Funviralpark Becoming a travel nurse gives you the freedom to visit new destinations across the country. But Jason Diamond and his wife, Hailey Hanson, take that idea to the extreme. Diamond recently completed his stint in Bismarck, North Dakota. When he’s not working, they use their free time to travel.
Diamond enjoys the lifestyle of a traveling nurse and uses the opportunity to live an unconventional lifestyle.
According to his contract, Diamond will work as a traveling nurse for six weeks, then take eight weeks off. He says he has everything he needs to live comfortably inside the van. He is equipped with a small stove for cooking meals. They usually park the van in the hospital parking lot and shower at the local gym when Diamond works.
The couple used a diesel generator to keep warm during North Dakota’s recent blizzard, when temperatures averaged around 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
“The only real problem we had was that the solar panels were covered in snow and cloudy, so the batteries sometimes died,” says Diamond.
Even if you run out of fuel and the solar panels can no longer charge, you can still generate electricity by running your car. They have traveled across the Midwest between nursing jobs, including Montana and the Idaho Panhandle.
The couple say they have no plans to settle down anytime soon. They’re still planning the rest of the year, but they might go to Alaska in the summer and then spend the fall in Oregon.
After all, living in a van is a great way to save money. Diamond doesn’t have to worry about paying rent. Just fuel and food. Most of his salary goes into savings.
Their van is filled with recreational gear, including camping gear, mountain bikes, and other essentials for living off the grid. “It’s a simple life. It’s nothing like just a normal life,” said Diamond. “You don’t have to pack anywhere. Everything is in the van.”
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