By Fusion Medical Staffing

December 13, 2024

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Travel Nurse Tips for Returning to Normal After the Holiday Season

Fusion Medical Staffing provided this article.

The holiday season can feel like a whirlwind. Between the festive chaos, holiday shifts, and maybe even some personal travel, it’s no wonder that things may feel a little out of sync afterward.

Whether you’re adjusting to a new travel nursing assignment, catching up on self-care, or just trying to find your rhythm again, easing back into your normal routine doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These are some practical tips to help you get back into the swing of things after the holiday season.  

Travel Nurse Tips for Returning to Normal After the Holiday Season

Holiday Season

Ease back into your routine.

One of the best favors you can gift yourself is easing back into your routine after a brief holiday hiatus. Establishing small, manageable habits helps to create a sense of normalcy, making your transition from holiday fun to day-to-day life a little easier.

Routines are also great for maintaining your physical and mental health, especially for travel nurses like you who thrive on adaptability but still need structure to recharge. Little things like meal prepping, going to bed at the same time, or scheduling time for your favorite hobby can help you ease back into normal living.

Set manageable goals

Ready to regain focus and stay motivated after the new year? Set manageable goals!

The post-holiday season can feel overwhelming with lingering to-dos and the need to get back into the groove. So, break down your ambitions into smaller, bite-sized, actionable steps and start fresh without feeling pressured to do everything at once. From organizing your work bag to updating your nursing credentials to brainstorming assignment locations, each small accomplishment helps rebuild your momentum.

Re-evaluate your assignment needs.

After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s natural for your priorities to shift. Now, as you get back into the job, it’s time to reconsider what’s important to you in your nursing assignments.

Start by thinking about what worked for you and what didn’t work for you in the past. Maybe you’ve realized you require a better work-life balance, a different schedule, or additional resources to excel in your current role. By assessing your needs, you can have productive conversations with your recruiter ahead of accepting a new travel nursing job.

Reconnect with your support team.

Whether you took time off or worked through the holidays, the season can sometimes leave you feeling a little out of sync — so it’s time to reconnect with your support team!

holiday season

For travel nurses, your support team may include your recruiter, traveler experience coordinator, fellow travelers, family, and friends. Once you’re ready to get back to the grind, reach out to your nursing support team to chat about potential assignments, traveler benefits, or any challenges you faced during the holiday season. Reaching out to those who understand your journey can provide the encouragement you need to jump back into the swing of things with confidence.

Focus on self-care

You’re used to putting others’ needs above your own, but focusing on self-care is essential. By intentionally carving out time for self-care, you allow yourself the chance to recharge physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Catch up on rest, indulge in arts and crafts, take a quiet moment to breathe — these small acts of self-care can make a big impact in how you feel as you step back into work after the new year. When you focus on your well-being, you don’t just take care of yourself. You also ensure that you’re able to show up for your patients as your best self.

The post-holiday season is an opportunity to reset, refocus, and realign with your goals — both personal and professional. By investing in your well-being and staying proactive, you’ll not only feel more balanced but also better equipped to tackle the challenges and rewards that come with being a travel nurse.

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By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

October 28, 2022

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Preparing for Travel Nursing During the Holidays

TNAA Healthcare provided this article.

This will be the first holiday season away from home for thousands of new travelers. For some travel nurses, their family is why they began traveling because they want to earn money that gives their loved ones better lives. Spending this cherished time away from them can be taxing on mental health.

So, how do you prepare to be away during the holidays and set your mental wellness up for success? We reached out to our experienced TNAA ambassadors to get their advice for a holiday season well spent.

Preparing for Travel Nursing During the Holidays:

Preparing for Travel Nursing During the Holidays

Don’t Spend It Alone

Our ambassadors’ greatest piece of advice is to team up with fellow travelers or locals on the unit to celebrate the holiday. Getting together to share favorite traditions and side dishes or laugh at a ridiculous holiday movie is a great way to bond and expand your network of friends. Following this advice has been the source of some of their most cherished memories.

Stay Busy

Some travelers cope best by staying busy and choosing to work the holiday. While it’s a bummer not being around your loved ones, it can feel good to know you’re giving staff nurses the opportunity to be at home with their families.

And, if you’re working, know that you are the source of holiday spirit for your patients, so have fun! Get creative with decorations or play festive music on your unit to brighten their spirits.

Plan a Video Call

As one of our ambassadors said, a video call “is a great way to feel included with your family while not being physically present.” Schedule a video call with your family and use the time to open a present or two to feel like you’re part of their festivities that day.

Celebrate Again When You’re Together

A perk part about being a travel nurse is that you can take extended periods off between assignments. So, if you find yourself working on a holiday, plan to celebrate it in full force when you’re back home – even if it is a couple of weeks or months afterward. Your family probably won’t mind leaving the tree up a little longer, baking and decorating treats, or sipping hot cocoa to get into the holiday spirit when you’re together again. After all, it’s not when you celebrate but who you celebrate with that counts the most.

Ask About Your Agency’s Resources

Additionally, whether you’re working the holiday or not, make sure you’re familiar with any mental wellness resources your agency offers in case you, a coworker, or a loved one might need them. The holidays aren’t always merry and bright like we want them to be. Sometimes, the holidays can be difficult to get through for a variety of reasons. Knowing the mental wellness resources accessible to you can set you up for success in the moments when a helping hand or comforting word are most-needed. Are you debating whether you should take off a few days for the holidays or work through them? Read our previous blog highlighting tips for having happy holidays on or off the job.

We hope you found this article on preparing for travel nursing during the holidays helpful. Do you have any tips to share with fellow travel nurses for preparing for holidays as a travel nurse? Comment them below.

Our job board is a great place to search for your next travel nurse assignment. We have you covered with our housing page if housing is an issue. You can search for what you are looking for.

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!)

By TNAA- Travel Nurse Across America

December 15, 2020

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Dealing With Stress This Holiday Season

This article was provided by: Travel Nurse Across America

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

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

Stress Relieving Tips

1. Take Care of Your Body

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

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

2. Unwind on Your Downtime

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

3. Treat Yourself

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

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

Celebrate the holidays even if you are away

1. Using Tech to Your Advantage

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

2. Send Holiday Postcards

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

3. Connect with Coworkers

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

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

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

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

By Favorite Healthcare Staffing

December 9, 2020

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5 Tips for Nurses Working Through the Holidays

This article was provided by Favorite Staffing.

Are you scheduled to work this holiday season and feel a little down about missing out on holiday traditions with family and friends? It may not be exactly how you pictured spending this time of year, but there are still ways to make it positive and festive! Here a few tips for nurses to brighten their days while working through the holiday season.

Use technology to stay connected to your loved ones

We are currently in an era of virtual social gatherings and video chats, so put those tools to good use! Hop on a Zoom call to check in with friends, or FaceTime, your family so you can participate in holiday traditions virtually. Either way, technology is the easiest way to stay connected with your loved ones. Be sure to take advantage of it during breaks when you need that extra pick-me-up.

Organize holiday festivities at work

Get in the holiday spirit by organizing fun holiday festivities with your co-workers. Start a Secret Santa gift exchange, decorate your unit, or organize a cookie swap. You can also brighten up a patient’s day by celebrating with them because chances are, they are disappointed about being in the hospital this time of year too. Think of ways to safely have fun – like decorating their room, playing holiday music, or creating a fun and simple game to play. There is no reason you can’t spread some holiday cheer at work!

Take extra time off later

Try to plan some time off after you get through the busy holiday season. Schedule some “me-time” to catch up on much-needed sleep or watch that new show on Netflix you have been meaning to binge. Take a moment to rest and recover after a hectic season because you deserve it!

Enjoy that holiday pay

If it helps you feel better about missing time spent with family and friends, why not remind yourself that making extra cash over the holiday season is not a bad thing! Make your holiday pay even more meaningful by putting it toward gifts for others or donating part of it to your favorite charity. You can even use it to pamper yourself when you have time off – either with a nice meal from your favorite restaurant or by doing some online shopping.

Remember that you make a difference

Whether you have a few patients to take care of or find yourself swamped in the ER, try to focus on how many lives you are touching. You are providing lifesaving work and truly make a difference in your patients’ lives! Go back to why you became a nurse in the first place and try to stay focused on the positive. Remember that you ultimately provide care for those who really need your help, and you make an impact that lasts a lifetime!

Wherever you end up this holiday season, we hope you are able to rest, enjoy time off with family and friends, and shake off the stress from this past year. We hope you found these tips for working through the holidays helpful. Share your tips for working through the holidays with us!

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

Check out our travel nurse jobs!

By Titan Medical

November 25, 2020

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Travel Nurse Holidays During the Pandemic

This article was provided by Titan Medical Group.

This year, between staying safe and abiding by many mandates varying state-by-state, the holidays might look different for most. Even though there are more restrictions than ever, you can still make the most out of the upcoming holidays this year. Here are a few tips and suggestions to make your 2020 holidays a success.

Shared Playlists

Maybe you are not able to gather with all your family this year, but you’re tied together by special songs that bring back cherished memories. Consider making a playlist on Spotify that can be shared among your family. While not all the individuals in your family may be able to gather, this is a great way to remember and make the most out of those special memories you share together.

Outdoor dining

If you live in warmer states, this one might come easier, but consider planning your Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day celebrations outdoors. You could have a couple of designated family members serve up dinner and distance yourselves safely outdoors, and share the special day with those you love.

Plating Dinners

For those who live in both cold, snowy locations or those that live in warmer areas without outdoor spaces, consider setting up various tables and limiting the number of people sitting at each. Dinner plates could be made up in advance and placed on each table, so guests don’t need to get too close to each other and share utensils when plating dinner.

Create a family cookbook

If you’re not able to gather for the holidays this year, consider sharing favorite recipes amongst each other; that way, you can still make all your yearly favorite dishes with your immediate family. This can be done using a shared google doc and inviting all your family members to contribute by sharing their go-to holiday mains and sides!

Design your own Mask

Around the holidays, it is a popular tradition for families to decorate gingerbread houses. What about putting a twist on the decorating this year and having all your family members decorate their own masks and turn it into a decorating competition. This would allow you to have family and friends have fun designing their very own mask, but also make a point to have them wear the mask they create at your holiday functions to stay safe.

Titan Medical is here to help if you or someone you know is on the hunt for their next travel healthcare assignment. Give us a call at 866-332-9600 to talk to a recruiter today to learn more about traveling with Titan Medical Group.

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

Check out our travel nurse jobs!

By Medical Edge Recruitment

November 16, 2020

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Travel Nurse Tips to Combat Turkey Day Blues

This article was provided by Medical Edge Recruitment

COVID-19 has been undeniably challenging in so many ways. And now, as we stumble into the 2020 holiday season, things are not looking much better. Instead of getting to eat yummy Turkey, chow down on Nana’s homemade pumpkin pie, watch football with Uncle Joe or argue politics with crazy Aunt Karen, the CDC is recommending only small gatherings to help stop the spread and limiting travel. Even though some holiday traditions in prior years seemed stressful, being told you can’t do them makes the nostalgia hit hard.

So as a traveler, here are some creative tips to help combat the Turkey Day blues:

HOLIDAY PAY

Money doesn’t make everything better – but it definitely helps. If you can’t get home for Thanksgiving because of travel restrictions, talk to your staffing coordinator about picking up a shift on Thanksgiving Thursday. Your pay rate will be at a holiday uplift at almost every facility and agency, and your local counterparts will be happy to have the shift off.

A DAY THAT ENDS IN Y –

Sure, we all think of Thanksgiving to fall on the last Thursday of November. But why not pick a different day to celebrate virtually with family and friends? Schedule a Zoom, Facebook Video or Skype on Black Friday or Thanksgiving Eve, have everyone order a pizza, and get a chance to spend some time with friends or relatives you wouldn’t normally see on Thanksgiving anyway, and still be able to pick up a shift.

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY –

Another option is celebrating Thanksgiving Breakfast! Test out one or two of these recipes, check out Tom Turkey in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and still have time to grab that extra $$$ shift.

ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS –

Obviously, some locations may be a little too chilly, but why not host a Friendsgiving picnic outdoors this year? Nothing says Thanksgiving like beautiful fall foliage. Think firepits, warm blankets, a projector for the big game, and outdoor games like cornhole for a nice socially distant celebration!

FIVE SENSES –

For a shared “virtual” ambiance, agree on 1 thing to stimulate each sense that everyone will have at your celebration: the smell, a pumpkin, or vanilla candle. Sight, have the word “Thanks” show up in everyone’s background somewhere. For hearing, share a party playlist for the group…

DO SOME (MORE) GOOD –

As a healthcare worker, you certainly have done more than your fair share of kindness and caring this year. But if you are looking for extra good ju-ju this year, consider virtual volunteering. VolunteerMatch is one way to search for virtual opportunities to support the community. Or do some research for Giving Tuesday and pick an organization to donate the money you would have spent on your oversized bag fee going home this year.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? – 

Host a virtual football squares pool at a site like Super Bowl Pool Site, so you have some stakes in the three games on Thanksgiving. The best part is you don’t have to know anything about football to win, so it’s easy to get all of your friends, family, or coworkers to join in.

NO, I’M NOT –

Or for those of us who can’t stand football or just aren’t feeling it this year, snuggle up and binge watch some of these Thanksgiving flicks to get in the spirit.

PICTURES OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN –

Have a virtual photo scavenger hunt with friends or family. Make a list of Thanksgiving words, Create a shared album on your iPhone or Facebook, and have everyone post pictures with each of the items. The “winner” can be the person to get the most likes, who finishes first, or takes the most pictures. Think “Pumpkin,” “Butterball,” “Family Heirloom,” “Dirty Dishes,” for inspiration.

BE THANKFUL FOR YOU –

Finally, take some time for a little self-meditation and reflection, and don’t forget to thank YOURSELF. It has been a tough year, and you have touched more lives than you know, and the year is not over. Celebrate you with an extra nap, a long hot bath, a relaxing jog, or an extra piece of that pumpkin pie!

However you may choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, know that you and all healthcare workers are so very appreciated this year. Have a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

We hope you found these tips for combating Turkey Day blues helpful! Do you have any ways that you combat Turkey Day blues as a travel nurse? Comment them below.

Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?

Check out our travel nurse jobs!