housing, then you’ll be given a housing stipend. These stipends are usually tax-free, so long as you maintain a tax home far enough away from where you’ll be working that it would be impractical to live at home during your assignment. 

Agency provided housing varies among different medical staffing agencies. However, our agency offers private, furnished housing near where you’ll be working. So, you don’t need to worry about roommates or having to lug your mattress from place to place. Just keep in mind that you will likely have to bring some things with you. For instance, bedding, cooking utensils, and electronic devices like TVs and cell phones. 

With a housing stipend, you’re free to use it as you see fit. This might mean splurging for a beachfront house rental for part or all of your assignment or looking for the most economical lodging so you can use the rest of your stipend for other things like your savings or exploring your new city. 

Housing Considerations for Travel Dialysis Jobs

Of course, there are many things to consider about housing before accepting travel dialysis jobs. For example, you should probably ask about the housing stipend amount, even if you think you’re going to go with agency provided housing anyway. Housing stipends are different for each assignment and are usually based on the cost of living in the area. It helps to get a sense of what those stipends will look like to understand what cost of living you’re looking at. 

Additionally, as we mentioned, for your housing stipends to be tax-free, meaning you don’t need to report them as taxable income, you need to maintain a tax home elsewhere. A tax home as a travel nurse is usually where you have a permanent address and where you live for some period of time during the year. It also requires you to avoid working in one particular area for too long, usually more than one year. Otherwise, that city becomes your tax home, even if you have a lease or a mortgage on a place far away. 

Also, keep in mind that with agency provided housing, you won’t get a stipend, but we’ll do all the leg work for you of finding a suitable place and signing any leases. So, the agency is essentially on the hook for the housing, rather than you.

Pros and Cons of Agency Provided Housing for Travel Dialysis Jobs

There are many advantages and disadvantages of choosing agency housing for your travel dialysis jobs. Many first time travelers and seasoned pros choose agency provided housing because of the ease, simplicity, and low risk. Some pros of agency provided housing include:

• No Hassle: You don’t have to research the area, find a place to rent, or interact with the landlord. We take care of all of it for you. 
• No Risk for Cancellations: While cancellations are rare, sometimes facilities do cancel assignments. When you choose agency housing, you’re not on the hook for the lease if this happens. 
• You Have Options: Often, you will have some options or be able to ask for some preferences for your agency housing. For instance, if you are traveling with a pet, often we can find pet-friendly housing if you let us know. 

Of course, there are also some disadvantages to note, such as:

• Less Variety: With agency housing, it’s generally an apartment close to your facility. You likely aren’t going to have a house to yourself right on the beach or live in a more exciting city nearby. Finding your own housing allows these options, but agency housing typically doesn’t. 
• Might Not Suit Your Needs: If you have very specific needs for housing, our team will try our best, but we may not be able to find housing that fits those preferences. In these cases, you might be better off finding your own housing.

Pros and Cons of Finding Your Own Housing

If you choose to take the stipend and find your own housing for your travel dialysis jobs, there are also pros and cons to consider. Some benefits of finding your own housing include:

• Flexibility: You’re completely free to find whatever housing you think is best. You can opt for more expensive housing and supplement your stipend with your assignment pay, you can stay with friends or family, or you can find an apartment in a part of town you prefer that might be a farther commute away from your facility.
• You Can Pocket Some of Your Stipend: When you’re given a housing stipend, it’s to help pay for your housing during your assignment. However, that doesn’t mean you have to use it all for your housing. In fact, many travel dialysis nurses and techs find budget-friendly housing and add the rest of the stipend to their savings.
• There Are a Ton of Options: When you choose to find your own housing, there are a lot of options. You can choose from many different housing types, like hotels, extended stays, vacation rentals, or even an RV.

Some of the potential cons of finding your own housing include:

• No Protection from Assignment Cancellations: As we mentioned earlier, cancellations are rare, but they can happen. If this happens to you, often you’re still on the hook for any lease you sign or reservation cancellation fees. 
• Can Be Difficult to Find Housing: There are a lot of moving parts to finding short term housing, which many people find stressful. Consider if you’re up for the logistics of finding your own housing.

Find a Dialysis Job with AHS RenalStat – Top Medical Staffing Agency for Dialysis Professionals

If you’re ready to find a dialysis job that perfectly matches you, contact our team at AHS RenalStat today. We specialize in medical staffing for the dialysis industry, so we understand what you need. Our teams are here to support you and help you achieve your career goals. Get in touch with our recruiters or browse our job board now to get started.