Time to take to the skies again! My travel therapy journey leads me from my East Coast home all the way to sunny California. Upon arrival, I picked up my rental car and settled into my temporary housing. One of the fantastic perks of Travel Speech Therapy Jobs is the potential to receive tax-free housing stipends or company-provided housing, provided you meet the requirements to maintain a permanent residence while traveling.
For this assignment, I opted for the tax-free housing stipend, giving me the freedom to find my own short-term accommodation. Serendipitously, I found a house owned by a traveling nurse currently on her own assignment. My roommate, a Fresno local, has been an invaluable guide, showing me all the hidden gems and local hotspots around town. This social aspect is a great bonus of travel speech therapy jobs, allowing you to connect with new people and experience different communities.
Even as an experienced traveling therapist, the first day jitters are always there! However, day one at this rehab facility was fantastic. I joined a welcoming and supportive team of four SLPs. The inpatient rehabilitation unit is well-equipped with 30 beds, catering to patients with diverse and often complex needs, primarily those recovering from brain injuries and strokes. A significant number of patients are younger individuals who have experienced trauma necessitating tracheostomy tubes for breathing or PEG tubes for feeding. This variety of cases provides rich and rewarding experience for those in travel speech therapy jobs looking to expand their skills.
What truly set this assignment apart was the comprehensive orientation to both the facility and the speech department. The lead SLP dedicated two days to shadowing me and providing constructive feedback on my therapy sessions. She also ensured I was fully trained on their computerized documentation system. This level of onboarding is a welcome and somewhat rare experience in travel speech therapy jobs. Often, as a traveling therapist, you’re expected to jump right in, receive a patient list, and begin treatments immediately. Being a travel SLP demands adaptability and the ability to hit the ground running, making it a role generally better suited for clinicians with some experience under their belts.
This Central California assignment is proving to be a wonderful experience, highlighting the many benefits and rewarding challenges that come with travel speech therapy jobs.
