Housing for travel CNAs and LPNs

Making the budget work

Travel pay packages for CNAs and LPNs are usually smaller than an RN's, so rent takes a bigger share of what you bring home. If your agency pays a housing stipend, every dollar you don't spend on rent is yours to keep, and every dollar over it comes out of your pay. Before you look at listings, decide what you can spend each month and set the price filter to that number.

• Rent a private room. Some hosts rent a furnished bedroom in their home, often with a private or shared bathroom. It usually costs much less than a whole apartment. Use the type of space filter to choose an entire place, a private room or a shared room.
• Share with a coworker. Two travelers on the same contract can split a two-bedroom place. Each of you should be on the lease, or have your own written agreement with the host.
• Look for all-in rent. A place that includes utilities and Wi-Fi saves you from opening accounts and paying deposits for a 13-week stay.

The stipend calculator shows the GSA lodging rate for the area, which many agencies use as the ceiling for the housing stipend.

Nursing homes and small-town contracts

Many CNA and LPN contracts are in skilled nursing facilities, long-term care, assisted living and rehab, not hospitals. Those buildings are often in smaller towns with few rentals. Search the town by name, or pick the nearest hospital from the 5,384 in CMS data and set a radius from 5 to 50 miles. More than 1,300 of those hospitals are critical access hospitals in rural areas, so even a small-town assignment usually has one close by to search from.

The map shows listings and hospitals together, so you can judge the drive to your facility before you message anyone. If nothing fits yet, save a search and you'll get an email when a new listing matches.

What to ask a host

• For a room in a home: Who else lives there? Is the bathroom private or shared? Can I use the kitchen and laundry? Does my door lock?
• For shift work: If I work nights, how quiet is the house during the day? Are there blackout curtains?
• Parking: Is there a spot I can get to easily after a late shift?
• Dates: Can my move-in date shift a few days if my start date changes? What happens if the contract is extended or cancelled?
• Money: What's the deposit, how do I pay it, and when do I get it back?

Hosts set a minimum stay, 30 nights unless the host changes it, and list the dates the home is open. Filter by your move-in date first so you only see places that can work.

Licenses and start dates

LPN/LVNs with a multistate license under the Nurse Licensure Compact can work in other compact states without a new license. CNA certification is handled state by state through each state's nurse aide registry, so moving to a new state can take paperwork and time. Either way, start dates sometimes slip while credentialing finishes. Don't send money for housing until your start date is confirmed, and ask the host how flexible the move-in date is. Ask your agency if you're not sure what the new state needs.

Privacy and safety

Hosts never see your email address; you talk with them through in-app messages, and you get a home's exact street address once you've arranged the stay. If a message asks you to pay by wire transfer, gift card, crypto or something similar, the app shows a scam warning, and you can report or block a host. Med Pro Housing doesn't collect rent or deposits, so get the lease in writing before you pay the host. You can verify your license, and hosts then see a verified badge on your inquiries. Read the guide to travel housing scams before you send any money.

To start, enter your facility's city or the nearest hospital on the search page, or see housing for other professions.