August 8, 2018

7403 Views

3 Ways to Save Money on Housing

Posted on August 8, 2018October 16, 2023 by Focus Staff

This is a sponsored post by: Focus Staff

Working as a travel healthcare professional allows you to make plenty of money. Of course, as a wise man once said, “mo’ money, mo’ problems.” If you aren’t careful with your finances, you also run the risk of spending lots of money. Housing is sure to be one of your biggest expenses. Fortunately, there are ways to cut down on your housing costs. Interested? Here are three ways to save money on housing as a travel healthcare professional.

The “shared economy” is the newest thing. From Uber to AirBnb, people are offering up their cars/houses and rooms these days. Some websites that facilitate this are (www.roommates.com, www.airbnb.com, www.TravelNursingCentral.com, www.SpareRoom.com, www.vrbo.com, industry and community Facebook groups, and even www.meetup.com for social networking.)

Sometimes getting a hotel/motel for the first week or two and then discussing options with colleagues at your new facility is the best way to find awesome deals and potential roommate situations.

2. Take advantage of sites designed specifically for traveling healthcare providers searching for a place to stay.

Several websites, such as FurnishedFinder.com, put you in direct contact with property owners who are offering affordable housing options for traveling nurses. In addition to getting a great price that includes utilities, you can rest assured that the property is in a safe neighborhood and fully furnished. There are entire homes for rent and single rooms, which may be ideal if you are traveling on your own and don’t plan to have frequent visitors. As a bonus, you’ll save even more money by renting a room. NurseHousing.com is another site worth visiting. If you aren’t sold on renting an entire home or staying with someone else, visit sites geared toward business professionals who often travel for extended periods of time. For example, HotelEngine.com reports they can save you as much as 60% off public hotel rates.

3. Take advantage of loyalty programs and corporate discounts.

Most hotels offer some loyalty program for repeat guests, which is definitely something you’ll want to look into as a travel healthcare professional. The more you stay, the more points you accrue, which can be redeemed for free or discounted vacation nights. Bahamas, Cancun, Paris? Who knows where travel points can take you. In some cases, you may be able to redeem points for gift cards to various restaurants and stores. Although this may not save you money specifically on housing, it will help out other parts of your budget.

A Bonus Tip

There is one other option you may want to consider. If you prefer to take assignments in more rural areas where housing options are limited, you may want to invest in a camper. Campgrounds are usually more accessible. Yes, you’ll have the upfront cost associated with purchasing a camper, as well as the maintenance costs, but you’ll never have to worry about looking for a place to stay. Even better, you won’t have to concern yourself with packing because you’ll already have everything you need. Super bonus tip – you can roast marshmallows and make s’mores in the evening. Who doesn’t like marshmallows and s’mores? Win, win, win.

Finally, don’t forget to find out if the company you work for offers a housing stipend. Even if they don’t, it never hurts to ask. You’re an awesome talent so they might make an exception.

By The Gypsy Nurse

August 3, 2018

6839 Views

10 Spots To Get Back To Nature In Oklahoma City

Posted on August 3, 2018May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

This is a guest post by Sarah Miller

As a travel nurse, you likely spend most of your day worrying about the well-being of others. Being on the road and on your feet for a majority of the day can certainly take its toll on your own mental and physical well-being. Now, if you’ve already had the opportunity to explore Oklahoma City, you’ll know it is a big friendly city full of garage sale fanatics, outstanding comfort food, and home of the Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball team.

Aside from the hustle and bustle of any city though, are nature’s wonders. When your work environment is exhausting and stressful–take a break from it all by relaxing in one of these stunning natural spots in Oklahoma City.

Myriad Botanical Gardens

These botanical gardens are some of the city’s most beloved public areas, offering over fifteen acres of natural space to unwind. The park is home to a children’s garden, off-leash dog park, and several splash fountains. The gardens also feature dozens of walking and jogging paths and even offer educational programs and workshops to help you fully engage in the diverse ecosystem you are surrounded by. With so much to explore, it’s easy to get lost in this urban oasis.

Martin Park Nature Center

This nature center advertises itself as “more than just a park,” and if you’re looking for a place to unwind, that statement couldn’t be closer to the truth. This serene location offers an interactive learning center and quiet woodland trails spanning over two and a half miles. The park also features a visitor center with live animals and an ADA accessible trail.

Will Rogers Gardens

The Will Rogers Gardens offers several themed walking areas, including the Will Rogers Garden exhibition Center, the Margaret Annis Boys Arboretum, and the Charles E. Sparks Color Garden. You’ll unwind by traversing around one of the parks’ many walkways, enjoying rose gardens and beautifully cultivated landscaping features. This city park offers hands-on gardening exhibitions and horticultural classes, allowing you to learn and kick back at the same time.

Earlywine Park

Earlywine Park, encompassing nearly one hundred acres, offers a more active spin on outdoor recreation, offering visitors tennis courts, an aquatic center, and a golf course. Of course, the park is also home to multiple walking and running trails, allowing you to choose between a group or solo relaxation adventure.

Lake Hefner

This reservoir lake is a great place to spend a day, it is a popular spot for sailing and fishing, but is also a great place to take a deep breath. The lake features a lighthouse, and offers scenic trails that are well maintained and provide a spot for deep relaxation.

Crystal Bridge

Crystal Bridge offers an outdoor experience just outside of the ordinary. This cylindrical greenhouse is home to dozens of waterfalls, along with over seven hundred different types of plants. You can traverse this greenhouse on elevated walkways, and we guarantee that just one look at the expansive greenery in this center will make you feel more tranquil almost immediately.

Arcadia Lake

Arcadia Lake is a man-made lake and is a haven for water sports enthusiasts and anglers alike. That being said, this spot offers a leisurely retreat for hikers, bikers, and swimmers as well. If you’re looking for an outdoor retreat that will allow you to get up close and personal with some of Oklahoma’s wildlife, this is the place to go.

Mitch Park

Mitch Park is well within the city limits, but you’d hardly know it by the relaxing experience it provides. This 280-acre park features paved trails and other recreational options, like a skate park and playground, so that you can get away from it all without having to travel far.

Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge

Another great spot to observe wildlife, this refuge is a haven for native flora and fauna. It also offers some excellent forest areas for hiking, bird watching, and kayaking, allowing you to enjoy the area’s native environment without having to drive for hours outside of the city.

South Lakes Park

This park spans over 150 acres and offers numerous amenities to the forever stressed population of Oklahoma City. Visitors enjoy soccer fields, walking trails, and fishing ponds, all within the comfort of the Oklahoma City limits.

It can be tough to find time to relax and unwind with your busy schedule. However, by taking a moment to breathe deep in one of these outdoor spots in Oklahoma City, you’ll likely find yourself more energized, invigorated, and ready to return to your important career.

Sarah Miller is a writer, self-claimed nutritionist, and CrossFit junkie. She spends most of her time meal prepping and actively trying to beat personal records in the gym, but always enjoys a meditative walk through a nearby woodland area or near a lake.

By Host Healthcare

July 23, 2018

7834 Views

10 Nursing Skills You Cannot Learn In The Classroom

Posted on July 23, 2018May 20, 2021 by Host Healthcare

Sick Pay Laws For Travel Nurses: When it Affects You

Posted on July 19, 2018April 29, 2024 by Health Providers Choice

This is a sponsored post by Health Providers Choice.

Many people in the United States face a tough choice when they get sick on a workday. For people in hourly positions, this can be especially painful since many hourly positions don’t offer paid sick or emergency leave.

You may have heard the United States is a no-vacation nation, but the lack of paid sick days is a major issue, especially in the health and hospitality industries. As a travel nurse, working while sick can potentially compromise patient health even further. So why do travel nurses feel they must choose between taking care of themselves or their bank accounts? Some paid sick leave laws are changing, positively impacting travel nurses.

Benefits of Paid Sick Leave

Even if they don’t affect travel nurses directly, paid sick days can make a huge difference in a community’s health. According to a 2016 study, areas requiring paid sick leave decreased the general flu rate by 5.5%. Allowing paid sick leave may help reduce turnover — and the associated costs — by workers leaving to seek positions with better benefits or by workers being fired after a serious illness.

Healthcare professionals come in anyway.

Paid and unpaid days aside, a survey found 83% of healthcare workers came to work sick at least once in the past year, even though 95% believed working while sick risked patient health. The main reason? They didn’t want to let their teams down or leave their units understaffed.

While admirable, we need to reassess how we view sick days in health care. Supporting sick leave within your own workplace and in your state can do just that.

The state of sick leave in the United States

Thirteen states and Washington D.C. have enacted laws to require paid sick leave, upon meeting the requirements, applies to travel nurses. These states include Arizona, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. However, state-specific requirements and employee eligibility vary.

Arizona requires at least one hour of paid sick leave per every 30 hours worked unless you already have at least 40 hours of paid time off.
California, Maryland, and Massachusetts require one hour for every 30 hours worked, but the ability to use accumulated sick days doesn’t start until 90 days after employment.
Connecticut requires one hour for every 40 hours worked for a maximum of 40 paid hours off a year. Employees can use these days after the first 30 days of employment.
New Jersey paid sick leave takes effect on Oct. 29, 2018. Per diem, healthcare employees are exempt from the mandate.
Oregon requires business owners with more than 10 employees to give employees 40 hours of sick leave at the start of each year.
Vermont states that people who are employed for less than 20 weeks are exempt from the paid leave mandate.
Like Connecticut employers, Washington employers must offer one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours of work, but employees can’t use it until after 90 days of employment.

While some states may not have statewide policies, certain cities within those states could have their own sick leave mandates. For a more detailed list, click here.

By The Gypsy Nurse

July 17, 2018

15851 Views

Top 10 Travel Safety Tips

Posted on July 17, 2018May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

Safety is of great concern to travel nurses. Here are my Top 10 Travel Safety Tips.

Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. Most generally, if you exercise common sense and use your ‘gut’ feelings you will be fine. The biggest thing that I will stress is that if you feel unsafe, leave the unsafe location immediately. Always be aware of your travel safety.

Here are some tips that I try to follow to stay safe:

1. Check the new neighborhood:

http://www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/ or http://www.crimemapping.com

2. Plan your stops in town vs rest areas.
Avoid places without vehicles or people around. I prefer truck stops as they are usually well-lit and active. I park close to the door and if after dark, in a well-lit area.

3. At your assignment location, drive around and orient yourself during the day.
Scout out grocery stores, the hospital and other things you need to visit while it is daylight, so you don’t have to be wandering around in the dark looking for them.

4. Have some sort of Emergency Assistance
AAA is a great resource. If the car breaks down or gets a flat, stay in the car until the tow truck (well-marked with AAA) arrives. AAA will generally ask if you feel safe, if you do not feel safe tell them and they will usually send a police officer to you.

5. Give A Friend or Family Member your Itinerary and check in.
I give a basic itinerary (route) as well as calling to check in when leaving and arriving.

6. Select your Hotel with Safety in mind.
I suggest using a hotel with rooms on the inside, i.e. no door straight out to the parking lot

7. Choose the 2nd Floor
Always ask for a hotel room on an upper floor (2nd or higher), as ground floor rooms are the most vandalized. This is a good tip for any temporary housing as well.

8. Never travel without at least two sources of money available.
In addition to whatever cash you have on hand. Periodically you might find that your bank thinks your debit or credit card is being used suspiciously (has happened to me) and freeze it on you without warning. Don’t store these all in one place.

9. Secure any belongings that stay in your vehicle overnight.
Don’t leave anything obviously open to be viewed from the windows.

10. Always park in a well-lit area.
If I am able to park in a location that can be viewed from the front desk all the better.

Do you have additional tips to add to this Top 10 Travel Safety Tips? Please post them in the comments.

By The Gypsy Nurse

July 14, 2018

13225 Views

Strength Training for Healthy Bodies

Posted on July 14, 2018May 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

The following is a Guest Post via Elizabeth Scala

Healthy bodies for everyone! Today I write about a topic I really enjoy: Strength Training

As a travel nurse, it may be hard to find time to do a lot of things but one thing you should try to fit into your busy schedule is working out. Strength training, in particular can help shape your body and mind.

Lifting weights, strength training, weight training, or resistance training- whatever you want to call it. According to Wikipedia, strength training is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles.

Unfortunately for our female readers, many women overlook the significance of strength training. We tend to focus on cardiovascular exercises such as walking, running, or spending time on the elliptical machine. Why is this?

Strength training can be intimidating

Lifting weights can make us sore. We may not know how to do it; never taught proper form. We may adhere to the myth that we are going to “bulk up” and gain weight. The list goes on and on. But let’s let go of our attitudes, beliefs, or feelings around strength training and open up to the possibility that it is a great source for us to shape into our healthiest body yet!

What are some of the benefits of strength training?

• Significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being;
• Increased bone, muscle, tendon and ligament strength and toughness;
• Improved joint function;
• Reduced potential for injury;
• Increased bone density;
• A temporary increase in metabolism;
• Improved cardiac function; and
• Elevated HDL (good) cholesterol.

We can all benefit from strength training. It can help with our posture. It can make it easier for us to be on our feet all day. Resistance training can help with back pain. Being able to push, pull and lift becomes easier.

Another benefit that I like to speak to is the fact that resistance training helps with metabolism. The great thing I learned from my trainers at my gym is that lifting weights helps you while you are doing it… and afterwards as an added bonus!

When you build muscle, you increase the amount of lean tissue on your body. A body with more lean muscle mass burns more calories- even at rest. For this reason, experts recommend that we include strength training as part of a weight loss workout program. You don’t have to be bulky and muscular, but a toned frame is more likely to have an proficient metabolism.

So how do we do this? Well, this is a question with an enormous amount of possible answers. And to be quite honest with you, since each of us is a unique individual with our own personal body shape, type, and history- we’ve got to take it slow and listen to our bodies.

One thing’s for sure- you don’t want to strength train every single day.

When you do exercises that break down muscle you need a day in between to repair them. So one thing I can say is strength training can be done 2-3 times per week. My recommendation would be if you’ve never done this before, find someone to help you learn. And enjoy yourself!

The fastest way to any healthy habit is to have fun.

About The Author:
Elizabeth “Coach” Scala, MSN/MBA, RN is passionate about helping individuals to embody holistic living and embrace self-care. Through her business, Living Sublime Wellness, she writes regularly on the topic of self-care, conducts wellness workshops, and offers both in-person and online seminars for busy professionals.

Elizabeth is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach and holds Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Master’s degrees in both Business and Nursing. Originally from Carmel, NY, she now lives in Baltimore, MD with her husband and two dogs. Visit http://www.elizabethscala.com for more information.

By The Gypsy Nurse

July 11, 2018

38360 Views

Why Nurses Eat Their Young! – A Nurse Perspective

Posted on July 11, 2018May 14, 2024 by The Gypsy Nurse

The following is a Guest Post via Erica MacDonald

After reading The Gypsy Nurse’s Post Nurses ‘Eat Their Young?’, I wondered if anyone had a different opinion than me on the cause of this phenomenon.

A nurse “eating their young” is an almost accepted form of bullying by many nurses (the ones that participate). Most don’t admit (even to themselves) that they are eating their young but cleverly try to disguise their bullying actions by positioning their attitude/behavior toward the new nurse as “helping” or “providing an educational opportunity.” People who have worked in other careers agree that they have encountered this phenomenon in other jobs. However, they are shocked at the prevalence that it occurs in nursing.

Personal experience

Indeed, I have personally experienced it and seen it done to others. So the question is, “Why would educated and professional nurses engage in such poor behavior?” I believe there are two main reasons this attitude prevails in nursing. The first reason is… High school never ends! Refer to the subject of Social Psychology. Social Psychology attempts to explain behavior such as cliques and groupthink.

Cliques and Group Think are the underpinnings of the complicated social culture of high school and most workplaces.

So when nurses form a clique that accepts it is the “cultural norm” to eat their young, even those who don’t agree to keep quiet, not to upset the status quo. The irony of it all is that we are consistently voted America’s most trusted profession. Yet, we can not even be trusted to treat each other with kindness and respect. It is really quite sad that this shallow Group Think occurs among such talented and educated people!

So the question remains, “What spurs nurses to allow this to become the social norm in their group?” This brings me to my second reason for such an attitude to prevail in nursing. The profession of nursing in our society is synonymous with sacrifice. This sacrifice starts in nursing school and continues into the workplace.

Think back to nursing school. First, nursing program acceptance can be similar to the rush of winning the lottery because it is such a competitive process. Then you realize that your nursing professors are on a mission to “weed” people out and make sure only the strongest students pass their classes. They want to eliminate the “weak links” because nursing is a high-stress, academic, and moral science (and the school’s pass rates are public for the entire world to see). As a nursing student, you begin to study with intensity, stop socializing, working out, and attending family functions. But it is all good! You rationalize that nursing school doesn’t last forever, and it is worth the ….SACRIFICE!

You pass NCLEX and breathe a sigh of relief.

and say to yourself, “I can live again!” Then you begin the long struggle to find a job. But wait! You finally find a job and discover it is in the specialty you are not interested in, and you will have to work nights. Again, you encounter SACRIFICE! But hey, I have a job to pay bills (often large student loan bills).

Some nurses discover that adjusting to the night shift is impossible. The longer they stay on nights, the more dysfunctional their life and sleep become. If you have young children, they make comments such as “All you do is sleep.” You and your children are on opposite schedules, so to them, it seems like you are sleeping their lives away. Also, you work weekends, odd hours, mandatory overtime, on-call, and miss holidays/special events with your family.

Furthermore, some patients and their families can be complicated and unappreciative even when you do the best you can with poor staffing ratios. Not to mention you’re often dealing with burnout if you are working in a high-stress critical care area. By the way, you have not eaten, drank water, or went to the restroom during most of the shifts you work. Don’t forget the nurse bullies! The years pass, and you lose track of the numerous sacrifices you have made in the name of nursing.

Erosion of empathy and self-confidence

So, the continuing atmosphere of sacrifice can contribute to the erosion of your empathy and self-confidence. Then enters a new nurse when stars in their eyes about the wonderful profession of nursing. You are unhappy with your situation and treat the new kid on the block just like you were treated; badly in the name of “education.” Or maybe you are a competitive type of person and want to maintain your status in the workplace you have earned. Or, unconsciously, you perceive a new nurse as a potential future threat. So you decide to test the new nurses and see what they are made of. Let’s mold a new nurse into a super nurse of steel!!

I think this is a general scenario of how nurses come to engage in nurse bullying.

Admittedly, some work environments are more accepting of new nurses than others. I realize that my example borders on the dramatic. Or does it? I have informally interviewed a large number of nurses during friendly conversations; the recurring theme is usually sacrificed. Sacrifice is the fertile ground that bullying behaviors come to seed in.

The nursing profession has decided to combat nurse bullying is similar to the approach we take in preventive care, awareness, and education. Nurse bully experts are focusing on the workplace. All over the country, hospitals are waking up and requiring education for their staff to prevent nurse bullying in the workplace.

However, since you can not control others’ actions, only your own nursing education specialty needs to step up to the plate. Nursing schools have just as much responsibility as the workplace. They have a moral obligation to help students pass the NCLEX and prepare them for workplace success.

Nursing schools should address, in their curriculum, this phenomenon and the tactics that new nurses should employ to fend off the “wolves.” Self-confident new nurses armed with the knowledge and concrete actions to defend themselves could be a deterrent for bullies. At least they won’t be blindsided when entering the workforce. We need happy nurses who want to stay in the nursing profession to care for patients and deal with the changes in healthcare.

What do you think? Is there another explanation for this phenomenon? What is your solution to the problem?

About The Author:

Author: Erica MacDonald is an MSN-prepared nurse whose mission is to empower nurses through self-employment by providing them with education and motivation. Erica blogs at http://www.selfemployednurse.com, and you can connect with her via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SelfEmployedNurse

young

By Honza Hroch – CreativeNurse

July 5, 2018

37290 Views

As a Travel Nurse, What Should I Do With My 401(k)?

Posted on July 5, 2018October 12, 2023 by Honza Hroch – CreativeNurse

Many travel nursing companies have 401k plans in place and offer the plan as an employee benefit for their travel nurses. The 401k is a great place to put money aside, and very often, the company may even match the contributions made by the travel nurse, which makes it even more beneficial.

As a travel nurse, though, there are considerations that should be made before participating in the plan. Make sure to check how the matching works and look into how the vesting schedule is set up. The matching is basically going to show what the company will put into your 401k, and it is normally a percentage of your salary and can depend on what you put in yourself. The vesting schedule will show you how long you have to stay with the employer to keep the money they put into the plan. The vesting schedule often follows a sliding scale where you get to keep a higher percentage of the employer contribution the longer you stay. This is important to look at since travel nurses often change jobs more frequently than regular nurses.

How Do I manage multiple accounts?

As you advance your career and work for different employers, you may end up with multiple retirement accounts. This can be difficult to manage and also inefficient. Here are the 4 main options you have to manage your multiple accounts.

Option #1: Cash Out the 401k

You can cash out the account, pay tax and potential penalty on the distribution, and then take that after-tax money and invest it or spend it. This is often not the most efficient or most attractive choice to make, especially if you have a good amount of money inside the retirement plan. The cash out will be added to your other regular income (for the year in which you take your cash out), and suddenly you may end up in a higher tax bracket.

Option #2: Transfer to a new 401K

Do a transfer of the money to your new employer’s new plan if the new plan allows for this type of transfer. From a tax perspective, the tax law encourages transfers between companies and these types of plans. As long as you don’t make any withdrawals, you will not owe any current income tax, and all your old plan money can continue to grow until you begin income from this plan in retirement. As a travel nurse, this may not be the best choice as you may switch employers again.

Option #3: Transfer to a Traditional IRA

You can transfer the money directly to a Traditional IRA set up in your name. Again you have to arrange this transfer between the plan you are leaving and your new choice of IRA provider. In this type of case, you do not receive money, and again there is no current income tax concern. This will often make the most sense since an IRA is your own personal account, and it stays with you no matter where you end up working.

Option #4: Transfer to a Roth IRA

You may transfer the plan money into a Roth IRA if you qualify. In a Roth conversion, you will pay current income tax on the amount that you are converting, and then you can qualify for income tax-free distributions later on. This works as well as long as you follow the rules around Roth conversions.

So what is the best option?

It is not possible to say which option is the best. Things such as current liabilities, short-term savings, age, income, and what else is in place financially will determine the best route. In many circumstances, you will need to do a full financial assessment before making a correct decision. Your financial advisor can help direct you, taking all of these items into consideration.

About CreativeNurse:
The CreativeNurse was created to help nurses make educated financial decisions in all areas of their financial life. We have educational seminars, personal planning sessions, and much more to help you make informed financial decisions.

Securities products are offered through Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS), member FINRA, SIPC. OSJ: 677 ALA MOANA BLVD SUITE 720 HONOLULU, HI 96813, ph# 808.695.2100. PAS is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. CreativeNurse is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, and employees do not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual situation.

2016-24404 Exp 6/18

By The Gypsy Nurse

June 21, 2018

6766 Views

Cloud Storage for the Travel Nurse

Posted on June 21, 2018November 10, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

How Living in the Cloud Can Save Time and Your Sanity

The Following on cloud storage is a Guest Article via The Nerdy Nurse.

To some, terms like “the cloud” seem like foreign computer jargon used by only the nerdiest of computer geeks. However, the cloud is actually a very user-friendly way to store documents online and allows for nearly instant access to them from anywhere. This can be a beneficial tool for nurses in any role to keep track of paperwork. And now, services like Google Drive and Dropbox make living in the cloud easier than ever by using desktop synchronization automated after initial set up. This makes documents on your laptop accessible from your smartphone, work computer, or any other computer you feel comfortable logging in on.

What does it mean to “Live in the Cloud?”

Living in the cloud means storing all your documents and files online. This makes switching to a new device a breeze and can allow you to access your personal or business files whenever and wherever. It elevates your productivity because as long as you have internet access, you can create and store documents from anywhere. The key to living in the cloud is storing all your documents, pictures, music, and movies on a cloud service.

Why Should Nurses Live in the Cloud?

Often, nurses are asked to provide documentation about their licensure, social security information, or copies of other records. This can happen more often for travel nurses, who usually have to provide a packet worth of information for each new travel assignment. While many nurses may have a file cabinet at home where they store all these documents, wouldn’t it be much easier to log in to access those documents via your smartphone or another computer and present them instantly? Think of how much time you can save by not having to pilfer through that file folder and then make copies (again) of all those documents that you repeatedly need to access.

How Can I Start Living in the Cloud?

Now that you’re no longer intimidated by the cloud (or at least have the curiosity and interest to keep reading), you can get started living in the cloud. This can be done by following a few steps:

Select a cloud storage services provider.
1. I recommend Google Drive or Dropbox for superior user experiences to most other cloud services. However, Box adheres to HIPAA and HITECH standards, so if you are going to have PHI or your personal identity data in the cloud, you might want to consider this option.
Download the desktop application
1. Whether you are a Windows-based PC or Mac user, most reputable cloud services have a desktop client. This allows you to allocate a drive on your computer to store all your documents. This makes locating files on your computer a seamless experience and automatically syncs those files to the cloud without any manual intervention.
Download the smartphone App
1. One of the biggest benefits of cloud computing is that you can access your documents and files from pretty much any mobile device. If you want to view paperwork that you know resides on your home computer or a picture that you have to show a friend, there is no need to be concerned with whether you’ve synced that file or picture on your phone. As long as you have a cell phone signal, you can access any file you need anytime!
Store Your Documents and Files in the Cloud
1. Once you have downloaded the desktop app, make sure that you are storing any document you may need to access remotely on this synchronized drive. I personally recommend paying the extra fee (for Google Drive, it’s about $5 a month for 100 GB of storage) so that you can store all your documents in the cloud. This way, you won’t have to determine which files are more valuable than others. You can automatically backup and access all your files via the cloud.
2. You should also make efforts to use a digital scanner like NeatDesk or smartphone scanning applications like Jot Not Scanner Pro or Scanner Pro to make PDFs for pertinent paperwork. This will be especially helpful when applying for your next nursing job or travel nurse assignment.

When you first consider using the cloud, it can be intimidating and overwhelming. But hopefully, the information provided in this article has given you the tools you need to use the cloud to become more mobile and productive. No longer will you have to make hard copies of paper documents. You will be free to access your important files from anywhere at any time.

Technology can help nurses make life easier, and this is only one small example of how this can be done. For more examples of how nurses can use technology to improve their lives and the care, they deliver to patients, check out The Nerdy Nurse’s Guide to Technology.

Author Bio:

Brittney Wilson, RN, BSN, also known as The Nerdy Nurse, is a Clinical Informatics Nurse practicing in Georgia. In her day job, she gets to do what she loves every day: Combine technology and healthcare to improve patient outcomes. She can best be described as a patient, nurse, and technology advocate and has a passion for using technology to innovate, improve and simplify lives, especially in healthcare. Brittney is the author of The Nerdy Nurse’s Guide to Technology. She is a social media influencer and blogs about nursing, technology, healthcare, parenting, and various lifestyle topics at thenerdynurse.com. You can also connect with her on Twitter @TheNerdyNurse or Facebook The Nerdy Nurse.

1. Share the expense

2. Take advantage of sites designed specifically for traveling healthcare providers searching for a place to stay.

3. Take advantage of loyalty programs and corporate discounts.

A Bonus Tip

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