Not every travel nurse assignment is going to be great. You may not mesh well with the staff, or you may find the hospital or facility’s practices put your license in jeopardy. We have seen many posts about travel nurse assignments being terrible or disastrous in our Facebook group. So, we have taken some of the top comments and tips and put them together in this article.
Surviving a Disastrous Travel Nurse Assignment
Find a Friend
Having a nurse friend at your assignment is one of the top comments we have found in our group. It is important to have a friend to talk to. While you may have friends back home, they won’t know first hand the experiences you are going through at your current assignment. This friend can be another travel nurse or even a staff nurse. It isn’t recommended to bash the facility/hospital to the staff members. We understand that, but positively discussing your frustrations with a friend is okay.
Cross off the days!
Another frequent tip was to buy a calendar, whether paper or dry erase, and cross off the days as they go by. Doing this gives you a visual, which will help you feel like you have accomplished more. It also gives you a goal that is visually in front of you. You will feel more relief as the days get less and less.
Make the most of your off days!
Make sure that you are getting the most of your days off. Spend them doing things you enjoy. Don’t spend your time worrying about your assignment or stressing about when you work again. Leave work at work. It might mean finding things to do. Find something you enjoy and do it. It will help keep your mind from going back to your assignment.
Have a drink
While this may not be a tip everyone follows, it is okay to have a drink after your shift; it may help calm your nerves and make you a little more relaxed. It can be thought of as a little reward to yourself for putting up with the assignment.
Keep Your Recruiter Updated
It is always important to keep your recruiter updated during your travel nurse assignment, especially when you are having problems with your assignment. They can’t help you with the situation if they aren’t even aware of it. As stated below, you need to let them know STAT!
There are many other ways to survive a disastrous travel nurse assignment. Have you been on an assignment that was a disaster? How did you get through it? Comment below with your tips!
Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?
