The Nurse Abroad

Empowering nurses to travel the world and live their dreams

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Start Your Adventure Here!

I remember what it was like when I was considering travel nursing. I felt excited, nervous, and like I was ready for an adventure to begin in my life. Also, I was looking forward to the big travel nursing paycheck that I knew had the potential to change my life.

When I look back on it, there is a lot I wish I would’ve done differently. I made a lot of compromises because I wanted the highest possible paycheck. If I could go back in time I’d be much more deliberate about the assignments I chose at the beginning.

If you are:

  • A nursing student (or pre-nursing student) wanting to become a travel nurse
  • A burnout bedside nurse thinking about traveling or taking time off
  • Looking for a remote job with location freedom to work from anywhere in the world
  • Wanting to downsize and uncomplicate your life so you can have more freedom to travel
  • Trying to get your finances in order so it’s possible for you to start traveling more
  • Looking for recommendations on travel or planning a trip abroad

Please sign up for a 20-minute call with me and we can discuss options for how I might be best able to help. Whether I’m able to directly help you or refer you to all the best people, I’ll do everything I can to connect you with the support you need.

Start your adventure

Meet Lindsay

About Me
Welcome to The Nurse Abroad! I'm Lindsay, a nurse from the US currently living in Central America and working online. I started The Nurse Abroad so us nurses expats can learn from each other everything we need to know. I'm so excited to meet you!

thenurseabroad

The Nurse Nomad Community is a place to share reso The Nurse Nomad Community is a place to share resources like digital nomad job finds! I’m searching every day for different remote jobs and obviously I’m not qualified for all of them.

I’m posting what I find in the group because I hope it helps someone else in their journey! Also, I’m really curious about those who are going through the same process if they get hired at any of these jobs, I want to know if there is true location independence at the company.

Would love for some of the amazing career coaches I’ve connected with to join the group too and offer any insights you might have. My first 500 nurses who join at the beginning will be at a $7/month rate for life, even if I increase the price of the membership later.

Link in Bio to join the group! See you there!

#nurselife #NurseNomads #nursesabroad #digitalnomadnurse
Language learning has been a huge hobby and passio Language learning has been a huge hobby and passion of mine. @italki is an amazing app, they don’t sponsor me(I wish they would!). I could scream from the rooftops how much I love them.

Super helpful for me because there are so many different accents and sayings in Spanish, I loved that I could find a teacher from my husbands country!

How do you study new languages and how has that helped you move or live abroad? 

#languagelearning #languagelearner #nurselife
Why I kept putting myself through the same pain, I Why I kept putting myself through the same pain, I’ll never know… 

Actually I do know I was trying to get to a place of financial freedom where I could travel freely without being stressed and the money felt too good to pass up. 

Trashing my health though - not worth it.

What travel nurse regrets do you have, if any? Tell me in the comments!

#travelnursing #travelnurselife #travelnurseadventures #burnoutrecovery #nursingburnout
Ro does women's health, men's health, mental healt Ro does women's health, men's health, mental health, and virtual care. They're looking for an RN to fill a temporary 6-month contract with the option to extend or eventually lead to something full-time.

I'm not 100% sure they'll allow work from abroad, but I did speak to an employee on the tech side who told me he has the flexibility to travel. I feel like it's worth throwing my hat in the ring!

Want more ideas for remote jobs you might be able to do while traveling? Join the Nurse Abroad Community for daily job posts and nurse expat tips. Link is in bio!

#nursinglife #remotenursejobs #remotenursingjobs
Living abroad as a nurse on a break from nursing, Living abroad as a nurse on a break from nursing, I’m trying to get back to my “former self” before my severe nursing burnout. 

I wonder how many nurses out there are also trying to reclaim former passions. I for one am trying to

Start cooking again

Start baking again

Start running again

Start getting haircuts again

Start traveling again

Start socializing again

Start volunteering again

Start studying languages again

What are some of the things you’re wanting to get back to that nursing has taken away from you?

#travelnurse #nurseburnout #burnoutrecovery #travelnurselife #travelnursing #nursesabroad #nursesabroadlife
A remote nursing job with location freedom is the A remote nursing job with location freedom is the unicorn of remote jobs. Every day I'm searching for these roles and I'd love to share what I find with anyone who may come across my page! Today I came across this health coaching role that I'm not qualified for but I'm sure someone out here is. 

I'm also calling all remote nurse coaches, health coaches, move abroad coaches, burnout coaches, travel nursing coaches, and nurse career coaches to join the community and share your insights freely! I think I speak for everyone when I say, we would love to absorb all the knowledge you have to offer 😊

My first 500 nurses to sign up will be grandfathered in at $7/month for life. Can't wait to see you inside!
This is what nursing burnout looks like. I literal This is what nursing burnout looks like. I literally draggeddd myself to the finish line of my last assignment. To the point where I actually do not think I would’ve made it one more week.

I’m not being dramatic, I was both mentally and physically ill. I had no energy for anything outside of work and lying in my bed. I spent New Years Eve sitting in a bathtub (not taking a bath, just sitting in the bathtub with blankets, totally unhinged).

I feel some shame around how low I sunk during this period but then I remember that my body had a physiological response to stress. 

I went into “freeze” mode. I felt like I couldn’t engage in a flight response and escape my situation because I needed to keep going to work and paying my mortgage. I felt like I didn’t have the strength to fight (ask to switch to day shift or stand up against unsafe ratios). So, I froze. 

It was like living my life as though I’d hit the pause button. It was just work and the anxiety of getting ready for work and then agonizing over what happened during my shift. 

I’m sharing my experiences because I know I’m not alone in what I experienced. I see a lot of accounts and posts about burnout. 

I’d love to know what other nurses think is crucial to preventing and dealing with experiences of burnout. Please tell me your thoughts in the comments, and much love ❤️ 

#burnoutrecovery #nursinglife #travelnursing #nursingburnout #travelnurselife
Taking a break from nursing to go on adventures ab Taking a break from nursing to go on adventures abroad and travel the world wasn’t something I could just do overnight. It involved making difficult decisions like:

- Living with family for a while as I paid off debt 

- Downsizing my life so I didn’t have to keep track of tons of bill payments and complicated things to follow up on

- Getting rid of most of my material possessions 

- Not increasing my lifestyle as a travel nurse and instead saving so I could have the freedom for a break

I get that not everyone can or wants to do this! For example this is totally impractical for families with kids. But it was the right choice for me with where I’m at in my life. 

Want more tips on how to save money as a travel nurse to be able to afford traveling and living abroad? Follow @thenurseabroad for more tips on how to live abroad!
The English tutoring I do currently as a nurse liv The English tutoring I do currently as a nurse living abroad is unfortunately only something I have access to from the school I went to as an undergraduate (the company requires proof of your diploma).

BUT if you’re a nurse traveling and living abroad and you want to make a few extra dollars in the spare time you have, you can look at English conversation apps like Cambly.

Essentially, you have conversation with people who want to practice their English! It doesn’t pay well (maybe like $10/hour), but it’s something easy you can do to earn a few extra dollars while traveling.

I am signed up with Cambly but don’t do classes because my other gig is more lucrative. That said my favorite part of my tutoring job is being able to chat with people from all over the world. It’s widened my perspective on so many topics. 

What side hustles do you all have as nurses who travel the globe? Please let me know in the comments!! 

#nursinglife #travelnursing #travelnurselife
There was never a moment where I said to myself, a There was never a moment where I said to myself, ah NOW I feel ready to quit my job and move abroad.

I realize now that moment never would’ve came. I just needed to do the hard thing first and use the momentum to push me to take my life in a different direction.

There are still a lot of unknowns but I’m grateful for this peaceful break from nursing where I can explore what comes next. 

What advice would you give to a nurse who is questioning staying in nursing? Let me know in the comments!

#nurseburnout #nursinglife #nurselife #travelnurselife
Good morning from a travel nurse living abroad! (F Good morning from a travel nurse living abroad! (Follow @thenurseabroad for more on traveling and living abroad as a nurse!)

Slow mornings when my husband has off work are my favorite. What’s your dream life as a nurse living abroad?

#travelnurse #travelnurselife #travelnursing #nursingstudent #nursinglife
I’m a nurse currently living abroad because my h I’m a nurse currently living abroad because my husband is from a different country and we’re waiting for his immigration papers to come to the US.

In the meantime, he’s a nature guide and I’m working online as an English tutor. I’m not totally sure what is next for us, but my hope is we can have fun and enjoy the journey along the way.

What are your reasons for living and traveling abroad? Let me know in the comments! 

#nurselife #travelnurse #travelnurselife #travelnursingadventures #travelnursing
Moving abroad would not have felt comfortable for Moving abroad would not have felt comfortable for me without downsizing my lifestyle. 

As a travel nurse, I traveled abroad between assignments to see my (now) husband who lives in a different country, but I never felt ready to commit to moving there. 

I think that’s because I always kept one foot in the US. Having to make mortgage payments, car payments, and student loan payments meant I could never afford to truly leave behind my US salary without anxiety. 

Things changed when we made the commitment to get married and I knew I didn’t want to live apart anymore.

Finally, I just did what I needed to do to get out of debt, drop the complications in my life, and save enough money to be able to make the move.

Have you thought about moving abroad? What is it that felt challenging to you? Let me know in the comments!

#travelnurse #travelnursing #worldtraveler #expatlife #nursinglife
Quitting my nursing job was a financial sacrifice. Quitting my nursing job was a financial sacrifice. My income dropped dramatically now that I’m on a break from nursing and living abroad.

But the amount of happiness and joy in my life now is immeasurable. A lot of that is because now I’m with my husband (who is from a different country) and we’re not long distance anymore.

It’s a bit of a waiting game right now until I have work permission here, I’m only allowed to accept remote positions that are based in the US. 

I’m researching remote jobs that can be done from abroad and I’m also looking at the process for becoming a nurse here once my residency is finalized.

I’d love to hear from any other nurse who have been through a similar process. What was it like for you finding work remotely or working internationally as a nurse?

Follow @thenurseabroad as I continue this journey of living and traveling as a nurse abroad!

#travelnurse #nursingstudent #femaletraveler #expatlife #lifeabroad #nursesabroad
As a travel nurse I burnt out reallyyy quickly bec As a travel nurse I burnt out reallyyy quickly because I was chasing the highest paycheck instead of choosing assignments that would make me happy. 

I should’ve picked assignments that 

➡️Were near friends or family

➡️Were on the day shift

➡️Were on units that prioritize safe staffing

➡️Had management that cared about the wellbeing of travelers

Some of my assignments had some of these elements. I get that occasionally staffing won’t be perfect or there’s someone from management that isn’t kind. But I should’ve prioritized assignments where these values were clear.

And I know myself too well now that I will NEVER work night shift again it trashed my health (mentally and physically).

What are the things you think about before starting a new assignment? Let me know in the comments!

#travelnurselife #travelnurse #nursingstudent #nursinglife #travelnurses
When I decided to move abroad, I dove into differe When I decided to move abroad, I dove into different options for work. I looked at remote jobs in nursing and adjacent industries like biotech and pharmaceutical companies. 

But I was so burnt out from nursing that I felt physically ill (chest pain, heart palpitations) and the idea of jumping into a new job right away made me feel mentally and physically exhausted.

Ultimately I decided to go back to my old college gig tutoring English and I’ve also started freelancing creating content. It’s been just the break I’ve needed for now, but I’m starting to think about what work I want to do next. 

My situation is unique because I need to be located abroad (I met my husband abroad and he is waiting for a visa come to the US) so I’ve mostly been looking at 1099 jobs that won’t have strict location restrictions. But it’s been a bit tough finding anything. 

I’ve started following remote work coaches like @burnoutatthebedside @nurse.fern and @theremotenurse @nursesahrn to get ideas for diverse remote work. Thank you to the ladies who have offered their suggestions so far!

I’m just in the beginning stages but I am excited thinking about what is next!! 

#remotenurses #remotenursetips #remotenurseresume  #stayathomechallenge #nursinglife
Travel nursing is what got me to the point where I Travel nursing is what got me to the point where I’m able to take a break from nursing and live abroad. Follow @thenurseabroad for more nurse expat tips!

I really made a lot of mistakes though and settled for the highest paycheck. Never ever again. If I ever do another travel assignment I will never: 

~ Live somewhere where I have no friends or family

~ Travel without my spouse 

~ Accept an assignment without first interviewing with management 

~ Work nights (nope, not doing it!)

~ Accept unsafe staffing ratios 

I was so excited by the big travel nursing paychecks I thought I could just shove my health aside and power through. It caught up with me to the point where I was having high blood pressure, chest pain, and heart palpitations.

Never. Again. I won’t ever compromise on what I’m willing to accept for an assignment. Are you thinking of accepting a travel nurse assignment? What questions do you have for me? 

#girlswhotravel #shetravels #nursesabroad #digitalnomadnurse #travelnurse #telehealth #nursesgoneglobal #wanderlustnurse #travelnurselife #travelnurseadventures #travelnursing #nursingstudents #nursecoach #nurseentrepreneur
As a travel nurse currently living and traveling a As a travel nurse currently living and traveling abroad I honestly made a lot of sacrifices to get here. (Follow @thenurseabroad for more tips on how to travel and live abroad!)

My salary quadrupled as a travel nurse (keep in mind this was 2 years after the pandemic so rates were higher than they are now) and I felt overwhelmed with a - ok now what do I do - feeling.

Traveling the world has been a lifelong dream of mine and I knew if I wanted to achieve that dream I couldn’t just do what my travel nurse friends were doing and living lavishly. 

I lived well below my means and put every dollar towards building a life that would give me freedom to see the world. I did a few things: 

➡️Lived with roommates to keep my cost of living low 

➡️Ate mostly at home and didn’t go out to eat often

➡️Choose reasonably priced activities like going for a walk or getting a coffee with friends

➡️Using airline points and miles to purchase travel

➡️Keeping the bare minimum in my checking account and saving/investing the rest 

It was a sacrifice but I’m glad I lived the way I did. Now I am debt free with savings I can use to travel and see the world. Want more advice on travel nursing and life abroad, follow @thenurseabroad for more tips!

#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #travelphotography #instatravel #travelblogger #traveldiaries #solofemaletraveler #girlswhotravel #shetravels #travelgirls #travelgirl #femaletraveler #ladiesgoneglobal #nursesabroad #digitalnomadnurse #travelnurse #telehealth #nursesgoneglobal #wanderlustnurse #nursecoach #nurseentrepreneur
Come with me to some beautiful waterfalls in Centr Come with me to some beautiful waterfalls in Central America ☀️☀️and follow @thenurseabroad for more tips on traveling abroad as a nurse!

I’m in Central America right now because my husband is from a Central American country (lucky me, right?!)

It was really hard working nursing jobs in the US and being long distance from my husband. He was a big part of my decision to move abroad.

What are your motivations for wanting to live and travel abroad? Let me know in the comments! And follow @thenurseabroad for more tips on travel and life abroad!

#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #travelphotography #instatravel #travelblogger #traveldiaries #solofemaletraveler #girlswhotravel #shetravels #travelgirls #travelgirl #femaletraveler #ladiesgoneglobal #nursesabroad #digitalnomadnurse #travelnurse #telehealth #nursesgoneglobal #wanderlustnurse #nursecoach #nurseentrepreneur
Ultimately, I feel like travel nursing was the rig Ultimately, I feel like travel nursing was the right choice because it allowed me to have the financial freedom to be able to travel and live abroad. (Follow @thenurseabroad for more tips on life as a nurse abroad!)

After my first solo trip abroad, I was overwhelmed with a determination that I was going to live the life of my dreams. I wanted to travel and see the world and travel nursing was the way I could do that right away. 

Travel nursing helped me to get on my feet financially so I could be at the place I’m at today where I’m traveling and living abroad and on a break from nursing.

If I were to go back in time, I would choose my travel nursing assignments more wisely. Instead of just following the highest paycheck, I wish I’d chosen assignments that were right for ME and firmly turned down anything that didn’t feel like the right fit. 

Ultimately, I burned out and my health suffered because I didn’t prioritize what I knew I needed.

Are you a travel nurse or thinking of becoming one? What’s one way you can take care of yourself during an assignment? Tell me in the comments! 

#travel #wanderlust #travelgram #travelphotography #instatravel #travelblogger #traveldiaries #solofemaletraveler #girlswhotravel #shetravels #travelgirls #travelgirl #femaletraveler #ladiesgoneglobal #nursesabroad #digitalnomadnurse #travelnurse #telehealth #nursesgoneglobal #wanderlustnurse #nursecoach #nurseentrepreneur
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