The Definitive Guide to Mobile Apps for Travel Nurses
Technology doesn’t make or break a travel nurse, but it certainly does help! The following mobile app recommendations will help you in every facet of your life as a travel nurse – from your road trips between assignments, to keeping track of to-do lists, to finding a delicious meal in your newest city.
Apps for your road trip
Waze
Nobody knows how bad being stuck in traffic in an unknown city can be like a travel nurse. That’s why navigation apps that come on your phone like Google Maps might not cut it. Waze is a navigation tool that uses real-time data from other users to let you know when there’s traffic, speed traps or accidents up ahead. Then it automatically re-routes you if possible.
GasBuddy
When you’re on the road between assignments, GasBuddy is a must-have. It will list and locate gas stations nearby in order of distance from your current whereabouts. You can even see the list from cheapest to most expensive so you can determine if driving an extra few miles will save you 20 cents a gallon.
Rest Stops Plus
Another must-have app when a new assignment takes you on a road trip is Rest Stops Plus. It can help you make the most of your travels by telling you where the welcome centers, rest stops and even scenic vistas are located throughout your route. It gives other details about these destinations such as wi-fi availability, pet friendliness, etc. It scours more than 4,000 locations!
Best Parking
If you’re in a big city, this app will be your lifeline. It helps you find the least expensive and most convenient parking facilities in more than 100 cities in the U.S.
Apps to help you on the job
Infuse or MedCalc
Not all facilities you will be assigned to have smart pumps to calculate drug infusions. Infuse and MedCalc are apps that only require you to enter the patient’s weight and desired dose to have the rate instantly calculated. These are excellent apps to have on hand just in case you need them.
Skyscape Medical Resources
For nurses on the go, Skyscape keeps you informed with a library of medical information – right from your phone. You’ll be able to access data about prescriptions, medical news, medical news alerts and information about diseases and symptoms.
Pocket Lab Values
Just as the name implies Pocket Lab Values provides access to lab values. Data that might vary between different hospitals can be edited (like tube colors), and reference values can also be edited to align with whatever facility you’re assigned to.
ShiftLife Organizer
No matter how seasoned a traveler, every nurse can get mixed up about their shifts and hours worked per week, especially when your shifts fluctuate from one assignment to another. ShiftLife is an app designed to help organize your shifts, record your hours and even calculate your pay. It will sync with many other calendars so your schedule is all in one place.
Apps to give you a social life
Yelp
Looking for the best place to eat in your new locale? Whether it’s a five star restaurant or a hole-in-the-wall, Yelp will help you search the best eateries in town so you don’t waste your money on below average dining.
Localeur
Everyone’s free-time interests are different, so simply Googling “Things to do in ____________” may not yield the results you’re looking for. Localeur helps you find interesting things to do by location and your own unique interests. Other members create profiles that tell you about them and their interests, so you can discern if the people writing reviews and recommendations have similar taste as you do.
Tripomatic
Tripomatic is another app that helps you find fun things to do in your free time. You can enter the start and end dates of your assignment, and the app will help you craft an itinerary of must-see attractions and things to do while you’re in a particular city.
Uber
You’re in a new place, so Uber could be a convenient way for you to get from Point A to Point B without worrying about parking or finding a taxi. Using the app, users request a ride, and all the drivers in the area are notified – once a driver accepts your request, you can then check their credentials via their “star rating” to confirm you’re comfortable riding with them. Everything is tracked within the app, so there’s record of who you are traveling with, and you can pay easily.
Apps to keep you organized
ProfiTrakr
This is a neat app because it has a feature specifically for travel nursing. If staying on budget is something you struggle with on assignment, ProfiTrakr is a personalized income and expense tracker that assists you in recording transactions and travel information.
Kypass
Travel nurses have more passwords than the CIA (not really, but it seems like it sometimes). Kypass helps you manage all of your passwords, making your life so much easier. You will be able to create one master password that gives you access to every other password you’ve ever created once you enter in that data.
Paperless
Another trait of being a travel nurse: check lists for days. Paperless allows you to create multiple ongoing checklists that you can sync between your phone, tablet or computer. Think of something you need to pack? Add it to the list on your phone. Have some follow-up tasks to get certified in a new state? Add it to the list. If you’re traveling with a buddy, you can even create shared lists so you both can enter tasks to the same list. Everything is all in one place, and life is good.
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