September 4, 2021

4750 Views

5 Important Things You Should Do to Make the Most of Your Vacation

Posted on September 4, 2021September 4, 2021 by Lirika Hart

You have two options when you take a vacation, either locally or abroad: You can make either vacation the entire time or just travel from location A to B and from B to C. Vacationing means that you will spend most of your time on the beach, in your hotel and a generally relaxed mode. Travelling, on the other hand, means that you will be exploring more and relaxing less. As much as vacationing allows you to enjoy the beauty of your host city, traveling allows you to make richer memories, meet more people, and discover more awesome things about the city and its people.

If you want to travel and make great memories, you will need to plan adequately and research widely about your destination. Pre-planning allows you to achieve more with a small budget. It gives you a strong idea of when to take your trip, where to stay for optimal comfort and convenience, the sights to see, as well as the hidden treasures to discover.

If you are planning for a trip to a country that requires you to have a visa, ensure that you start the visa application process early enough so as to avoid last-minute inconveniences. Some processes can be too tough and complicated that you will be required to produce documents ascertaining that you’ve made flight and hotel reservations beforehand, failure to which your application is declined. You might need to book a dummy hotel reservation so that you can get your visa without spending too much money.

With your visa in hand, you have arrived!

Here are 5 important things that you should do to make the most of your vacation:

1. Do your research homework

Read as many travel magazines and blogs in order to get an in-depth understanding of the people and cultures that define your destination. Read stories that explain personal experiences, especially when you want to know the neighborhoods you should or shouldn’t visit, the foods to or not to try, as well as tips on the transport available. This information will give you a head start when creating your itinerary. Don’t take the story of one traveler as the gospel truth- ensure that you sample multiple stories and get several different perspectives on a destination before making a decision.

2. Get out of your comfort zone

Now that you know where to go and the foods to try, make psychological preparations for uncomfortable decisions. You will be eating meals that you wouldn’t normally try and engaging in outdoor activities you’ve never imagined yourself doing. Be daring enough to walk up to strangers and start a conversation with them. Try hiking or mountain climbing even if you wouldn’t dare any of that if you were home. Skydive and do daredevil tricks whenever you get the chance. Just be sure to always put your safety first and consult an expert when unsure of what to do.

3. Stay in different neighborhoods

Staying in one neighborhood doesn’t allow you to explore as many parts of the city as you should. As you already know, two neighborhoods within the same town or city are never identical. Tour different suburbs, visit neighboring towns, and camp outside for a night- anything that allows you to hear a different story every hour, meet new people every minute, and to see new architecture every day.

4. Explore on a free walking tour

Any seasoned traveler will tell you how important it is to go on a walking tour when in a new town. Such tours give you a better grasp of the city- you explore it on foot and (quite literally) at the slowest pace imaginable. And because the tours are led by local tour guides who have immeasurable experience and knowledge of the city, you end up learning so much more than what you read in books. This is also a great opportunity to interact with other tourists from all over the world.

5. Make local friends

You will get a better connection with the local culture when you make local friends. If you are a fast learner, you can even learn a few local slang phrases by the time you leave. Being friendly to local people is also a sign that you respect them as people and their culture.

Conclusion

Bonus tip: Never forget to capture memories with photos and videos and buy a few souvenirs to bring home from your vacation. However, try not to dwell too much on capturing memories and collecting souvenirs– you need to experience the memories and witness them with your eyes too!

We hope these tips help you plan your next vacation. Do you have any tips for planning a vacation or things you feel are a must while planning or taking a vacation? Comment them below!

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

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By Theodora Evans

September 3, 2021

4164 Views

How Travel Nurses Can Take Care of Their Teeth

Posted on September 3, 2021August 20, 2021 by Theodora Evans

Being a travel nurse is a very enjoyable profession but also a demanding one. Being on the move constantly can be a great learning experience, in addition to being a lot of fun. But, when traveling often, you can sometimes forget to stay on top of all the necessary daily routines – and one of the most important ones is to maintain your oral hygiene.

While taking care of the health of others, you shouldn’t lose track of your own dental care, which can easily happen, especially while traveling. Here are a few tips that can help travel nurses take better care of the well-being of their teeth.

Before you go

Even before you leave for your latest assignment, there are important things you can do for your teeth. The most important one is to set an appointment with your dentist. Do it early enough so you will have the time for a follow-up visit if there is a need for one.

This can seem obvious if you think about it, but many forget to do it while they are preparing for a trip. Seeing your dentist before you leave can save you a lot of trouble and prevent you from having an emergency in a new city.

Packing

Yes, packing itself can be an important part of taking care of your teeth as well. Don’t forget to clean the toiletries bag in which you keep your toothbrush while traveling. If not cleaned regularly, such a bag can become a home for many bacteria.

Additionally, you should remember not to pack a wet toothbrush for the same reason. Whenever you can, try to dry your toothbrush before packing it. If it’s not possible, clean it and dry it immediately after unpacking.

Maintain your routine

When traveling, it’s easy to forget to maintain your daily oral hygiene routine. This can be a big mistake, especially for someone like a travel nurse, who travels so often. You should always remember to brush your teeth at least twice per day, never for less than 2 minutes long.

In addition to that, don’t forget to floss. If flossing is not always convenient, using sugar-free chewing gum can be an efficient substitute. Studies have shown that using such chewing gum can be almost as efficient as flossing for getting rid of food particles from your teeth.

Be ready to act

While maintaining your routine is very important, it is also important to be ready to break your daily routines and act in case of an emergency. This can be especially difficult when you are in a new city, but when you have a dental emergency, which is something that can happen to anyone, you should be ready to find a local dentist and seek professional help.

Water

Unfortunately, not every place has clean drinking water available. Try and find out about the water conditions in the city you are moving to. If the local tap water is of low quality, it might be a good idea to use bottled water to rinse your teeth after brushing.

But having water with you at all times is generally not a bad idea when it comes to oral hygiene. It can not only help you stay hydrated but also be of great help in keeping your mouth clean at all times while traveling.

Travel food

When we travel, it’s easy to forget ourselves and to indulge in fast food, simply out of convenience. As much as you can, you should try and avoid consuming unhealthy sugary food. It can really have a detrimental effect on your teeth and health in general.

But we are all human, and sometimes it’s almost unavoidable to eat something unhealthy, especially while waiting at the airport in-between flights, for example. But when that happens, you should remember some of the previous advice about maintaining your oral hygiene and the daily routines which are connected to it. If, in such a situation, brushing and flossing are not convenient, you can always use water and chewing gum to clean your teeth and mouth.

Travel nurses dedicate their professional lives to helping other people with their health problems. But as is the case with many professionals, it is sometimes easy for them to neglect their own potential health problems. This is especially true for professionals who travel a lot, and travel nurses as a profession defined by it.

This is why it’s imperative to learn to always maintain certain practices connected to oral hygiene in all kinds of surroundings and also while traveling. Informing yourself about the place you are moving to is also a big part of that, as is being ready to act in a new environment and seek professional help when necessary. But above all, the key is in avoiding bad habits and maintaining your daily oral hygiene routine.

We hope you found these tips for caring for your teeth while on assignment. Have you found any ways to care for your teeth while on assignment? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Have the assignment secured but need to find 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!)

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By TheraEx

September 2, 2021

5227 Views

How Nurses Can Stay Optimistic During the Pandemic

Posted on September 2, 2021August 18, 2021 by TheraEx

This article was provided by TheraEx Staffing Service.

Nursing can be stressful, especially in the midst of a global pandemic. As a nurse in 2021, it’s even more important than usual to make every effort to stay optimistic. Optimism is connected to motivation, and patients deserve motivated nurses. While it may seem hopeless sometimes, there are plenty of things you can try to maintain a positive mental attitude necessary for proper and reliable care. The following tips not only apply to nurses but to just about any healthcare professional, from occupational therapists to medical technologists.

Have Gratitude

We understand that gratitude during these times may be hard to come by. However, no matter the circumstance, it is always possible and beneficial to see the good amongst the bad. Rather than focusing on the negatives, remind yourself of the things that make you happy and hopeful. Think about how thankful you are for your fellow nurses working hard alongside you. Recognize that you are saving countless lives every day just by doing your job. Pay attention to the good things that happen during your shift – like making a patient smile or receiving a compliment from a hospital staff member. It’s always helpful to keep a journal of all these positive thoughts. If you write down three things you are grateful for every day, this way of thinking will become more natural, and you will start to dwell less on the negatives.

Surround Yourself with Optimism

It’s no surprise that if you surround yourself with optimistic people, you’re more likely to be optimistic yourself. While complaining with other disgruntled coworkers can feel cathartic in the moment, it doesn’t boost your mood like genuine positivity does. If you are talking to an unhappy coworker, try not to let negativity dominate the conversation. Make an effort to engage in positive topics. However, we understand that this is certainly easier said than done, especially during the pandemic. So, if you find yourself surrounded by negative coworkers, the next time you’re on break, choose to take a walk. Limit your time with negative people and maximize it with those who exhibit a positive outlook.

The same thing goes for when you’re on social media at work and at home. Follow uplifting accounts in order to not to get bogged down by the drama that exists on social media. At TheraEx Staffing, we try to spread positivity through our social media – by posting inspiring nursing stories or funny nursing jokes.

Focus on Yourself

We know that Covid-19 has put a huge strain on our healthcare and rehabilitation facilities. With these facilities overwhelmed by the massive influx of patients, nurses and other healthcare staff have had to endure stress on another level. And when your job involves taking care of others, it’s easy to prioritize others’ needs above your own. As a nurse, you need to fulfill your own basic needs in order to effectively care for others and avoid compromising your immunity. If you are running on little food and sleep, you can’t expect to perform your best. Taking the time and effort to care for yourself isn’t selfish – it’s necessary for functioning properly and reliably. Don’t feel guilty if you need to take a quick break or eat a snack. Don’t be afraid to reach out to support initiatives for mental health help too. One positive outcome of the current chaos is that it is motivating healthcare leaders to start prioritizing self-care, which is certainly a step in the right direction.

Travel Nursing with TheraEx Staffing Services

While optimism can be hard for nurses to find these days, understand that you have options. Consider joining the world of travel nursing with the help of TheraEx Staffing. Our staffing agency works to match nursing and allied health professionals with facilities where they can shine. You’ll be able to work 13-week assignments in locations all around the country, forwarding your career and giving hope to communities that need your services. Contact TheraEx today to find the perfect facility that can keep you optimistic and successful.

We hope you found this article helpful. Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Have the 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:

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

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By Christina Lee

September 1, 2021

4540 Views

7 Easy Self-Care Tips for Travel Nurses

Posted on September 1, 2021October 4, 2021 by Christina Lee

Nurses spend so much time caring for their patients’ health that it is often easy to neglect their own health. A stressful job combined with long, unpredictable hours and being away from home can weigh heavily on a nurse’s health, so it is important that you look after your own mental and physical health so that you can be in top shape to help your patients.

Check out these seven easy self-care tips to ensure you look after yourself while out on assignment!

Easy self-care tips:

1 – Get Plenty of Sleep

Easier said than done, eh! Travel nurses work irregular hours and alternating shifts so getting the adequate amount of sleep is not always easy. However, to function at its optimum, your body needs sufficient rest, so it’s vital to prioritize sleep in your schedule. To ensure a good rest, avoid eating any big meals before sleep and try to put away all electronic devices at least one hour before bed. If you are finding it tough to get to sleep, you could try some apps like Pzizz or Calm, which have sleep meditations and music that can help you catch those well-needed Z’s.

2 – Maintain a Healthy Nutrition Plan

Long hours and a stressful working environment can mean nurses find it difficult to find the time to cook up healthy meals. This leads to binge eating and indulging in those unhealthy snacks from the hospital vending machines during break time. “An unhealthy and unbalanced nutrition plan can lead to serious problems in the long term as well as affecting your ability to tend to your patients. Some ways of maintaining a healthy diet while on the road include packing healthy nutritious snacks, prepping meals the day before, avoiding added sugars, and drinking plenty of water,” says Melissa Mullin, a psychology writer at Student writing services and Essay Roo.

3 – Try Meditation

Studies have shown that just a few minutes of meditation every day can significantly help in the management of stress and anxiety that we face in our daily lives. In a job that can be stressful and hectic at the best of times, travel nurses around the world have turned to meditation to help cope with the demands of the role. Beginners can start off with 5 – 10 minutes of meditation prior to work and can gradually build it up. Apps such as Headspace and Insight Timer have excellent guided meditations as well as soothing soundscapes to help you relax and ease your tensions.

4 – Don’t Forget to Exercise

Finding the time to exercise as a travel nurse can be tricky, to say the least. Shift work and long hours mean exercise can often be neglected, but its importance can not be understated. Exercise leads to the production of endorphins which helps with reducing stress. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising for at least 20 – 60 minutes 3 – 5 times a week which will help keep a healthy cardiovascular system and boost your mental health. Walking, cycling, running and swimming are all excellent activities which you can do whilst on the road. Making them perfect for our list of easy self-care tips.

5 – Explore Your Surroundings

It’s important to find a nice balance between your work and social life as a travel nurse. While tending to your patients is obviously a major part of your life, you also need to be able to let your hair down and have your own fun. “Living away from home can be a lonely prospect, but it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. Try to connect with other nurses and socialize on your days off. Go out for dinner, have a few drinks or enjoy the surrounding nature with fellow nurses or even better meet some new friends away from the hospital,” says Alice Barber, an HR manager at Write my essay and Resumention.

6 – Work For a Reputable Recruiter

It is important that travel nurses work for a recruiter who prioritizes their employee’s health and wellbeing. Being overworked and not looked after properly can be seriously damaging to a travel nurse’s mental and physical health, so choosing a reputable recruiter going forward is vital. You should have a good relationship with your employer, who should be available anytime to support you in your journey.

7 – Consider Therapy

Having a trained mental health professional can be really important for a travel nurse. Having somebody there who can evaluate your mental health and map out a path for going forward will really help you cope with the pressure of the job. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP’s) offer emotional support to nurses, and you should ensure you have access to this through your recruiter.

We hope you found these 7 easy self-care tips helpful. Have you found any easy self-care tips or routines on your journey as a travel nurse that you would like to share? Comment them below.

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

For more easy self-care tips click here to read more articles on self-care.

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!)

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By HealthTrust Workforce Solutions

August 31, 2021

9742 Views

6 Benefits of Working Full-Time as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 31, 2021August 17, 2021 by HealthTrust Workforce Solutions

This article was sponsored by HealthTrust Workforce Solutions.

Travel nursing has a tremendous amount of perks, however many nurses believe it is a job that can only be done for a short period of time. Surprisingly, there are a lot of nurses who work full-time as travel nurses. There are so many benefits to working full-time as a travel nurse such as long periods of increased pay, flexibility with vacation time, and much more.

Flexibility and Adventure

The options for traveling around the country, even internationally, seem endless when working as a travel nurse. Travel contracts that are 13-weeks long allow nurses to move about the country or a region pretty frequently, giving options to explore different cities, participate in unique activities, and meet new people. For those that like the beach, there are options across the country to work in different beach towns. The same options are available for mountain escape destinations or big city living. For nurses with family or friends all over the country, there are opportunities to work in cities nearby to see them. The options are endless!

Matching Benefits and Time Off

Some travel companies offer more benefits and paid days off once a travel nurse has worked for their company for more than a year. Nurses still work contracts wherever they like, but the contracts are with the same travel company. Additionally, a lot of travel companies will start matching retirement account contributions after working with them for an extended period of time.

Higher Pay

Plenty of nurses choose to leave permanent nursing positions for travel nursing because of the allure of higher pay rates. Travel nurses get paid weekly, with a large portion of the pay being a non-taxable housing stipend. The ability to change travel contracts after a period of typically 13 weeks gives nurses the opportunity to move to another area for a contract that pays more money or is more in line with what they are looking for in a contract.

Holidays and Vacations

One of the biggest benefits of working as a travel nurse is being able to either request specific vacations off before signing a contract or not working at all during a time period when more than a few days off is desirable. Many permanent nurses have to compete for time off during peak seasons with a lot of vacation requests, such as during the summer or winter holidays.

While travel nurses can’t just request massive amounts of time off during contracts, they can choose with quite a bit of flexibility when they start a contract. Since contracts are typically 13-weeks long, a contract might end the third week in November. A travel nurse planning to be off for all of December may decide to not start their next contract until January. This type of planning allows travel nurses to plan for time off in between contracts.

Another way to be off for certain days is to request it before signing the contract. Some hospitals will want travel nurses to work holidays, and this information can be discussed prior to signing a contract and starting the job.

Friends Everywhere

Travel nursing is all about making new connections with people from across the country. Travel nurses tend to gravitate towards each other at assignments or meet up by staying at the same RV parks. Building friendships in new cities makes traveling less lonely or isolating. Plenty of travel nurses will travel together or even back to previous locations because of friendships or because they enjoy the people working in a specific unit or hospital.

Professional Confidence and Skill-Building

Working full-time as a travel nurse builds resilience at work by increasing professional confidence and the ability to adapt to new environments while providing quality patient care. Travel nurses adapt to the unique setting of each new contract, helping them maintain their skills at a high level. Moving to new hospitals and seeing different cultures builds nursing skills, and shows new ways to approach problem-solving. It takes a lot of confidence to be new to a unit and come in to provide safe patient care.

Travel nursing offers full-time benefits and opportunities for nurses looking for higher pay, adventure, and flexibility to take vacations more readily than permanent staff nurses. The skills, confidence, and connections that can be gained from long-term travel experiences are invaluable and last a lifetime.

HealthTrust Workforce Solutions is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest health system. We help travelers find high-pay, rewarding assignments across the country. We offer both traditional travel contracts and full-benefited, full-time travel positions, as well as local contracts. Click here to learn more.

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By Frank Hamilton

August 30, 2021

8717 Views

A Complete Guide to Market Yourself as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 30, 2021August 17, 2021 by Frank Hamilton

The pandemic triggered the demand for travel nursing professionals. But at the same time, it created fierce competition among specialists. Finding a decent job is no longer as easy as before, as travel nurses have many new requirements.

How to overcome tough competition in the labor market and become one of the first to receive the best offers? What is possible to do? Use the following tips to promote yourself as a nursing professional.

Top 5 Tips To Market Yourself As A Travel Nurse

Against the background of increased demand and competition, you have to improve your qualifications and get new experience within the framework of your career. It is time to learn how to promote yourself in the labor market properly. Get started with the following tips to find the best jobs in travel nursing.

Create a Quality CV

The first place to start is to update and rewrite your CV. Most likely, you have gained new skills and experience when dealing with the challenges 2020 made us face. Many people forget to update their resumes from time to time, especially when they have constant work. But for the travel nurses, keeping your resume up-to-date is a must-do.

Do not forget to add new certificates or knowledge of foreign languages. Any international experience will be a great point in your CV. Highlight your traveling nurse experience, plus describe the challenges you have faced and the ways you overcome them.

Create Your Site

The next step for successfully promoting yourself as a specialist is to think about creating your own website. It will be something like a business card or an online resume. You can also run your blog to share your expertise, use-cases, and stories to showcase yourself as a nursing professional and personality at once.

Remember about SEO promotion, as it will help your site reach the top of the search results. Accordingly, your site will be better discoverable and findable by those in search of travel nursing services.

As for promoting your blog, consider using guest posting to reach your target audience and improve your website’s position in the search result. All you need to do is find sites that accept medical guest posts and write some valuable articles that will link back to your website. Find more details here about medical blogs that accept guest posts and how to collaborate with them. By the way, you can discover more about this topic on a medsnews.com website as well.

Use LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the best platforms that allow people to find new business connections. Medical service is no exception, which means that you can find travel nurse agencies with top salary offers within this social network.

There you can post your resume and link to your website. It is noteworthy that there are many HR managers on this site, and they are in constant search of the specialists they need. Therefore, creating a profile on this platform is a potential opportunity to receive tempting offers even without additional promotion effort. But if possible, you should devote your time to updating your Linkedin profile and connecting to those who can offer you a job you are looking for.

Find a Recruiter

One of the best ways to stop worrying about your career is to make a connection with a reliable recruiter. As noted earlier, you can find a suitable one on LinkedIn and stay in touch all the time. The new job opportunities can appear unexpectedly, and there are always a lot of applicants for a vacancy.

Therefore, friendly relationships and ongoing communication with recruiters are a good idea for those who want to remain attractive to employers and be the first to receive the best offers. Some specialists keep in touch with several recruiters so that you can follow this tactic as well.

Follow Nursing Ethics

Another important piece of advice for travel nurses is always to follow the rules of medical ethics. As one of the points, it’s about always being positive about your customers. The main thing is to never complain to your new employer about your experience, especially if this experience was negative. Try to turn negative situations into positive experiences. Focus on the ways you dealt with them and the skills you gained in the process.

Moreover, travel nursing companies are always looking for specialists who know how to care from a medical perspective and a human one. Therefore, politeness, calmness, and a positive attitude are needed for those who want to promote themselves as great specialists and get the best jobs offers.

The Bottom Line

Travel nursing services are in great demand. Make sure to show your future employers you are serious about taking care of people – your professionally created CV, website, and well-developed LinkedIn profile can already say a lot about you. Also, don’t forget about making a good impression as a personality and a human since your personal qualities are no less important than professional ones.

With the market as hot as it is right now for travel nurses, it is more important than ever to know how to market yourself as a travel nurse. We hope you found these tips helpful. Have you found ways to market yourself as a travel nurse that has helped you on your travel nursing journey? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Already have your assignment 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!)

Join The Gypsy Nurse Nation

Discover new travel nurse jobs, subscribe to customized job alerts and unlock unlimited resources for FREE.

“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”

—Meagan L. | Cath Lab

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By Jennifer Traub

August 29, 2021

12799 Views

Traits to Have as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 29, 2021August 29, 2021 by Jennifer Traub

I have been a nurse for eight years and a travel nurse for three and a half. I’ve learned some traits and qualities and ways you can act to be stellar at what you do throughout my journey. They are as follows:

Traits of Travel Nurses:

Adaptability

BE ADAPTABLE! – you will be thrown into a new atmosphere with new coworkers and ways of doing things. Learn to fit in and adapt quickly. Get familiar with the culture of the unit. It will make for a smoother transition.

Don’t be negative

Don’t talk smack about your unit to your coworkers. Consider yourself a guest in someone’s home. No one wants to hear your negativity about their home while you’re coming to visit.

Keep pay to yourself

We all know travel nurses can make bank. Don’t brag to your whole unit about how much money you’re making. Your co-workers don’t want to hear it.

Pack light

Travel light and be a minimalist. Sometimes contracts fall through, or life gets in the way. It is a lot easier moving when you don’t have a lot of stuff to lug around.

Events

Attend travel nurse events. Look up events going on in your local area or city. Other travel nurses may have arranged meetups and social events. It makes life less lonely on the road.

Offer help

Always offer help to your co-workers. Maintaining a good relationship with people on your unit is always nice because you never know if you’ll want to come back or sign on permanently. Never burn your bridges!

Cancelling a contract

Don’t cancel contracts. It is not good for your reputation, and you may make yourself unhireable to sister facilities.

Have fun!

Have as much fun as possible! A new city means hundreds of new things to do with new friends! Go out there and explore!

Experience

Make sure you have at least 1-2 years of experience before you go out traveling. Sometimes you don’t know what kind of unit you’re getting yourself into, so the more experience you have, the better.

Have a positive attitude

Adopt the mentality: I can do anything for 13 weeks. I have worked some amazing contracts and some not-so-good ones. However, none of it matters because there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Hope these tips helped!

Travel nursing has been one of the greatest experiences I have ever had, and I have become passionate about helping others do what I did! It is a great way to enjoy life, work, and see our beautiful country.

We hope that these tips for traits of travel nurses have been helpful. Are there any traits we missed? Comment them below. If you would like more information or tips for travel nurses, check out the articles 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!)

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“Since just recently joining The Gypsy Nurse, I have had so many questions answered about the world of travel nursing. This has been an excellent resource!”

—Meagan L. | Cath Lab

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By The Gypsy Nurse

August 28, 2021

7981 Views

Making Long-Distance Relationships Work as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 28, 2021January 16, 2023 by The Gypsy Nurse

This article was provided by Health Providers Choice.

Long-distance relationships tend to get a bad rap. Often, this occurs because we’ve been part of a failed one! However, not all long-distance relationships are doomed to fail — and just because you’ve decided to embark on a career as a travel nurse doesn’t mean your current relationship will fail. There are steps you can take to make sure your relationship not only stays healthy but also that you and your loved one grow as a couple and as individuals.

Connections are key

Managing relationships from afar can be difficult no matter if it’s with a romantic partner, family member, or close friend. Not having your loved ones nearby can make you feel lonely and sad, especially in a brand-new city where you don’t know anyone.

Despite these difficulties, maintaining your connections back home is important while on assignment. Personal relationships are critical for happiness, and neglecting them can put a damper on your mental health and your job performance.

Physically seeing loved ones can be difficult while you’re busy on a travel nurse assignment. Instead, you’ll need to find other ways to connect from afar to stay in touch and continue to grow together while you’re away.

Ways to bond with loved ones from afar

While face-to-face connections are often easier and of higher value to us, there are many ways we can connect with our loved ones with miles between us. Here are a few simple ideas forbuildingd on your relationships andstayingy in touch, no matter how far away you are.

Make a schedule to talk. As a travel nurse, your schedule might be opposite from your loved ones and can keep you quite busy throughout the week. Identify a time that works for both of you each week and schedule a phone call or video chat. This way, you have something to look forward to and it’s less likely you’ll be too busy to talk.
Do things together. You don’t have to be in the same room as your loved one to do things together. For example, there are numerous websites that let you synchronize TV shows on streaming services, so you can watch TV with a partner while on the phone. You can also play an online game while voice chatting, or even share a daily routine like breakfast.
Send care packages. Who doesn’t love getting a surprise package in the mail from a loved one? Pack a few surprise items and ship it back home to your family or friends to let them know you’ve been thinking about them.
Hand-write letters. Snail mail is still popular, especially when you’re apart from loved ones. Sending a hand-written note can be a thoughtful or romantic gesture your loved one will appreciate even after you return.

Growing together while apart

One of the most important things to remember when in a long-distance relationship is that it requires a higher level of trust, communication, and thoughtfulness. You need to be open and honest about your emotions and discuss things that are bothering you to work through problems.

This higher level of communication, as well as the solitude you experience, will make both you and your loved one better people. Long-distance relationships give you the opportunity to explore parts of yourself on your own, learn how to be self-sufficient, and grow into someone new. Once you return from your assignment, you and your loved one will better understand yourselves and what it means to be in a loving relationship.

With patience, attention, and bonding activities, you and your loved one will make it through your assignment and be stronger because of it.

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By Gifted Healthcare

August 27, 2021

8700 Views

Travel Nursing Tips: Maintaining Your Long-Distance Relationship on Assignment

Posted on August 27, 2021August 26, 2021 by Gifted Healthcare

This article was provided by Gifted Healthcare.

Travel nursing offers amazing adventures, great pay, and valuable professional experience, but travel nursing assignments can occasionally cause conflict in romantic relationships. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but this doesn’t make long-distance dating any easier!

Whether you’ve been with someone for years or recently met someone before your assignment, there are ways to make things easier on you and your partner.

Read on for a list of tips and strategies to maintain your long-distance relationship while on assignment.

Make a Game Plan

Planning is important in a long-distance relationship. Before you leave for your assignment, talk about what you expect from each other while you are gone. Outline your needs, wants, and boundaries. Setting standards will prevent a lot of worry and stress.

Do you like texting throughout the day or checking in by phone? Are there certain times of the day you are more available to speak? Will you take a trip to see each other during your assignment?

Once you make a game plan, you’ll both have a better idea about what to expect while you are away. That way, you won’t have to stress about your partner not responding to your texts or phone calls and vice versa.

Communicate Creatively

The physical limitations of long-distance relationships can be difficult, but you can avoid feeling like you’re in a rut by getting creative with your communication.

When you arrive at your destination, giving your partner a “full tour” of your new housing is a fun way to make them feel like they’re along for the ride. Small, thoughtful updates about your day will let them know they’re on your mind. If you’ve established specific times of day to communicate, that doesn’t mean you can’t be spontaneous – send a link to a song you both like, snap a picture of something silly, or talk about what you’ll do during your first date once you’re back home.

Try scheduling your longer catch-up calls ahead of time. Having a skype date or phone call to look forward to can make those long shifts fly by.

Thankfully, technology has made long-distance relationships much easier than they used to be. There are still ways to share experiences, even if you’re halfway across the world from your partner.

Try picking a show that both of you haven’t seen to watch while you’re away. Scheduling evenings to watch it together and discuss new episodes is a great way to stay engaged and connected. You can do the same thing with movies, articles, or books.

Remind Yourself It’s Not Permanent

Even though it may seem like you’ll be apart forever, it’s simply not true! If you experience conflict, miscommunications, or you’re just feeling blue, remind yourself that your assignment will come to an end.

While it’s not a good idea to obsess over how many days remain until you’re back home, it can be useful during particularly rough days.

There are so many ways to stay connected to loved ones while you’re a travel nurse. With a little effort and honest communication, travel nursing can help you learn about yourself and your partner in exciting ways, allowing you to cultivate an even deeper connection than the one you have.

Maintain Friendships with Others

You may be tempted to spend every free moment talking to your significant other, but this can cause feelings of isolation and loneliness. Maintaining independent friendships outside of your relationship is important.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to bond with your coworkers or new friends outside of work, even if it means taking a rain check on that Skype chat with your partner. If your significant other wants the best for you, it will make them happy that you’re making friends.

Be Flexible

While it’s important to set and maintain standards and expectations for your relationship, don’t let a change of plans stress you out. Keep an open mind and try to remain in the present, as your assignment won’t last forever. Plus, your partner will appreciate your flexibility – it will let you communicate that you are confident in your relationship.

Invest in Yourself

The bottom line: the quality of your experience is up to you. Perceiving your travel nursing assignment as an opportunity rather than an obstacle is the best way to enjoy your time away from your partner.

Make plenty of time to focus on your own interests. Explore your new city, take on new or forgotten hobbies, and invest in your own happiness. Spend your time in ways that will eliminate future regret about your awesome nursing adventure.

If you develop the ability to be satisfied on your own, staying in your long-distance relationship will become more meaningful – because you’re truly choosing to be with the one you love.

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Here are 5 important things that you should do to make the most of your vacation:

1. Do your research homework

2. Get out of your comfort zone

3. Stay in different neighborhoods

4. Explore on a free walking tour

5. Make local friends

Conclusion

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

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Packing

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Water

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Easy self-care tips:

1 – Get Plenty of Sleep

2 – Maintain a Healthy Nutrition Plan

3 – Try Meditation

4 – Don’t Forget to Exercise

5 – Explore Your Surroundings

6 – Work For a Reputable Recruiter

7 – Consider Therapy

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