Jackson Nurse Professionals provided this article.

As a travel nurse, the period between contracts offers a wonderful chance to rejuvenate, contemplate, and possibly enhance your earnings. This time is an exciting adventure, providing a perfect blend of relaxation and professional engagement. In this blog, we’ll delve into diverse strategies to make the most of the time between travel nurse contracts, aiding you in steering clear of nurse burnout and fostering a rewarding career.

What to do between travel nurse contracts?

Embracing Rest and Rejuvenation

First and foremost, it’s crucial to acknowledge the hard work and dedication you’ve invested in your recent assignment. Travel nursing can be both rewarding and challenging, often leading to long hours and adapting to new environments. Therefore, taking time to rest is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Between travel nurse contracts, consider activities that replenish your energy and bring joy. This might include spending quality time with loved ones, indulging in a hobby, or simply taking a well-deserved vacation. Remember, avoiding nurse burnout is essential for a sustainable career in travel nursing, and rest plays a pivotal role in this.

Exploring Supplemental Income Options

While rest is vital, some travel nurses might find themselves wanting or needing to supplement their income during their time off. Fortunately, there are numerous flexible job options that can fit into the unique lifestyle of a travel nurse.

Per Diem Nursing: Many travel nurses opt for per diem work between travel nurse contracts. This allows you to work on an as-needed basis, often in your local area. It’s a great way to keep your skills sharp while enjoying the flexibility of choosing when you work.

Telehealth Services: With the rise of digital healthcare, offering your services through telehealth platforms can be a convenient and flexible option. This role allows you to provide care and consultation from the comfort of your home.

Healthcare Education and Training: Utilize your expertise by offering training or education sessions. This can range from CPR classes to nursing student tutoring, all of which can be fulfilling and financially rewarding.

Freelance Writing or Blogging: If you have a knack for writing, consider creating content related to healthcare or travel nursing. Websites, blogs, and healthcare publications often seek experienced nurses to contribute valuable insights.

Planning for the Next Adventure

While enjoying your time off between travel nurse contracts, it’s also wise to start planning for your next travel nurse contract. This includes updating your resume, researching potential locations, and networking with other professionals in the field. Staying proactive ensures that when you’re ready to return to work, you’ll have exciting opportunities waiting.

The period between travel nurse contracts doesn’t have to be a time of uncertainty. Whether you choose to rest, work, or a combination of both, it’s an excellent opportunity to take care of yourself and prepare for future endeavors. By embracing this time, you can effectively prevent nurse burnout and continue to thrive in your dynamic and rewarding career as a travel nurse.

Remember, every journey as a travel nurse is unique, and how you spend your time between travel nurse contracts is a personal decision that should align with your needs and aspirations. Stay informed, stay rested, and stay ready for the next chapter in your travel nursing journey.

About Jackson Nurse Professionals

As one of the premier nurse staffing firms, Jackson Nurse Professionals provides world-class travel nurse solutions to thousands of healthcare facilities across the country while connecting the brightest nurse professionals with the placements and career opportunities they desire. Powered by a national talent pool of Joint Commission Compliant Registered Nurses who adapt quickly to new environments and technologies while integrating easily with established teams, Jackson Nurse Professionals helps ensure highly skilled, compassionate nurses are available to deliver quality patient care in client environments, helping prevent staffing shortages and alleviate burnout.

Whether you’re a seasoned travel nurse seeking your next assignment or you’re ready to dive into the dynamic world of travel nursing for the first time, our comprehensive job search portal is your gateway to exciting positions across the country. Connect with us today and take the first step toward fulfilling your next travel nursing adventure! Jackson Nurse Professionals is part of the Jackson Healthcare® family of companies. Learn more by following us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Are you on the hunt for your next travel nurse gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities.

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

Need somewhere to stay on your next travel nurse assignment? We’ve got you covered. Check out our housing page to find your ideal home away from home. Click here to start your search.

Gifted Healthcare provided this article.

Government contracts are special contracts that travel nurses should consider when trying to find an assignment that will fit their needs. Most government contracts are with the Indian Health Service, VA Hospitals, or Federal Prison Clinics, and they come with unique benefits, adventurous destinations, and a variety of facility environments.

Read on to learn about government contracts and see if they appeal to you.

What you need to know when considering government contracts:

Unique Benefits

Government contract nurses receive various benefits that most nurse contracts do not. For starters, as a government contract nurse, you receive compensation for every government holiday even if you do not work that day. This is a nice little bonus on top of your regularly scheduled hours for the week.

One really big benefit of government contracts is that you can hold any state license to qualify for the position. You do not need to get any special licensing for each location, so you can go from state to state on government contracts while under your original state’s license. This will save you both time and paperwork.

Government contracts also offer paid time off and sick leave, which makes your work-life balance easier to manage. This allows you to keep your income flow steady while maintaining the time off you need to recharge and reset. These contracts also offer two full weeks of paid vacation once you work there for a year. Plan a two-week dream vacation and celebrate your year of work!

Your contract will provide you with day-one health benefits, but if you do not need healthcare through your job, you can cash this in for a healthcare stipend. No matter what you need, you decide how to utilize these benefit options.

Adventurous Destinations

Looking to head West? Government contracts are ample in the Southwest, Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the Great Plains. The West offers some of the best skiing mountains, open land to explore, and hikes that lead to incredible views.

If your government contract is with the Indian Health Service, you will be placed near a Native American reservation, which is near National Monuments like Mount Rushmore, The Grand Canyon, Glacier Mountain Park, and more.

These contracts are a great chance to cross off some of your bucket list visits while you work out West!

Patient Care

Nursing has its stressors, which is no surprise. There are shifts when you are overwhelmed with patients and can’t seem to keep up. With government contracts, though, the patient ratio is manageable, allowing you to dedicate your time to all of your patients’ needs.

Your work on a government contract would make an impactful difference to a rural community that faces development barriers and oftentimes, generational addiction. Your work will help the community strive for healthier lifestyles, provide tools for those facing addiction, and advance the overall health of the community.

Contract Stability

Government contracts are typically longer than a travel nurse assignment and offer a 26-week contract to begin that you can extend for up to three years. The long-term opportunities allow you to develop a relationship with the community and patients and gain more time to explore the surrounding towns and monuments.

If you are looking to travel to a new city but enjoy feeling settled at home, this is a great way to experience a town for a couple of years rather than a few short months.

Is a Government Contract for You?

Mission-minded nurses and adventure-seekers will thrive on a government contract. With miles and miles of nature to explore and the opportunity to help a small community, you will feel fulfilled while on assignment.

These contracts are not just for nurses either. There are a myriad of opportunities for dental assistants, pharm techs, med lab techs, and more in government contracts, so reach out to Gifted Healthcare and connect with a recruiter to learn more about how you can land a government contract!

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Are you on the hunt for your next travel nurse gig? Look no further than our job board! Click here to explore all our current opportunities.

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

Need somewhere to stay on your next travel nurse assignment? We’ve got you covered. Check out our housing page to find your ideal home away from home. Click here to start your search.

Today is the day! Your first day as a travel nurse. You have settled into the new apartment and done the shopping. The first-day nerves have probably got a hold of you…don’t worry. Check out our first-day tips below, and you’ll be ready to set yourself up for success.

A good thing to remember is every first day is the countdown to new adventures. Some contracts will be good and some not-so-good, and no matter how much you researched and questioned your recruiter about the position, you won’t know what any contract will hold until you get there.

Test Run Your First Day as a Travel Nurse

After the shopping and unpacking are finished, take a dry run through your first day of work. Time yourself from when you walk out the door to when you arrive at your parking location. While you might not be able to go inside the hospital depending on visitor restrictions, getting a feel for the drive-in will do wonders to help soothe your nerves.

Pre-pack Your Nurse Bag

Being prepared is a sure sign of success. Although the hospital should have received all your paperwork from the agency, don’t take this for granted. A good rule of thumb is to bring copies of your certifications and nursing license (if your state still does hard copies). It is also good to bring a notebook to note things like your computer login, passcodes, and directions.

Pack as if you are going to work the floor. Hopefully, you got an idea of your orientation schedule from your manager ahead of time, but on rare occasions, you may have to jump into patient care on your first day. Bring what you usually pack for a shift, and you’ll be ready for anything.

Toss a snack and a bottle of water in your bag. As a travel nurse, you may not have access to a fridge or microwave on your first day of orientation, so plan accordingly. Finding the cafeteria might be more of a task than you’re up to (or have time for). Make sure to have something that will get you through the day.

Get a Good Nights Sleep

I can’t stress this enough. Sleep is important, and your past few days have most likely been hectic, exciting, and chaotic. Take some time to relax (after you have your bag packed for work), have a glass of wine, soak in the tub, curl up on the couch, or whatever it is you do to help you relax.

Arm yourself with optimism.

Optimism is the best thing you can take with you on the first day of the new travel nurse contract! Know that there will be bumps along the way and that you will struggle to find supplies, be confused with the computer system, get lost on campus, and a myriad of other problems along the way. Accept it. Know that you are armed with the ability to carry on and get through it.

Expect the Unexpected

What should I expect? The unexpected! The first day on the job is never the same from one facility to another. You could experience any of the following on your first day of travel nurse orientation:

Full-Day General Orientation
Part/Full Day Testing
Computer Training
Formal outlined orientation or full-blown chaos
A brief overview of the unit and a Patient Assignment (Rare, but it could happen)
Sitting in an office with no one knowing what to do with you

If you think that list seems all over the place–it is. And it is the reality of travel nursing first days! Each assignment will be its own beast, so just roll with the punches.

As an experienced travel nurse, is there something that you have on your first-day list? Is there an item that you always forget? We would love to hear your first-day suggestions below!

Travel nurses are met with unique challenges as well as many benefits that a traditional nurse might not encounter. Here a few do’s and don’ts designed to help your journey as a travel nurse.

Do get active–

join a Zumba class, yoga, cycling or enter a road race. Staying active is important for a healthy lifestyle and a great way to meet people in the area.

Do visit a park–

take advantage of your new location by taking in the sights. Find a few parks, nature centers, or animal parks and enjoy the local attractions.

Do learn something new–

hospitals and healthcare facilities have different ways of doing things. Learn how the units are run, ask questions, and try to gain new knowledge around a procedure or process that can benefit your career.

Do make new friends–

with all the technology today it’s tempting to stay close to your inner circle through facetime, email, and texting. However, nothing compares to personal interaction, a hug when you need it, or a friendly face across a cup of coffee. Be sure to connect with people in your area so you have a few friends to count on in person.

Do eat healthy–

your energy level and ability to perform is directly related to your nutritional intake. While it may seem obvious to a medical professional, everyone falls into the trap of rushing, grabbing junk food, or skipping meals altogether from time to time. This is especially true when you are in a new area, unfamiliar with restaurants, or alone and feel food prep is just too time-consuming for one person. Stay strong by planning ahead, eating right, and taking care of you as the number one priority.

Do rest–

nursing is a demanding job, any day and every day. There are physical and emotional aspects, stress, and enormous responsibility at every turn. Adequate rest is key to good decision-making, stamina, and mood.

Don’t be afraid to ask–

a new area, a new job, and a new home can add up to a lot of uncertainly and unknowns. Ask questions of those you respect and trust, research reliable sources online, and never be embarrassed to inquire about something.

Don’t fail to review your contract–

read carefully to understand the assignment, location, hours, benefits, pay, and housing parameters.

Don’t get into a rut–

avoid eating and shopping at the same place every time. You can still have favorites, but be open to new experiences. Try new restaurants and stores every week.

Don’t argue the rules–

there will always be minor differences in procedures and processes between hospitals. As long as there are no safety concerns, don’t assume a different style is wrong. Adhere to the policies in place.

Don’t forget to stay streetwise–

vary your routine, avoid leaving valuables visible in your car, walk and park in well-lit areas, and stay alert of your surroundings.

We hope these Do’s and Don’ts help you on your travel nurse journey!

What to do between travel nurse contracts?

Embracing Rest and Rejuvenation

Exploring Supplemental Income Options

Planning for the Next Adventure

About Jackson Nurse Professionals

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

Discover the Perfect Housing for Your Next Assignment

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What you need to know when considering government contracts:

Unique Benefits

Adventurous Destinations

Patient Care

Contract Stability

Is a Government Contract for You?

Find Your Next Travel Nurse Assignment with Our Job Board!

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Test Run Your First Day as a Travel Nurse

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Do get active–

Do visit a park–

Do learn something new–

Do make new friends–

Do eat healthy–

Do rest–

Don’t be afraid to ask–

Don’t fail to review your contract–

Don’t get into a rut–

Don’t argue the rules–

Don’t forget to stay streetwise–

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