December 17, 2020

6556 Views

Bringing Holiday Cheer to Your Short Term Rental

Posted on December 17, 2020May 19, 2021 by Furnished Finder

As a travel nurse working a holiday contract, it can be hard to make your space feel homey and special during this season. You definitely don’t want to spend a ton of money investing in decorations that you likely cannot take with you, and you may not have a huge circle of friends to celebrate with. However, you can still make the holidays feel special in their own way and bring a little extra cheer into your short term rental over the holiday season.

Involve Your Housemates

If you have roommates, consider organizing a small gift exchange or doing something fun like filling each others’ stockings. Have each person make a small list of stocking stuffers they would enjoy, or even do something simple life gift cards or cozy socks (everyone likes socks, right?). This will bring a little extra cheer to the household and, if you have enough people to do it Secret Santa style, add some extra fun when you are guessing who has each other.

Get Creative with Decorations

For decor, you can check out places like Dollar Tree or similar shops to find cute holiday items that you can donate afterward. The great idea is to set a small budget, say $20, and see what you can create with that amount of money. Even some tinsel and a few holiday candles can go a long way.

Use Perishable Decor

Items like real pine wreaths or garland, homemade potpourri, a poinsettia, or even a small Christmas tree can be used to make your short term rental not only feel festive but smell great as well! You can buy these items to spruce up the place and feel less wasteful knowing they were one-time-use regardless.

Have Your Own Christmas Movie Night

Whether you are renting a room or have an entire space to yourself, take a night and have a cozy night in all to yourself. Grab a cozy drink, bundle up in some Christmas pajamas, and find your Christmas favorites on Netflix or Hulu. Just setting aside time for yourself like this can make the season feel special in its own way.

Arrange a Long-Distance Gift Exchange

This activity is fun because you could do it with several different groups. Travel friends, family back home, or old college friends could all have fun with this idea. Use a website like Elfster to create a Secret Santa gift exchange. Participants can put in their address and wish list, and the website will automatically draw names for everyone. Then, each person has to order the gift online and send it directly to their person! An even more involved idea would be to host a Zoom chat where everyone opens their gifts live and tries to guess who had them.

Embrace New Traditions

Working as a travel nurse during the holidays can be an adjustment, especially in your first year. Try to remember that this likely won’t be forever, and eventually, you will be able to look back on these unique memories and reminisce on this chapter of your life. Even though your holiday cheer might be a different style than usual, you can still have a fabulous holiday in your home away from home.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

December 15, 2020

4153 Views

Dealing With Stress This Holiday Season

Posted on December 15, 2020May 19, 2021 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

This article was provided by: Travel Nurse Across America

For many people, the holiday season is one where they get to take some time away from work. However, this isn’t always the case for health care travelers. Due to just how important their work is, many times they’ll need to work over the holidays. This can be stressful enough, but throw COVID-19 into the mix and many travelers are as stressed as they have ever been.

That’s why it’s especially important to know how to best deal with all this extra stress this year. Of course, working with an agency with a dedicated support team that’s there to help you will be a big plus. But, there’s also some things you can do on your own as well. Additionally, there’s even ways you can get involved in the holiday season so you don’t feel stressed about missing out!

Stress Relieving Tips

1. Take Care of Your Body

It’s important to take care of your body when you want to avoid and get rid of stress. Working as a travel nurse can be a quite physically demanding job, and now with COVID-19, many nurses are finding themselves having to work long hours with little time for breaks. This tends to lead to more stress, which then can make you feel pretty exhausted, both mentally and physically.

As such, it’s good to do as much as you can to help your body out. Things like eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep are all key for reducing stress and feeling good. Even just taking some time to refocus with some deep breaths can help you stay centered and calm, especially during those super busy shifts.

2. Unwind on Your Downtime

Another useful way to reduce stress is by using your time away from work to relax and enjoy yourself. For instance, your time off can be great for either exploring a new hobby, or getting back into an old one. Having something you that you enjoy doing is very helpful for relaxing and reducing your stress levels. Just taking some time to chill out and watch a show or movie can do the trick as well!

3. Treat Yourself

Practicing self-care is also a nice way to relieve stress, and that includes being kind to yourself. It’s been a rough year, so there’s nothing wrong with getting something nice for yourself. After all, if there’s one person who knows you best, it’s you! Even small treats can go a long way in helping you feel less stressed out.

Tips like these can help you feel less stressed from having to work during the holidays. But what if you feel a bit stressed or sad about being away during the holiday season? Don’t worry! There’s also some things you can do which’ll help you get to celebrate the holidays with those you care for, even if you’re far apart.

Celebrate the holidays even if you are away

1. Using Tech to Your Advantage

2020 has seen people make a lot more video calls than ever before since it’s been hard to have in-person meetings. However, planning out time to talk to your friends and family is a lot easier (and less stressful) than having to set up holiday travel plans. Something that you might want to do aside from just calling on the holidays is planning special holiday party calls. That way, you all get to celebrate together like you usually would, despite being away from each other.

2. Send Holiday Postcards

A very common holiday tradition is for people to send out holiday cards to those that they know. If you’re out on an assignment, you might wonder how you can do something like that as well. Enter the holiday postcard! Instead of sending a single type of card to everyone, why not send them special postcards from the area you’re currently at? Not only is this a fun, unique twist on the usual holiday card, but it also lets you show them you’re thinking of them even when far away.

3. Connect with Coworkers

Just as you might be away from home for the holidays, so will many of your coworkers, especially those that are also travelers. So, why not spread a bit of holiday cheer and celebrate with them? For instance, why not try doing a special virtual holiday potluck, where everyone tries out a recipe given to them by someone else? Or, you can organize a secret Santa where the gifts are sent to everyone, and then open them all on a call together

Even though this year is a bit different than those before, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the holidays and yourself in the process. Remember to try and take care of yourself, and don’t be afraid to get creative with how you celebrate the holidays this year!

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Katie Bugbee

December 8, 2020

8171 Views

How to Handle a Hard Day Without Telling Facebook

Posted on December 8, 2020May 19, 2021 by Katie Bugbee

You argued with a patient’s family. Another patient passed away. Your team isn’t in sync. As a travel nurse on the unit, you are looked down on or mistreated. Paperwork is piling up. Work feels insane right now. Where can you vent?

Well, not on social media.

Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok seem like natural places to voice some frustration. You can easily imagine the urge to post an Instagram photo of your chart pile with a funny (yet frustrated) facial expression and get a ton of empathy. But giving in to that urge could put you at serious risk of violating your patients’ privacy and, in turn, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). (Just imagine someone zooming into your photo and being able to make out a patient’s name!)

Don’t get us wrong: we know that social media plays a big role in our lives nowadays. We all have at least one social media channel that we use regularly, and we have a right to share photos of our last vacation or our cute new puppy on those personal accounts. That’s fine! However, as a healthcare professional, it goes without saying that you have to be particularly careful about what you post when the content veers into your work life. The minute you start using social media as a forum to discuss anything regarding your patients or their care (including venting about said patients) or as a way to interact with them for non-work-related reasons, you’re flinging yourself into dangerous HIPAA-violation territory.

You’re probably already well-versed on HIPAA but given how important this topic is (and how relevant it is to your career), it’s worth going through a little high-level refresher.

HIPAA Violations & Social Media

We’ll start with the basics: what is a HIPAA violation? Typically, a HIPAA violation involves the use or disclosure of an individual’s protected health information without their permission. So, what does this look like in the context of social media? We asked Diane Evans, publisher of MyHIPAAGuide.com, to share the most common types of HIPAA violations healthcare professionals commit on social media. They usually involve:

Sharing photos of patients with friends: Sharing patient information of any kind with unauthorized individuals is a direct violation of HIPAA. You just can’t do it. Period. End of story.
Adding patients as friends or liking their posts on social media: By interacting with your patients outside of work, you run the risk of someone drawing a connection between you two and making a guess that that individual sees a particular doctor or goes to a specific healthcare organization. You didn’t mean to, but you could have revealed the patient’s private information to unauthorized people.
Posting images, text, and videos of patients without their consent: Think: testimonials you may get from your patients. Unless they give you their (written) permission to use their likeness or quotes, you absolutely cannot make them public or distribute them in any way.

These types of HIPAA violations can lead to fines, sanctions, and potentially even the revocation of your license to practice. If the breaches are severe enough, you could even face jail time.

4 Stress-Relieving Tips for Nurses That Don’t Involve Social Media

Your job — and the stress it creates — are no laughing matter. You’re an essential worker, and the constant pressure you’re working under can be extreme. But while social media can help you get through a day, the real underlying causes of your stress need to be tackled ASAP. If not, you run the risk of suffering severe consequences, not the least of which are serious health issues, burnout, and potentially putting yourself in a situation that could threaten your career. Here are four stress-management strategies to start implementing today that will help keep you far away from that “Publish” button the next time you feel like venting.

Identify what’s triggering your anxiety.

You’ve been trained to push through stressful situations, but sometimes they can get the best of you. Make note of your feelings when you get anxious or upset and try to name them as they appear: you can say something like, “This friend always makes me feel really anxious” or “Reading the news doesn’t make me feel relaxed at all.” Sometimes, you’ll be able to limit your exposure to these stressors (e.g., a toxic friend, stressful news); other times, you might not be able to do that – particularly if they happen at work. In those instances, you’ll want to develop coping strategies that you can use in the moment to lessen their effect on you (more on this in a bit).

Also, beware of compassion fatigue. If your empathy for those around you is getting to a breaking point, remember that you can always say something like, “I’m sorry, but I can’t hear this right now. I need to focus on my patients without getting too overwhelmed.”

Strengthen your resiliency.

As a nurse, you’re nothing if not resilient. That said, you’ll be better able to handle stressful situations if your physical and emotional health are in good shape. You can do this by:

Making sure you’re getting enough quality sleep.
Maintaining a healthy diet
Hydrating
Exercising regularly
Staying connected with your support systems

Develop coping strategies you can use in the moment.

Here are some simple strategies you can try whenever you start to feel your stress levels rise (or, even better: try coming up with some of your own that you know work for you!):

Try doing some deep-breathing exercises.

These don’t need to be long or involved – play around with the length of your inhales and exhales until you find a cadence that helps slow you down.

Talk to a colleague.

Don’t be afraid to lean on your colleagues for support – you’re all going through similar things so you’re in the best position to help each other through it.

Focus on something positive.

It doesn’t have to be big – it could be as simple as remembering when a coworker thanked you for helping them or knowing that there’s a new episode of your favorite TV show waiting for you when you get home.

Treat yourself with kindness.

Watch out for negative self-talk; when you hear yourself going that route, think: “Would I talk to my best friend this way?” You could also try repeating a comforting or reassuring statement, such as, “I’m doing the best that I can right now.”

Take breaks.

This can be tough, especially if your team’s short-handed or you’re overwhelmed with things to do, but it’s absolutely crucial for your own mental health that you take breaks when and where you can. If you feel like it’s too hard to do, talk to your manager and see if they can help you find a way to build breaks into your schedule.

Talk to your manager(s) or Recruiter

Working toward change is always a great way to tackle the ongoing administrative issues that irritate you. When you do, make sure to communicate your suggestions in a positive and constructive way. Encourage your leadership to be proactive about protecting the staff from issues that might affect their mental health.

We hope you found this article and the information on HIPAA violations and how to avoid them online. As travel nurses, it can be difficult to find a means to vent about bad days. It can also be hard to know where to turn when you are constantly changing hospitals, assignments, or facilities. Do you have any advice for fellow gypsy travel nurses on ways to vent while avoiding HIPAA violations? Comment any tips on avoiding HIPAA violations below.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Gifted Healthcare

December 1, 2020

9198 Views

5 Holiday Gifts Travel Nurses Will Love in 2020

Posted on December 1, 2020November 10, 2023 by Gifted Healthcare

This article was provided by Gifted Healthcare.

The holiday season is almost here, and it’s fair to say that 2020 was a year that travel nurses, the healthcare community, and the world will never forget. The healthcare industry has also changed quite a bit since January.

As we all prepare to gift shop for the RNs in our lives, some of this year’s top gifts for travel nurses will reflect the unprecedented changes that occurred during the Year of the Nurse. But there are also a number of items for nurses that will always be helpful, no matter what.

We’ve created a list of holiday gifts that travel nurses will love this year to help you choose the perfect gift for your RN friend or family member. Read on to learn how to make a healthcare hero smile this holiday season!

Personal N95 Respirator Mask

COVID-19 has changed the travel nursing landscape, making personal protective equipment (PPE) a must. The CDC recommends that nurses wear N95 respirators, and disposable N95 masks are available at hospitals across the country. However, disposable N95 masks can be uncomfortable, causing bruising, irritation, and foggy glasses.

Make sure the RN in your life is safe and comfortable while they’re doing their heroic work!

Underscrubs

Most travel nurses wear scrubs, a sanitary outfit worn by healthcare professionals involved in patient care. Underscrubs are the items of clothing RNs wear underneath, providing them with extra comfort and relief from excessive perspiration or cold weather.

Many companies are now creating lines of underscrubs made of high-performance fabrics, meant to provide male and female nurses with supreme comfort and an extra element of fashion while still maintaining their full range of motion and physicality.

For premium underscrubs, check out FIGS, Jaanuu, MEDICLO, or Amazon.

Insulated Tumbler

Whether they drink coffee, tea, juice, or water, travel RNs need a simple way to bring their drinks with them.

The YETI Rambler is a top choice for an insulated tumbler, but Amazon offers a large variety of great options. Hot or cold, caffeinated or decaf — no matter what your favorite travel RN likes to drink, an insulated tumbler will preserve it and let them take it anywhere.

PhoneSoap Phone Sanitizer

It’s easy to forget that most of our mobile phones are crawling with bacteria. We may wash our hands many times a day, but most people rarely wash their phones.

With new sanitation guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, make sure the travel nurse in your life covering all their bases with PhoneSoap, a phone-sanitizing device that uses UV light to kill bacteria while keeping electronic components unharmed.

According to PhoneSoap, its device can kill up to 99.9% of bacteria in 10 minutes! Not to mention it features a simple design that can function like a sleek, understated accessory.

Luxury Backpack

By definition, travel nurses are on the go. Why not get them a gift that will let them travel in style?

Backpacks are extremely versatile pieces of luggage. They’re perfect for daily trips to and from work, with enough space to pack scrubs, lunch, a laptop, and more.

Companies like Dagne Dover, Vessel, Everlane, Bellroy, and many others offer luxury backpacks that are modern, functional and luxurious but not flashy, making them perfect for everyday use.

We hope this list of gifts for travel nurses help you shop for the heroic RN in your life this holiday season!

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

November 19, 2020

7432 Views

5 Useful Tips for Working Long Hours

Posted on November 19, 2020May 19, 2021 by TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

This article was provided by Travel Nurse Across America.

There’s a lot of great things that come with being a travel nurse. One thing which isn’t always so great, however, is long hours. 12-hour shifts aren’t that uncommon in the nursing world, and if anything, this year has made them even more common. With COVID-19 creating such a large demand for nurses, especially in ICUs, many are being asked to work longer shifts as a result. Therefore, it’s good to know some handy tips which can make those longer shifts a bit easier to manage.

Prepare Ahead of Time

Having to work a long shift can come with some more stress than usual. As such, you don’t want to add on any extra stress if you can help it. A great way to do this is by getting everything you’ll need to prepare the day before. Realizing you’re missing something in the middle of a shift can be a big morale killer. Therefore, try to follow a basic checklist of:

Having your uniform ready
Filling up your car’s gas tank
Making and packing your lunch and snacks
Filling up a water bottle to use throughout the day

Doing all of this ahead of time will mean you can focus more on your shift and less time worrying about having everything you need.

Get Plenty of Sleep

Working a long shift can already be rough. But trying to work a long shift while tired? That’ll be extra rough. You’re going to want to make sure you’re well-rested ahead of time, so you have all the energy you’ll need. Ideally, it’s best to get 7-9 hours of sleep each day. Avoid caffeine, limit your blue light time, and remove any other possible distractions so you won’t have any trouble getting the sleep you need. It may be useful to invest in things like earplugs and an eye mask to really help you get those z’s in.

Stay Busy…Just Not Too Busy!

There’s going to be some shifts where those hours feel like minutes, and then there will be ones where the minutes feel like hours. When you have those slower shifts, you don’t want to be stuck staring at the wall. Instead, try to find some ways to keep yourself busy. For instance, you can spend some time with patients, see if anyone else needs a hand, or you can reorganize your work area, so you’re ready for when things do pick up again. If there’s nothing to do, it’s handy to have something like a book which you can read to keep you busy, and your brain stimulated at the same time.

Now, in these times, many nurses are finding themselves constantly busy throughout their shifts. Being too busy is a quick way to get burnt out and make your shift harder to get through. This is why it’s key to balance being busy with the occasional break. Use this time to eat your lunch or a quick snack, and rehydrate with some water from your water bottle. Sometimes, all you need is to take a breather to recuperate so you can get ready for whatever’s coming next.

Dress for Comfort

One of the last things you want is to be uncomfortable while working a long shift. The added discomfort can end up causing you to feel fatigued and might even cause you some injuries down the line. What you wear makes a big impact on your ability to remain comfortable throughout the day. While most hospitals have a standard uniform for you to wear, there are some things you have a bit more control over. As an example, it may be good not to wear accessories like necklaces or rings, so that they don’t get caught on anything or cause other problems.

One of the most important things you can do is wear a good pair of compression socks and shoes. Since much of your time is going to be spent standing, you want to be as comfortable as possible when doing so. Compression socks will help protect your legs and feet from getting sore, and comfortable shoes will help give you the support needed to keep up with the constant walking and standing during your shift.

Stay Positive

Don’t forget to stay positive! Once those negative thoughts pop in, you can quickly find yourself losing your motivation and energy. Instead, focus on the good work you’re doing, the people you’re helping, and the other perks that come with working long shifts. After all, you’ll have entire days free for you to relax and explore the area that you’re currently in. Use that as some motivation to help keep you going, and your shift will be over before you know it.

This is where it can be good to work with an agency that has a strong Clinical team. When you do have those difficult shifts, reaching out to them for support can be quite valuable. Some agencies even have corporate Chaplains available for when travelers need to talk something out so they can focus more on relaxing during their downtime.

Working long hours can be a bit of a challenge, but they are definitely not impossible to do. By taking steps to make it easier, you’ll be able to power through no problem and spend more time out admiring all the unique things about your current assignment location!

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Jilly Hyndman

November 5, 2020

4576 Views

Strengthening Resilience

Posted on November 5, 2020May 19, 2021 by Jilly Hyndman

We’ve come through half a year of uncertainty…and chaos. One of the tools that can help us continue to navigate these trying times is our old friend, resilience. As travel nurses, having resilience is vital. Your work environment and assignments are ever-changing, even more so now, due to the pandemic.

Resilience Defined

A typical definition of resilience is the ability to recover from and integrate adversity, setbacks, or surprises. I like the image of riding a wave, like a surfer: when we can surf the ups and downs of life, we build strength and skills to help us stay on top of the wave, and when we fall, to get back on the board and try again. Like a wave in the ocean, we can’t control what happens in life; all we can do is respond.

Building Resilience

The great news about resilience is that it’s like a muscle that can be strengthened through a process of continuous growth; you may never be done, but you can keep getting better at it.

Resilience depends both on inner and outer resources to be properly nourished and bolstered. The internal conversations, beliefs, and resourcefulness we have can be learned and practiced and are supported by external factors, such as our web of social supports, access to stabilizing services, and other environmental factors, such as political stability, access to healthcare, safe housing, and education, to name a few. It’s different for everyone, but regardless of where we are each starting, here is a simple process to follow to help strengthen your resilience.

Step 1: Acknowledge

When something bad or unexpected happens, what is your typical response? Do you acknowledge it or ignore it or just try to get past it as quickly as possible?

There’s real value in taking a moment to acknowledge what is. When we avoid or resist something, that thing has power over us. However, when we take time to name what is, we deflate some of its power and intensity. The ability to be with what is is a powerful skill and vital to building resilience.

So, when the next challenge, obstacle, or disappointment happens (because it will), take some time to ask yourself these questions:

What impact does this event, information, or change have on me – emotionally, physically, logistically, financially, relationally, spiritually?
How do I feel about it? What is the name of this feeling? (and actually feel those emotions in your body)

Please, DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! If you don’t acknowledge what’s happened, it will keep nudging you in different ways until it gets your full attention. Deal with it now, so you can integrate it and move forward. The only way out is through.

Step 2: Accept

The next step in the process is to accept what is. This is difficult for many of us — we resist and regret and rail against the way things are. Here’s a distinction that may help: Accepting something doesn’t mean you condone what happened or is happening; it just means you accept that you can’t change that it happened or is happening.

When you accept what is, you free up your energy to focus on what you can control (your response to the obstacle, challenge, or loss). Acceptance can require a mindset shift to move out of resistance, and it can take some practice. Some helpful things to tell yourself might include:

Change is inevitable.
This, too, shall pass.
I cannot control what happened/is happening to me; only my response to it.
I can do hard things.

One of the most helpful tools I’ve used for several years is the silver linings mindset. I ask myself: What is the learning in this experience? What is the gift of this happening to (or for) me? This shifts me out of victim thinking and into empowered thinking.

Accepting what is, especially when it is bad and full of uncertainty, is difficult. It just is. Once you can begin to accept, you can move on to the next step of strengthening resilience.

Step 3: Assess

Assessing is the step where you shift from reacting to responding. It’s when you begin to look forward and formulate a plan so you can move from uncertainty to possibility. It’s time for your logical, rational, hard-working brain to step up to the plate.

Ask yourself the following questions to assess what you want and what you’re working with:

What do I want? Or, What’s the best I can hope for?
What do I have control or command over? What are my choices?
What are my skills and capabilities related to this?
Who and what are my current supports, and what other supports might I need?
What can I let slide right now so I can direct my energy to this plan?

Based on your assessment, formulate your plan of action. Then move on to the final step.

Step 4: Act

You guessed it: the final step is to take action. This action might be doing something or not doing anything based on your needs, capacity, and assessment. Maybe all you do is keep surviving. You focus on what you can take off your list of responsibilities. Maybe you reach out for a connection with another human. This is not necessarily a time to take on more, or new, or big….unless it is for you.

One of my favorite frameworks for creating a realistic action plan that you can actually implement is to keep it simple by asking yourself these three questions:

What can I STOP?
What can I START?
What can I SHIFT?

Begin with the easiest first step, and build from there.

As this pandemic continues for the foreseeable future, circle back through the 4 A’s as needed to absorb new challenges that come your way. Because they will come, and take note of how quickly you bounce back or don’t—no judgment; only grace. Remember: We’re all doing the best we can with what we have available right now. That’s enough. You’re enough. We’re all enough. We’ll get through this, and we’ll learn valuable things along the way.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By trustaff

October 6, 2020

10879 Views

Compliance & Travel Nursing

Posted on October 6, 2020May 19, 2021 by trustaff

This article was provided by Trustaff.

Compliance —

The tedious process between you and your next assignment. As a healthcare professional, you have lots of licenses, certifications, files, etc. that you need to keep organized, and having a general “get ready” process will make it a seamless jump into your future assignments.

While all companies run the compliance process differently, we’ve collected an essential list of tips from a real life trustaff Compliance Pro™ that will make sure you’re always fully compliant and ready to jump into your next adventure!

Tips to help with compliance

Get yourself organized!

Create a secure file on your phone/computer that has all of your documents already scanned. This includes a digital copy of your driver’s license, professional certifications, CEUs, bank information, etc. Most facilities also require an annual physical, annual TB test, documentation for Varicella, MMR, and HepB as their basic medical requirements. Every time you get something new, make sure you save a copy to your folder. Having everything in a central location will help you access them quickly when you’re applying to new positions and will ensure you have them at the ready even while you’re on the road or away from home.

Set calendar reminders

Set calendar reminders on your phone to alert you well in advance of any upcoming expirations. Especially right now during Covid-19, it’s taking longer to get medical results, locate and set up certification courses, and renew licensure, so you may need to jump on those renewals sooner rather than later. If one of your documents expires, it will slow down your compliance process and you won’t be allowed to go to work!

Send your recruiter everything ASAP

Send anything and everything you have to your recruiter as early as possible. This includes things they might not specifically ask for; you never know when you might accept an assignment that needs an NIHSS cert, or a TNCC for example. If your agency has all your documentation on file from the jump, it will make the whole process much easier in the long run, and you won’t get quite so many pesky phone calls.

Be clear & upfront about your schedule during the onboarding period.

If you are working every day for the following week, be sure to let your team know so they plan ahead and help find locations for testing with hours that will work for you, or help find a certification course that can accommodate your schedule.

By doing all of the above, you’ll set yourself up for a much less stressful onboarding process. BUT, on top of all that, be prepared to also complete some sort of facility-specific “learning modules” or online requirements. This is a major shift that we have noticed over the past 10 years, whereas previously it might have been part of an in-person orientation. Most facilities want you to be “fully compliant” prior to showing up in person on your first day–which means they’ll also want any modules or online onboarding to be completed and confirmed before your start date.

Stay calm and trust your onboarding/credentialing team as they help you navigate this process!

By Go Healthcare Staffing

September 29, 2020

5268 Views

What Are Travel RN’s Going to Look at this Fall/Winter?

Posted on September 29, 2020July 19, 2022 by Go Healthcare Staffing

This article was provided by Go Healthcare.

Usually, during fall, a large group of Travel RNs starts looking at their next assignment in warm climates such as Florida or Arizona. BUT welcome to 2020 where nothing is the norm.

Your fall assignment?

With the Virus not under control yet and a vaccine still unknown, picking your next assignment will leave you with many choices if you are part of the in-demand specialties. Some but not all include ICU, TELE, and Med Surg to name a few. Typically we have the mass migration of snowbirds, which is our oldest and most cared for a population when it comes to healthcare. Now? A lot are opting to stay put due to the Virus.

So what does this mean?

If you add in the pending flu season with the Virus and states opening, this is a recipe for a large demand for healthcare professionals. So travel nurses who usually go South may want to step back and look at their options. Pay levels have increased across the states (minus Covid care which has subsided if you contracted the Virus on assignment). The demand for certain specialties will reach an all-time high over the next few months even with a vaccine due to the rollout and people’s insecurity about taking a vaccine until proven 100% safe. Travel RNs will have the opportunity of these options: to take an assignment where they could be near family for the holidays, receive better pay at a non-traditional winter location, or still choose to go to warmer climates.

This is a time when nothing is normal.

Travel Nursing is no exception. Be smart about your decision-making and do your homework. More money does not always mean a great working environment. Nor does warmer weather!

Have you started looking at your next assignment? Does it differ this year? Comment below.

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

START HERE

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

By Kevin Devoto

September 18, 2020

6895 Views

Fun Tips for Travel Nursing

Posted on September 18, 2020May 19, 2021 by Kevin Devoto

If you are a nurse looking to try something new and exciting, you should consider travel nursing! Travel nursing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. As a Registered Nurse, you work with a travel nurse staffing agency that sends you out to travel to different hospitals that are lacking in resources and need extra nurses for certain periods of time. Contracts typically last around thirteen weeks and then you move on to another spot.

This provides an opportunity for nurses to continue the work they love while also seeing new places and meeting new people. With this interesting job comes unique circumstances, and you may find yourself looking for some help in figuring out how to best utilize those circumstances. Here are a few fun tips for anyone looking into travel nursing.

Take The Long Way

If you get a contract to work somewhere abroad, you can look for a fun way to get there. For example, if you know you will be working in Bermuda, you can make your way to that location on fun Bermuda cruises. This can help you settle into your travel routine while also giving you the mental legroom to switch from being at your home and in your home city to moving around. You can also engage in fun activities while on your cruise that can help you reduce any new job jitters. Sightseeing your way to your new job’s location could prove to be a fantastic way to get there!

Do As the Locals Do

Wherever you get assigned it is good to remember that people live there permanently. You are a tourist in their town. So, you should be respectful of that privilege. When locals see that respect, they typically will feel safe sharing neat spots around town with you that you may not have found on your own. The best local restaurants, hiking spots, surfing spots, and more are not going to be relinquished to just anyone and you must take this knowledge with respect and not overshare it on social media. Although it may seem annoying not to be able to share the knowledge of the sweet spots, you will find that your experiences are richer and help destress you from the potentially stressful nature of nursing as a job.

Create a Capsule Wardrobe

Capsule wardrobes are an interesting and clever way to have an easy to travel wardrobe that is versatile, classy, and can fit into one suitcase. As you begin your travel nursing journey you will find that less is more when it comes to packing. On your days off when you do not want to wear your work scrubs, you will not want to be rifling through your suitcase or hotel room drawers to find the best outfit. Instead, you can pick from a combination of a few well made, durable, versatile, and cute options for the weather and activities you have laid out ahead of you. Dressing to impress is easier when you have a few key pieces that all work together and fit you perfectly. This would be a great tip to put your travel nursing salary towards. Many people have discovered that investing in a few highly-priced items will benefit you in the long run as opposed to buying and replacing cheaper clothes.

Don’t Leave Your Furry Friend Behind

If you have a dog or a cat or another pet who you think is the only thing keeping you at home, then fear no more. Your furry friend can travel with you to your destination. Think of how much fun they will have exploring the streets of a new city by your side on your days off work. Your pet can also help you feel more comfortable as you adjust to the new life of travel nursing.

Travel nursing is currently blowing up as people realize they can travel, make money, and help people. It is a really cool way to meet new people and explore new places. You will certainly never be bored!

We hope you found these travel nursing tips helpful. Do you have any travel nursing tips to share? Comment them below.

Involve Your Housemates

Get Creative with Decorations

Use Perishable Decor

Have Your Own Christmas Movie Night

Arrange a Long-Distance Gift Exchange

Embrace New Traditions

If you are a new travel nurse or looking into becoming a travel nurse:

Travel Nurse Guide: Step-by-Step (now offered in a PDF Downloadable version!)

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Identify what’s triggering your anxiety.

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Develop coping strategies you can use in the moment.

Try doing some deep-breathing exercises.

Talk to a colleague.

Focus on something positive.

Treat yourself with kindness.

Take breaks.

Talk to your manager(s) or Recruiter

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