August 16, 2021

8518 Views

Changing Travel Nurse Specialties

Posted on August 16, 2021January 14, 2022 by AB Staffing Solutions

This article was provided by AB Staffing.

Have you ever considered changing travel nurse specialties? If you have, you are not alone. COVID has made us all adapt in ways we never dreamed of. From how we travel or communicate with loved ones to thinking about our careers. Many nurses have been inspired to continue giving back. We’ve had staff nurses move to travel so they can serve in hard-hit areas of the country like New York City at the height of the pandemic or move to a new specialty to serve where they are most needed. Before you make the change, consider the following:

What are your strengths? As a travel nurse, there are different skills that are needed, and some required, that may be different from what you experience as a staff nurse or even a traveler. If you like to stay busy and are fast on your feet as a Med/Surg or Tele nurse, then maybe the emergency room would be great for you. If you enjoy working with the older population, you may also have the patience to work with younger patients in the NICU or PICU. When it comes to changing your nursing specialty, it is important to think about your strengths and where they can be translated into a different area.

What specialties are you considering? Research areas in which you are interested to see how your skills, experience, and certifications would transfer. While you may want to move to a particular area, it may require additional credentialing that could take more time than you desire, while another may require minimal re-education and training. The Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing site is a great resource to learn about more than 100 different nursing specialties. Reviewing job postings and job descriptions will also help you decide where – or if – you will want to move to a new specialty.

What experience is needed to switch? Most positions require that you have experience in an area before becoming a traveler in that specialty. That may mean remaining a staff nurse in order to gain that experience. If you’re looking to become a traveler sooner rather than later, you may need to stick to where you already have the experience.

Have you talked to your Recruiter? Before changing travel nurse specialties, talk to your Recruiter and ask questions about hours, day-to-day tasks, type of patients, and skill requirements. It is rare, but you may find you can build your resume with skills that translate to the desired position while in your current contract.

Who do you know? The four words you need in a job search are – who do you know? What we really mean is to network with travel nurses who are working in the specialty you desire. Asking questions and learning more about their experience is a great way to learn whether or not it is right for you. You may learn that working with geriatric patients can be rewarding because they offer their stories and experiences or that your original excitement for ICU goes away when you think about dealing with trauma patients and death. It’s worth a few conversations to figure it out.

Have you told your Agency? In the process of exploring options with your Recruiter, be sure to update your information and let them know you’re open to opportunities in the top nursing specialties. That way, they can be researching a new contract for you while you’re completing your current one.

As a travel nurse, you will likely find the opportunity to move within your contracted facility challenging. This is because they’ve hired you for a certain job to fulfill a need they had at the time they hired you. While talking to your manager may be a good idea if you have a good relationship with them, it may be better to talk to your Recruiter. They will know more about upcoming contracts at the facility and/or needs in area hospitals that would fit your desire to change specialties.

If you’re meant to be a travel nurse, AB Staffing can help you find or change travel specialties to meet your needs and goals. Contact us today to learn more!

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Are you looking for housing for your next assignment? Click here to view our housing page.

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 AMN Healthcare

August 13, 2021

7006 Views

How Mindfulness Can Improve Nurses’ Mental and Physical Health

Posted on August 13, 2021January 16, 2023 by AMN Healthcare

This article was provided by AMN Healthcare.

Mindfulness interventions are helping nurses relieve stress during trying times.

Every afternoon at 3 p.m., three chimes ring out in the hallways of Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside, New York.

The chimes are repeated at 10 p.m. each evening. They’re a gentle reminder to all who hear them to stop what they’re doing and breathe, to notice how they’re feeling in that moment. Then they can be ready to refocus.

“It has been really well received,” said Eileen Hinrichs, BSN, RN, NC-BC, chair of the holistic council at Mount Sinai South Nassau.

Perhaps that’s because everyone is feeling extra stressed these days—whether from COVID cases or just general patient care—and can benefit from a few moments to focus on the present and recenter themselves. This is the hallmark of mindfulness, and a growing number of people, including many healthcare professionals, find that embracing mindfulness can help improve their health.

In fact, mindfulness is a key technique to aid in self-care for nurses, which is the emphasis for the first week of Nurses Month 2021.

What the research says

Mindfulness is staying present in the moment, paying attention to how you feel and what’s going on around you. It’s not letting your mind race ahead of you into the future or agonizing over something that happened in the past.

“If you want to boil it down to one thing, it’s noticing where your attention is at any given moment,” says John Shepard, RN, a critical care nurse at Indiana University Health.

If that sounds like it might help you, that’s for good reason. A growing body of research confirms the benefits of mindfulness meditation and mindfulness-based interventions.

For example, a 2018 systematic review of more than 140 randomized clinical trials published in Clinical Psychology Review found that mindfulness interventions effectively addressed clinical symptoms of psychiatric disorders like depression and addiction. In fact, the researchers found that they were more effective than evidence-based treatments in some situations.

When you are able to reduce your stress levels, it has a positive impact on your body, too. For example, a 2013 study published in Psychosomatic Medicine suggested that incorporating some mindfulness techniques into your life may help you lower your blood pressure. And a 2017 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that mindfulness meditation could be useful in conjunction with other strategies to reduce a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

How healthcare organizations embrace mindfulness

In recognition of the benefits, a growing number of healthcare organizations are finding ways to embrace mindfulness and make it part of their organizational culture.

Shepard began his own mindfulness practice about seven years ago. He used a guided meditation app with a smartphone in a small open area just off the ICU before beginning his shifts.

“Slowly, people started joining me. That was kind of cool,” he remembers. Eventually, leadership took notice and asked him to coordinate a mindfulness program for the organization. Today, a big part of his job is encouraging fellow nurses and others to learn how to use mindfulness in their daily lives.

Shepard can tell others how mindfulness has personally helped him. The ICU is a very stressful place, where people can and often do get pushed to their limits, and he remembers getting anxious and tense.

“These practices helped me notice that a little bit earlier, so I could actually practice bringing some awareness to it,” he said.

Mount Sinai South Nassau also deliberately incorporates opportunities for staff to learn stress reduction techniques, including mindfulness, and practice self-care. One recent example is a 15-minute reflective spring meditation workshop to help participants learn how to use simple stress-management tools to feel calmer and more balanced.

These techniques can be especially useful today, in a time when people are so connected via technology that it can be hard to really remove yourself enough to decompress. “There’s never downtime,” noted Hinrichs. ‘We are connected continuously and bombarded by technology.”

Over this past year of the pandemic, making space to be silent and reset has become even more crucial. And that’s what learning and using a few simple mindfulness strategies can help people accomplish.

Try these mindfulness apps and techniques.

If your organization offers mindfulness practice sessions or other stress reduction opportunities, be sure to check them out. Or on your own time, you can try a few of these simple activities:

Listen to guided meditation. Try a free mindfulness app like Smiling Mind or UCLA Mindful or a subscription app like Headspace or Calm.

Breathe deeply. Taking a few long, slow, deep breaths from your belly can do wonders when it comes to helping you calm down and feel a little less frenzied. While you inhale and exhale, concentrate on how it feels.

Observe mindfully. Choose a nearby object, perhaps something visible through a window, to look at. Look at it carefully and try to notice as much as you can about it: its size, color, shape, whether or not it’s moving, etc. Don’t label or judge what you see. Just observe.

Whenever you’re engaging in a mindfulness activity, if you feel your mind starting to wander, notice that, too. Then deliberately bring your attention back to the moment, to the present. Don’t feel guilty about it or fret about it. It often takes some time and practice to stay focused.

Experts note that when you consistently practice mindfulness, it will shift your perception. You may be more likely to default to a positive attitude rather than a negative outlook.

“When you practice mindfulness, it’s a lot easier to do that,” said Hinrichs.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse job? Click here to search our job board. Do you have your next job secured but need housing? Click here to search our housing page.

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

August 12, 2021

7062 Views

3 Ways to Get High-Quality Sleep as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 12, 2021July 26, 2021 by Kevin Devoto

Being a nurse can be an incredibly difficult yet rewarding profession. Nurses are credited for being instrumental in providing good care for patients in hospitals, nursing facilities, and more. There are many perks to this profession, one of them being that they can be very flexible. Nurses are needed seven days a week, 24 hours a day, so nurses can choose to work night shifts or weekends if that is better for their schedule. Nurses are also needed in all areas, so they can move to a desired location and likely find a nursing position wherever. Some nurses choose to be travel nurses, which is when they take short-term contracts in various parts of the country.

Travel nursing is a great opportunity for you to explore different parts of the country for shorter amounts of time. Most assignments are only a few months long, so if you don’t like where you are, you know you can move in just a few months. With constant moving and getting adjusted to new environments, you may find that getting quality sleep is difficult. There are a few things you can do to get high-quality sleep no matter where your travel nursing contract takes you.

Tips for getting high-quality sleep

1. Purchase Good Bedding

Your living accommodations while being a travel nurse may include fully-furnished homes, but you may want to be pickier with your bed than with your kitchen table. It can be advantageous to purchase your own travel mattress, pillows and sheets so you can have peace of mind knowing that your bedding is not only clean but comfortable. Different people like different types of bedding, but some mattress shopping tips are to have a budget in mind before you start shopping and test out a variety, so you are less likely to have to return it in the future. This is the same with pillows: know how much you are willing to spend on them and test out a few different kinds so that you are happy and comfortable when sleeping. You can also research different sheets and decide if you like cotton sheets, jersey sheets, or flannel sheets, among other options.

2. Maintain a Sleep Routine

One of the best things to do to get high-quality sleep, along with having a comfortable bed, is having a regular sleep schedule. This means that you go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. This can be difficult when you have to wake up early for work every day and love sleeping in, but it can throw off your body’s routine and make you feel more tired and not sleep as well if you don’t abide somewhat by the schedule. It can also be difficult if you work the night shift, but if you can go to sleep and wake up within a few hours on days you are working or not working, it can help you sleep better throughout the week. It is also beneficial to try to keep your night shift work regular, meaning that you do not frequently change from working days to nights.

3. Take Care of Your Body

What you eat, drink and do during the day can have a big impact on your sleep. Trying to sleep when you are too hungry or too full can impact your sleep quality. Additionally, drinking caffeine or alcohol close to when you are going to sleep can negatively impact your sleep. Though you probably walk around and move a lot while working, engaging in physical activity on your days off is important too. While you probably work long days indoors, spending some time outside every day can help your body feel better as well. If you have any breaks during the day, consider spending 15-20 minutes outside. Taking good care of your body can not only help you perform better at work but also help you get high-quality sleep each and every night.

We hope you found these tips for getting high-quality sleep helpful. Are you a travel nurse who has found ways to get high-quality sleep, even on nights? Have some tips to share with fellow travel nurses? Comment them below.

Are you a travel nurse looking for your next assignment? Click here to visit our job board. Do you have your assignment secured but need housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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 Favorite Healthcare Staffing

August 11, 2021

6972 Views

Healthy Tips to Support a Travel Nurse Lifestyle!

Posted on August 11, 2021July 20, 2021 by Favorite Healthcare Staffing

This article was provided by Favorite Healthcare.

Travel Nurses are always on the go during their assignments, making it sometimes difficult to stay on top of mental and physical health. Whether you are hitting the road for the first time or are looking to adopt new healthy habits, here are some helpful tips to keep you healthy while on your travel nursing assignment!

Maintain Your Physical Health

Living the travel nurse lifestyle, it can be difficult to make your physical health a priority. You come home from a long and exhausting shift, and the last thing you want to do is fit in a workout. Here are some simple ways to stay healthy:

Join a local gym that you can attend on your days off or when you just need to relieve the stresses of work. Make sure to do your research to find the best fit for you.
Don’t want to join a gym? No problem! Order a few resistance bands to do body workouts wherever you are!
Go on walks or hikes. There is nothing better than a long walk while enjoying the beauty of nature wherever you are.
Even the simplest forms of physical activity can be good for you! Whether that is walking to the local coffee shop you discovered or taking a morning stroll on the beach, keep your body moving.
Always stay hydrated! Water is vital for the human body to function properly throughout the day so make sure you have a good water bottle on hand. You can even find a 64-ounce water bottle to make sure you get your full water intake throughout the day.

Sleep Makes Everything Better

Working long shifts every day can be extremely stressful and draining. Sleep is important to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing, but catching some Z’s isn’t always as easy as it sounds for a nurse. Here are some ways to keep a regular sleep schedule:

Make your space your own. Bringing cozy items with you while you’re on assignment like your pillow, favorite blanket or slippers can help you stay relaxed.
When it’s time to sleep, keep your room cool, dark, and even find a comfortable sleep mask to block out any extra light.
Sound machines are great to bring with you on a travel assignment. If you don’t have one you can even play white noise straight from your phone. A variety of music apps have different playlists that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
Ensure that you have a regular bedtime routine in place. Whether you enjoy reading a book or prefer to limit screen time before bed, having a consistent routine every day will help your body prepare itself for a good night’s sleep.

Don’t Neglect Your Mental Health

The travel nurse lifestyle can sometimes mean that you will have time alone or that you might be far away from your friends, family, and loved ones. This could put a strain on your mental health. Here are some tips for supporting good mental health:

Make sure to research the location you are heading to. If you are traveling alone, you can fill up your schedule with activities and adventures to keep your mind and body active.
Have nothing to do in a new city? Working extra shifts is always a good option and a terrific way to make extra money!
Add yoga, breathing exercises, or a form of meditation to your workouts for a particularly good stress reliever. It’s also the perfect way to stretch and heal your body after working a long shift.
Remember that it’s always okay to ask for help. There are many online resources you can use if you are feeling down or just need someone to talk to, and here’s a great place to start. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It takes tremendous strength and shows that you care about your body and wellbeing.

Happy Healthy Wallet

While traveling from place to place, the cost of food and travel can add up quickly, and expenses may be higher than you expect. As a travel nurse, healthy eating habits are important to improve and maintain your energy throughout shifts. Going out to eat may be quick and convenient, but overspending on eating out is not the healthiest way to live. There are many easy ways to save money while also keeping your body healthy! Here are some tips on how to keep a happy, healthy wallet:

If you are staying in an Air BnB or a location where you can cook, it could help save you money. Meal prepping is such an easy way to have food ready to go throughout the week, making life easier when you work 12 hours a day.
Eat your fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating these higher-quality foods will help keep your energy up. It is also cheaper than buying snacks from a vending machine.
Limit your eating out to one or two times a week. The costs of eating out can add up quickly and often a restaurant’s portions are much bigger than what you would eat at home.

The travel nurse lifestyle can be tiring at times but is overall so rewarding! Not only do you help and heal others, but you also get to visit some breathtaking places and experience amazing adventures across the country. Just don’t forget to also take care of yourself during your travels. Practice each of these tips, and you’ll be on your way to creating a healthy lifestyle as a travel nurse!

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you have your assignment lined up but need housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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 Furnished Finder

August 10, 2021

9858 Views

Tips for Surviving the Travel Nursing Housing Crunch

Posted on August 10, 2021January 3, 2024 by Furnished Finder

There is currently a housing crunch for travel nurses. Lack of available housing inventory and high prices have made finding housing difficult for many travel RNs across the US. The problem is expected to continue for the next several months. In this Gypsy Nurse Live session, we interview two travel nurse housing experts, Ashley Graham, Director of Housing for Travel Nurse Across America, and Brian Payne, CEO of Furnished Finder, to not only find out what is causing the crunch but, more importantly how to survive it in your next travel nursing assignment. In addition, this short video will provide tips that travel nurses can use when working with their agencies to find housing or seeking housing on their own.

Tips for Surviving the Travel Nursing Housing Crunch

About TNAA:

Travel Nurse Across America Setting the Standard in Service! At Travel Nurse Across America, we take pride in doing things differently. We place our nurses on high-paying jobs in exciting locations across the country, but it’s our service before, during, and after your assignment that sets us apart. Our dedicated, supportive staff understands how stressful preparing for a travel nursing job can be, and that’s why we put our experience to work for you to remove the headaches and send you smoothly on your way. Across our recruiting, clinical, quality assurance, payroll, and housing teams, we promise to go out of our way to offer you an exceptional customer service experience. Let Us Show You the Difference Our Service Can Make!

About Furnished Finder:

Furnished Finder is a short-term housing provider for travel nurses and other business travelers who need furnished housing. We boast a 92-day average stay and are major data providers for corporate housing coordinators and medical staffing companies across the US. Additionally, property owners list their available short-term apartments on Furnished Finder, as healthcare travelers command a consistent appetite for traditional corporate housing and alternative housing types alike.

By Mike Khorev

August 9, 2021

5840 Views

Supporting Family and Friends When Dealing With A Loved One’s Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted on August 9, 2021July 19, 2021 by Mike Khorev

An injury to the brain can alter the way an individual experiences physical stimuli and emotions. They could suffer mild or significant changes in how they experience emotions and how they behave. This can be extremely difficult for family and friends to cope with, and a highly skilled nurse can do a lot to support them in learning how best to support their loved ones.

In these circumstances, it can be frustrating as a traveling nurse to rarely be in a role for the full duration of a TBI recovery. Not spending adequate time connecting with the victims’ support network can make it harder to effectively support and guide them. However, there are still many ways in which you can provide vital support during what time you do have with them.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can cause a previously gentle and composed person to lose self-control. It is important to help their family and friends understand that they may witness out-of-character outbursts of anger or aggression or be the subject of insensitive comments that could feel hurtful and confusing.

Equally, the opposite could be the case. A previously vivacious person may become apathetic in what is also known as the flat effect. This can also be deeply concerning and confusing to the victim’s loved ones.

Nurses understand that it is of utmost importance to treat a TBI victim with care and sensitivity. However, since the injury is not physically visible, loved ones can often become frustrated and struggle to cope and may judge them unfairly or treat them inappropriately.

Here are some of the mistakes that family and friends can make and what you can do to help.

Inappropriately expressing frustration over their inability to recall

Most people who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury also experience challenges in remembering.

Having to repeat oneself several times can be frustrating. Ordinarily, we would ask, “how many times do I have to tell you?”

Such a sarcastic comment may seem suitable to a support person who, in their frustration, secretly hopes that a push in that direction will spur the patient on to remember. However, in the case of a person with TBI, it will only make things worse.

A compassionate nurse can encourage a patient’s loved ones to deepen their understanding and find gentler ways of supporting progress. Suggest the use of a memo board and focus on improving sensitive communication skills. Demonstrate that using kind gestures can help them remember. You could also introduce them to studies showing that Brain Training and Cognitive Therapy techniques can help reverse the situation.

Blunt remarks about their change in behavior

A brain injury could also cause changes in personality or behavior, one of the most common signs being irritability. It could be a direct result of brain injury or an indirect outcome of psychological effects like anxiety, chronic headaches, insomnia, or depression.

While dealing with their own traumatic array of emotions, the patient’s loved ones can struggle to manage their reactions.

It can be hard for them to keep their cool, and it is common to react negatively and critically, which only makes the situation worse.

Give these support people whatever time you can manage to have them feel heard and understood with compassion. Encourage them to seek some support of their own through a counseling service – an online counselor could be more affordable and easier to access. Other simple recommendations for positive change could help exponentially, too. For instance, changing the diet, supplements, or medication can help them cope. Other changes could require more effort, like changes in routines. But ask the questions to help ensure that they are taking care of their own wellbeing and making healthy choices to help them to cope.

Denial about the signs of Traumatic Brain Injury

Although brain injury may be invisible to the eye, the signs are not. It’s hard to turn a blind eye to the behavior changes, challenges in remembering, inability to focus, and other psychological effects.

It is common for some loved ones to make it worse by either being genuinely oblivious to these changes or subconsciously opting for denial as a coping strategy. When they make comments like “you seem fine to me,” it could worsen the situation.

Sometimes, they may not recognize issues like apathy or depression for what they are, and instead, take them to be a form of laziness, and become critical towards the victim.

Help them avoid this downward spiral by gently encouraging them to accept the situation’s reality and seek help from a counseling professional.

traumatic brain injury — Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

How to help

As every nurse knows, every person’s experience with TBI is as unique as their fingerprint. But, inexperienced and traumatized loved ones can struggle to comprehend the changes. Symptoms like difficulties with memory, recurrent chronic headaches, and behavior issues like irritability, depression, and anxiety can prove overwhelming on top of recovering from the initial shock and trauma of the injury itself.

Remind them that they are not helpless. Aside from reaching out to a counselor, you can suggest these adjustments:

Encourage them to breathe deeply and keep calm, especially when the individual has an emotional outburst.
Acknowledge their feelings compassionately and give them a chance to let them out.
Support them in learning how to respond positively and gently provide feedback when the individual regains control.
Introduce the strategy of redirecting the focus to a different topic or activity.
Set up an easily accessible memo board to help with the patient’s recall.

It is also prudent and may help to support the family further to ensure that they have consulted with a lawyer if appropriate. The brain injury could be due to another party’s fault. Perhaps the individual was involved in an automobile accident, operated faulty equipment, fell in a public place, or something went wrong during a medical procedure. In such cases, legal help is crucial. A TBI lawyer can inform patients and family members regarding their rights and guide them in claiming compensation. This can take a huge burden off their shoulders, allowing them more mental energy to cope with the changes.

Final thoughts

As a traveling nurse, your role in a patient’s traumatic brain injury recovery may be fleeting. However, you can still do so much to positively impact their road to recovery and provide them with invaluable support and information that can significantly improve their journey forwards and that of the patients.

Are you a travel nurse looking for your next assignment? Click here to visit our job board. Do you have your next assignment secured but still need housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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 Furnished Finder

August 8, 2021

9524 Views

It’s Time to Research Housing: Where do I Start?

Posted on August 8, 2021August 8, 2021 by Furnished Finder

(Including a list of the best housing resources for travel nurses)

Working as a travel nurse can be a rewarding and enriching experience, but it does come with a certain amount of stress. Moving to a new city and starting a new position can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. One of the best ways to reduce stress and set yourself up for success is by finding the right housing that fits all your needs and supports your lifestyle.

Follow these tips to find the best housing options for your next travel nurse assignment.

Make a List of Your Priorities

The first step is making sure that you get everything you want in a housing situation is to make a list of your priorities. What factors do you need to take into consideration when choosing? While you will need to consider practical factors like cost, location, transportation, don’t forget about the things that are currently a part of your daily routine as well. Here are some things to think about if you’re a stipend travel nurse looking for housing:

Do you need a private unit, or are you willing to save money by renting a shared space?
Will you be bringing a pet, or can you travel without your furry friend?
Do you have to be in the city, or are you ok with commuting in?
Are you taking a car? If so, what is the parking situation like?
Do you need to be near a gym so that you can continue your workouts?
Are you a day or night-sleeper?
What are your regular hobbies and what do you need to continue to enjoy these?
Do you cook most of your meals after you get home or do weekly food prep?
How often can you afford to eat out?

Also, take a moment to reflect on what you are most looking forward to when it comes to your next travel experience. Foodies use the opportunity to try new cuisine and visit local restaurants. Others are planning on doing some sightseeing or meeting new people. These goals can be taken into account when considering different housing locations.

Once you create a list, go back and decide which of these factors are essential and which you are willing to make adjustments for. It is important to establish your ”must-haves” so that you are setting yourself up for a happy living situation. Creating a list will help you identify and articulate your needs so that you can begin narrowing down your choices and eliminating any properties that won’t support your lifestyle and your travel goals.

Consider Practical Factors

Once you have figured out what you want from your housing, you can begin to make a list of practical considerations that will also factor into your decision.

Will my stipend cover the cost of rent? In some cases, you may actually be able to make money by choosing a more affordable housing option. That money can go towards enjoying restaurants and activities in your new city, or it can go toward your mortgage back home.

What is the cancellation policy? Hospitals can certainly cancel a contract mid-term which can be problematic if you have already put down a deposit on housing. That is why it is always a good idea to partner with landlords who are used to renting to travel nurses. Typically, they offer more attractive terms that limit your exposure should your assignment get canceled early such as lower deposits and monthly leases.
How far are you willing to commute to your assignment? How close do you need to be to the grocery store and other essential destinations? Of course, travelers want to be close to their assignment, especially those that are on-call, but it’s important to find a location that gives you rent that you can afford, that is also within an acceptable radius of the places you’ll be going.
Are utilities, cable and internet included in the rental amount? Before you sign any agreements, make sure that you are clear about any additional costs.

Where Most Travelers Start

Whether you’re comparing jobs side by side and need to know which assignment has more affordable housing options, or you’ve already signed your contract and know where you’re going, Furnished Finder is where most travelers and staffing companies seem to start. They have over 30,000 listings from hosts all over the nation who are looking for travel nurse tenants. It’s actually pretty unique to find a housing platform without the booking fees like vacation rental sites and mark-ups like corporate housing. You can view all of the Furnished Finder properties on their site, or right on The Gypsy Nurse housing resource page.

Stipend Calculator

If you’re researching jobs in different cities and looking to see where your stipend will stretch the furthest, you can use the new Travel Nurse Stipend Calculator tool. There you’ll be able to get average housing costs, find out the top nursing specialties and staffing agencies, and compare key metrics to see which area may be the best for you.

Contribute

One of the best things about being part of a community is that you can receive and share helpful information with one another. Chances are that you’ve already worked in a city or assignment where another traveler is currently considering, so why not help out the next nurse and share your experience? Here, you can rate your previous facility, and give your fellow travelers tips about the best neighborhoods, areas to avoid, favorite restaurants, traffic patterns, and other best practices that you’ve learned while on assignment in a city. To become a contributor and help a fellow traveler, you can do that here.

More Resources

Both Furnished Finder and The Gypsy Nurse have Facebook groups dedicated to housing as well. There you can connect with your peers, ask questions, and learn about their experiences. Don’t underestimate groups like these as they can be excellent resources…just realize that with over 120,000 members combined, you may have to sift through a few rants to get to the content that you’re interested in. You can also use the search filter to search by topics, hospitals, staffing companies and cities that interest you.

Recommended Facebook Groups:

Travel Nurse Housing – Furnished Finder

Travel Nurse Housing – The Gypsy Nurse

If you want to dig into housing even more, you can visit these popular blogs and resource pages.

Search for Housing:

Submit a Housing Request:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/housing-request

Stipend Calculator:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/Travel-Nurse-Stipend-calculator

Blog Pages:

Avoiding Scams:

Landlord Verification Report:

https://www.furnishedfinder.com/travelers

Housing plays an important role in your travel nurse housing experience where the right living situation will allow you to maintain a work/life balance that helps you thrive. Hopefully, these tips and tools will help to ensure your housing supports your lifestyle wherever you go.

Furnished Finder is the largest online housing marketplace for travel nurses who take temporary positions across the US. With over 30,000 monthly furnished rental properties to choose from, they continue to expand their inventory and make housing easier and more affordable for traveling healthcare professionals nationwide.

*If you’re a landlord looking to offer housing on Furnished Finder and The Gypsy Nurse, go here.

By Kevin Devoto

August 6, 2021

7611 Views

5 Essential Oils for Home and Travel Nursing Use

Posted on August 6, 2021July 19, 2021 by Kevin Devoto

These days, essential oils are all the rage, and for a good reason! Many have a long history of stress relief, anxiety, depression, sleep, and memory enhancement. They also have a pleasant odor.

More and more research studies are emerging to back up their efficacy in treating specific illnesses and improving overall wellness.

Here are come low-cost essential oils that have been scientifically proven to help with stress, anxiety, memory, and focus. Even if you’ve never used essential oils before, you’ll find some quick and simple ideas that can make a big difference in your travel nursing or home life.

1. Lavender

If you only have room in your kit for one essential oil, make it this one. For thousands of years, lavender has been utilized for medicinal and home care purposes, and it is one of the most versatile essential oils available. The likes of D. Gary Young have also studied it. Lavender can be used topically for various therapeutic purposes, including rashes, insect bites, acne, minor burns, and cuts and scrapes.

A drop or two of lavender oil in a bath will help calm frayed nerves and aid sleep, and pressing the oil into your temples and forehead helps reduce headaches. Use a few drops in steam inhale to help relieve sinus and respiratory infections.

2. Peppermint

To ease stomach cramps and queasiness, massage your belly with a carrier oil containing a few drops of peppermint essential oil.

Peppermint is fantastic for applying to the chest and throat to stop coughing fits and helps relieve congestion. A couple of drops combined with cool water can create a great foot soak to relax tired, overheated feet.

To eradicate odors in your home, spray diluted peppermint oil onto filthy shoes and boots. Add a teaspoon of the EO to a floor-washing solution to offer a fresh scent and antibacterial characteristics. Rodents and spiders will be deterred by placing a few drops of peppermint oil around cracks in walls since they can’t handle the smell.

3. Tea Tree Oil

This is one of the most helpful and useful essential oils to keep on hand, and for a good reason: it’s been dubbed “a medicine cabinet in a bottle” because it can treat nearly any common condition. Tea tree oil can be used topically to treat the following conditions, while it should never be consumed.

Applications include athlete’s foot, dermatitis, acne, nail fungus, warts, cold sores, and insect bites.

You may make a disinfecting spray for countertops, door handles, and other surfaces around the house by mixing a teaspoon of tea tree oil with water in a misting bottle.

4. Eucalyptus

This essential oil, which comes from Australia, is easily recognized by its aroma.

Eucalyptus EO is excellent for relieving chest congestion (either alone or in combination with other oils). A salve created with it can also help relieve asthma attacks when applied to the neck and chest. If rubbed into the problematic area a few times a day, that same salve may help relieve fibromyalgia’s discomfort. Adding a few drops to a compress and applying it to shingles-affected skin can help to relieve pain and speed up the healing process.

The antibacterial characteristics of eucalyptus make it perfect for use in a kitchen and bathroom spray or to diffuse the oil in your bathroom to eradicate germs and odors.

5. Clove

Clove oil has been used for toothaches, gum disease, cold sores, and canker sores for ages and is one of the most effective therapies. It should always be diluted (because of its potency), and people with extremely sensitive skin should avoid using it.

Keep in mind that its quality will determine the efficacy of the oil. It’s worth spending a few more dollars on high-quality, organic essential oils if you want to use them primarily for health care, first aid, and other similar purposes.

Please do your study before using any essential oils to become fully informed about their applications and potential toxicity (e.g., lemon essential oil should be kept away from cats), and use common sense when using them.

We hope you found this article on the 5 essential oils for home and nursing use helpful.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you have your next assignment lined up but still need housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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

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

By Next Travel Nursing

August 5, 2021

9937 Views

The Benefits Of Travel Nursing

Posted on August 5, 2021July 29, 2021 by Next Travel Nursing

This article was provided by Next Travel Nursing.

If you’re a nurse looking for a profession that’s in demand, look no further than travel nursing. It’s expected to grow by over 15% through 2026. The increase in demand is more than any healthcare location can handle. Travel nurses travel to different locations and accept assignments where the need is greatest.

Traveling nurses experience a variety of benefits and experience an in-demand career that provides security. Here are some of the benefits you’ll experience as a travel nurse.

Discover New Places

Of course, one of the main benefits is travel. You may end up in parts of the country you never thought possible – or were even on your bucket list. Travel nurse assignments span the entire country, and you’ll be able to see how nursing is different across the nation.

You can take in the beautiful sights of Montana’s Big Sky or get wrapped up in the lights and sights of Las Vegas. Take advantage of what each location has to offer. Some areas are known for their restaurants or their cultural offerings. Take in what you’re able to when you’re on assignment.

As a travel nurse, you’re able to experience the country in ways others aren’t, thanks to the profession.

Flexibility (Personal and Professional)

Travel nursing allows you to do many things from a professional and personal standpoint. You have the opportunity to travel to different hospitals; many include research and learning opportunities – especially at teaching hospitals. At those locations, you’ll be able to learn new techniques and pick the brains of veteran staff.

Working at these locations can also be a great resume builder, making you more valuable and in demand. The fact you’re willing to work at these locations shows you love to be pushed and up for any type of challenge.

Personally, you’re able to coordinate your assignments so that you’re able to take personal time after assignments to focus on things that are important to you – whether it’s spending time with family and friends or doing volunteer work. Your world is your oyster.

Explore Nursing In New Areas

Travel nursing allows you to explore many areas of nursing. Whether it’s exploring different specialties or types of hospitals, you may find you really like the non-profit since that allows you to focus on patient care. You may find you’re a natural teacher and enjoy working at teaching hospitals.

You can also float to different areas of the hospital. Spend some time in the ICU, ER, or the NICU. You can make an impact in several areas. Plus, you’re able to find out if travel nursing is for you and make the decision to continue or settle on a permanent location – assignments are a great length to determine what you want to do.

Develop Skills Beyond Nursing

Travel nursing allows you to craft your nursing skills, but you’re able to develop skills beyond nursing.

By working in different hospitals, you’ll develop patient skills from new experiences you may not be privy to as a staff nurse. It also forces you to make decisions and think critically as you encounter different situations with patients of all types.

You’ll be helping your career over the long term. You’ll see many sides of nursing so you can develop a clear idea of where you’d like to focus on.

In addition to nursing skills, you’ll develop your soft skills. You need to adapt to many different situations and communicate effectively – not only to patients but hospital leadership, as well.

Not only are you crafting your nursing skills, but life skills as well. You’re adapting to different locations, situations. As a travel nurse, you’re picking up and going from location to location and getting familiar with new surroundings.

Nurses In Demand

RNs are in demand right now as there is a nurse shortage spanning the country. The need for nurses is growing at an exponential rate, and their skills are highly sought after.

Healthcare locations are having trouble meeting seasonal needs, and with the rapid spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, the need for nurses is quickly increasing.

ICU and ER nurses appear to be the most sought after, but really, these shortages span all specialties.

As a travel nurse, you’ll rest comfortably knowing you’ll be in demand as there will always be another assignment waiting for you once your current assignment ends.

Higher Pay

Travel nurses work hard and are well compensated with generous hourly rates and benefits. In some cases, they see higher pay and packages than permanent staff. If you have a specialty or skill set that no one has, that increases your wage.

Some locations will offer a referral bonus to RNs who refer other travel nurses or completion bonuses.

On The Front Lines

If you really want to help and are focused on patient care, travel nursing is where to be. You’re on the front lines helping patients who are in need of care.

You’ll see your impact on people’s lives on a daily basis and see the fruits of your care. You’re not stocking equipment and supply rooms. You will be working in areas and with people who need help in your specialty – so it’s focused care. Looking to start your travel nurse career today? Try Next Travel Nursing, an agency that knows strong nurse-recruiter relationships aren’t easy to come by but believes they’re totally essential. Let NEXThelp you find your perfect assignment today.

We hope you found this list of benefits of travel nursing helpful. Are there any other benefits that we missed? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Have your next assignment secured but need housing? Click here to view our housing page.

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

START HERE

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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