And, You Think Yours is a Long Commute!

I suppose because it is something out of the ordinary, I am fascinated with the idea of nurses traveling long distances to their jobs. And, I mean long distance to the extent that air travel is required. I first read about this new (to me) work/living arrangement about three years ago, although it had been a lifestyle for many nurses for several years before that.

I am not referring to travel nurses in the traditional sense. Not those who travel to and live in various cities for work assignments that last from four to 52 weeks, but those who have established permanent homes in one state and who, every week or so, fly by commercial airliner to jobs in another state. Known as sleepover commuters, they’ve chosen to trade two-hour daily car commutes, in some cases, for two-hour flights approximately every eight days.

This seems to be most prevalent among nurses working in California. The high cost of real estate in California has been the impetus for nurses to look outside the state for more affordable housing. Many have found they can purchase a home in Nevada, for instance, for one-third the cost of a comparable one in some areas of California.

The lower cost of living enjoyed in states bordering California unfortunately matches up with lower wages in those states. It is that factor that has put nurses in the air, flying to higher paying jobs in metropolitan cities in the Golden State.

In the city where they are employed, RNs often share no-frills apartments with other long distance commuters or bunk with family or friends. They work about eight days at a stretch and then fly to their homes for a similar stretch of time off. Their salaries are substantial, often augmented by overtime and on-call pay.

As might be expected, this unconventional lifestyle is most popular with RNs who are empty nesters or childless. Some report that they are spending about $4,000 more annually than when they lived near the hospitals that employ them but feel they will come out ahead in the long run based on the high-salary/lower-cost-of-living comparison and their real estate investments. Many also feel their quality of life is better away from the rat race of urban living.

Not that it’s all about the money, but I’d be curious to know how the downturn in our economy, along with the struggles of the airline industry, have affected the commuters’ bottom line.

I’ve never known a nurse who is or has been a sleepover commuter. If you fall into that category, I would like to hear your tale. Share the positives and negatives of that lifestyle, what you liked best about it and what was the most difficult aspect of it. I (and, I’m sure other readers) am eager to hear all about it.