Dave and Dakota Maines were both working as nursing assistants in an Orlando-area hospital when they met in 2001. Both were also working their way through nursing school and planned to look for new employment once they graduated. Ten years later, the now-married couple has discovered that both their marriage and their nursing careers have rewarded them in ways neither one of them could have imagined. One of those ways is their constant ability to travel.

 Dave and Dakota both took traveling nurse jobs about three years ago and have thus far worked in nine different states. The best part is, they travel and work together. While it’s unusual in the traveling nurse field, the Maines have found a way to make it work successfully. And although it’s not always easy, both Dave and Dakota will tell you that it’s been well worth it.

One of the major things this couple struggles with in their chosen lifestyle is the scheduling of work contracts. A major city like Philadelphia for example, will have multiple openings available at any given time, allowing Dave and Dakota to go work there together. The problem is one contract might be for three months while another is for five. In such a case, in order to stay together the one with the shorter contract may be out of work for a couple of months.

Sometimes the couple might even run into a situation where they both take contracts of equal length in the same city, but then one is offered an extension. What should they do? Should they stay or go? Juggling the opportunities in order to maximize each one’s earning potential is almost like walking a tightrope. In order to make it work, both of them need to be willing to give and take to the other’s benefit.

One of the other obstacles the Maines deal with from time to time is the issue of adequate housing. Often times traveling nurse jobs only provide housing based on single occupancy. When a staffing agency runs in to a situation like that of Dave and Dakota, they may or may not be willing to provide more well-suited housing options. Fortunately the Maines’ staffing agency is more than willing to accommodate their housing needs when possible. Every now and again they find themselves limited to a small studio apartment, but during those contracts they just stick it out until the next one comes along.

Other than these few minor inconveniences, Dave and Dakota know they have a good thing going. They are able to work in the profession they love, travel from state to state, and see and do all sorts of things they may never have experienced and they remained in Orlando. As a bonus, they get to do it together and don’t have the added expense of maintaining a permanent residence. For this young couple with no children, life couldn’t be any better.