By Luke Smith

May 30, 2021

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Staying Physically and Mentally Healthy While Away from Home

Staying physically and mentally healthy as a travel nurse is vital. There are over 3.8 million nurses in the U.S., making it the leading occupation in the healthcare industry. Of those millions, over 25,000 are travel nurses. As you already know, there are plenty of benefits to being a travel nurse, including:

  • Consistent employment opportunities
  • A higher salary (on average)
  • Increased demand around the globe

Travel nurses have always been important when treating people and meeting the needs of the sick and injured across the globe. In light of the recent coronavirus pandemic, travel nurses are more important than ever. The virus has affected more than two million people around the globe and has contributed to nearly 100,000 deaths so far. Qualified healthcare professionals are not only needed here in the U.S. but all over the world to help combat COVID-19.

Of course, that kind of demand can quickly take a toll on you, especially if you’re away from the comfort of your own home. So what can you do to stay physically and mentally healthy while you’re traveling, so you can continue to help others?

Tips for staying physically and mentally healthy:

Find Ways to Decompress

Stress can be a big problem for anyone in the healthcare industry. When you have people’s lives in your hands, and you’re working long shifts, stress is expected. Unfortunately, too much of it can contribute to health issues like:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Obesity

Finding relaxing activities you can do from anywhere in the world can help to reduce stress and keep you healthy. These activities are different for everyone depending on what helps you to feel relaxed. Still, some effective options include yoga, going to see a concert, hiking, or running out in nature.

Exercise has many benefits for both your physical and mental health. Let’s touch more on what staying active can do for you.

Eating Right, Staying Active, and Getting Enough Rest

As a nurse, you already know the importance of an active lifestyle. Getting enough exercise, especially by doing so outside, can help you to avoid burnout from your job. That’s critical in these uncertain times, so you can continue to help others without feeling worn down. Exercising outside can boost your mood, give you more energy, and even help you to feel more at peace.

In addition to staying active, eating right while you’re traveling can make a big difference in how you feel. While it can be tempting to reach for comfort foods that aren’t necessarily good for you, sticking to a healthy diet will keep your energy levels up and will help to improve your mood. It’s not impossible to eat right on the road. If you’re having a hard time sticking to a healthy eating plan, try the following tips:

1. Create a routine that’s easy for you to follow.

2. Meal prep as much as possible so you’re not tempted by “grab and go” options.

3. Have plenty of healthy snacks on hand.

4. Download a food-tracker app to hold yourself accountable.

Finally, and this probably goes without saying, make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Travel nurses work long shifts and are on their feet much of the time. Your body needs adequate rest to repair itself — physically and mentally. If you have a hard time sleeping while you’re away from home, try creating a specific nighttime routine for yourself that can help you to feel comfortable wherever you are. Trying to sleep at the same time each night and waking up at the same time in the morning.

Taking Time to Practice Self-Care

The term “self-care” gets tossed around a lot these days, but it’s more than just treating yourself to a day at the spa. Self-care for travel nurses includes everything we’ve already touched on in this article, as well as focusing on your emotional health. Being away from home isn’t always easy, so you can focus on your emotional self-care by staying in touch with friends and family, keeping as organized as possible, and changing your mindset if you’re looking at your traveling opportunities in a negative light.

Another way to make self-care a priority while you’re traveling is to practice mindfulness. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of your job. So, take a few minutes each day to ‘meditate’ and focus on being present. It can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the day.

When you’re traveling across the world and helping those in need, it can be far too easy to ignore your own physical and mental health. But, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Make your health a priority, so you can continue to care for others.

We hope you found these tips for staying physically and mentally healthy while away from home helpful. Do you have any tips you have found helpful for staying physically and mentally healthy while away from home? Comment them below.

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 Tailored Healthcare Staffing- THS

March 16, 2021

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Healthy Eating Tips for A Travel Nurse

This article was provided by Tailored Healthcare Staffing.

As a travel nurse or a Super Nurse in any capacity, you’re often required to work long shifts. After all those hours on your feet, Tailored Healthcare Staffing understands that the last thing you probably want to do is spend the effort to prepare a meal. Of course, that makes it tempting to turn to fast food or any food that happens to be lying around. But not eating properly can affect your health and well-being. Between the stress of the job and lack of nutrition, digestive disorders like heartburn and peptic ulcer disease, chronic fatigue, and headaches are common, not to mention weight gain.

Following a diet that’s as healthy as possible, on the other hand, reduces the impact of stress on the body, but how can you manage it when time is so tight? While eating well does take some effort, following these tips can help ensure your well-being and allow you to perform your best as the Super Nurse you are.

Healthy Eating

Bring Snacks and Meals to Work

Skipping meals is never a good idea as it causes blood sugar levels to drop, leaving you irritable and fatigued, while the ability to concentrate suffers. You may have trouble making quick decisions, feel nauseous and unsteady on your feet. If you bring healthy meals and snacks – think Super Treats like almonds and apple slices that provide the necessary fuel for a Super Nurse, you can avoid these consequences as well as the urge to turn to “junk.” And, when you’re finished with that long shift, you won’t leave feeling so ravenous that all you want to do is head straight to the nearest drive-thru restaurant.

Freeze Meals for the Week

Of course, you need to eat at home too. Assuming you have at least one day off, to save time, prepare some meals ahead of time and freeze them in containers to use throughout the week. Or you might cook a double batch of a healthy dish before you leave for work, eat half and save the rest for later so that you have something healthy on hand that’s quick and easy.

When planning your meals, aim to include plenty of vegetables which typically provide many important vitamins and minerals to ensure your immune system is strong and that your metabolism is functioning properly too.

Avoid Caffeine and Drink Water or Other Non-Caffeinated Beverages

It’s not only important to eat healthily but to stay hydrated. Oftentimes people confuse thirst for hunger, but if you stay hydrated, you’re unlikely to reach for those unhealthy calories your body doesn’t need. Caffeinated beverages like coffee and soda have the opposite effect, so you’ll want to limit or skip those altogether. If you struggle to drink enough water because you’re bored with the lack of flavor, try adding a squeeze of lemon, orange, or lime for a Super beverage to switch things up. Or, sip herbal tea, which is naturally caffeine-free as it doesn’t contain tea leaves. Without that stimulant in your system, you’ll be able to sleep easier at night too. After all, a Super Nurse needs plenty of rest in between all those shifts.

Save Time and Temptation with Grocery Deliveries

Working long hours can leave little in the way of personal time that you probably don’t want to spend on chores like grocery shopping. Another issue is all that persuasive marketing staring back at you on supermarket shelves. When you get your groceries delivered, you save precious time and the temptation to pick up junk that looks so enticing but won’t do much for your good health. A surprising number of stores are offering this option now, with relatively low delivery fees, and many take coupons online too.

We hope you found these healthy eating tips for travel nurses helpful. Have you found healthy eating habits that have helped you? Comment those tips below.

By Mira Adora

March 10, 2021

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4 Effective Tips for Travel Nurses to Stay Fit While on Assignment

It’s challenging to stay fit when you’re traveling around all the time. You can never fully know where you’re going to end up or if you’ll be able to properly exercise in your apartment.

1. Limit eating out

Sometimes, it’s hard to stay fit and healthy because preparing personal meals just takes too much time. However, if you plan and prepare in advance, you can get your healthy eating back on track.

Plan ahead. Once you have your schedule, it’s time to sit down with your meal plan. Figure out what you probably want to eat day by day. Think of simpler meals for shorter breaks, but pre-plan a treat on heavier days so you won’t be tempted to break your diet.

Shop only for what you need. Don’t go to the grocery without an exact list of what you want to buy. If you go ready to “wing it,” you will probably grab whatever you feel like eating at the moment and what you need to be eating throughout the week. A good technique is to treat yourself to a good meal before going to the grocery. Cravings satisfied, you’ll be less likely to buy what you see.

Pack meals and snacks. Make your food into easy-to-heat and easy-to-carry packages that are stacked in your fridge. Add healthy snacks to the mix. That way, every day, you can just grab your meals and head for work without breaking the streak.

2. Watch the alcohol intake

Alcohol, as you probably know, is just a whole lot of calories but no or very little nutrition. As a result, they add to your body mass with a vengeance. However, there are ways to manage both your fitness and alcohol intake.

Plan your drinking sessions. Since you are already planning your meals, take the drinking sessions into account. If you know you’re going out after work or on the weekend, manage your calories during the day. Stick with healthy meals, light, healthy snacks, and just water. If you’re having a quick midday drink, make your lunch fibrous and low-fat.

Early morning workouts. A great way to manage your calories is to burn them in anticipation. Waking up early for a quick workout will set the mood, wake up your metabolism and endorphins, and prepare you for a long day. It also helps you manage your mood, so you won’t try to drink more than you’ve planned to.

3. Get your sleep

Being on the job all day is indeed tiring, and your mind might seek “mindless” activities such as social media or watching a movie at the end of the day. While that does help get your mind off work and your day, it certainly cuts into your sleeping time.

Sleep speeds up the metabolism. As you know, our bodies convert carbohydrates to fat when our metabolism isn’t running well. When we don’t sleep well, our metabolism slows down painfully. Even if our eating habits are healthy, we still retain more of the food in the form of fat.

Sleep makes working out safer. If we want to continuously work out, we need enough sleep. Otherwise, we run the risk of pulling muscles and straining joints. Any injury would affect our work and limit our workouts. Without sleep, working out is more of a risk than an investment.

Sleep keeps your reactions normal. As a nurse, there are many delicate operations you need to do. While they might be as easy to do, like breathing, you would probably rather not risk letting anything go wrong with your patient. Enough sleep helps your work, your workouts, and your fitness schedule all at once.

4. Join a local gym as soon as you arrive at your assignment

Why a local gym and not a national gym chain? The main reason is that some assignments won’t be near enough to a gym chain franchise to be of any use to you. Local gyms usually have dependable equipment and are less rigid in their rules and policies, which large gym chains tend to be. What should you remember?

Bring your own gear. While local gyms are usually well-equipped, they will probably have less rental equipment. They are also likely to be rather far from basic stores that help you choose the right kind of sports bra, for example. So make sure even your athletic wear is already with you.

Research ahead. You will be exhausted and getting into your new job rhythm when you arrive. If you research beforehand, you can call the local gyms and check how far they are from your home and workplace, so you know where to sign up when you arrive. You also want to know if they will give you a limited membership that accommodates the length of time you are at that assignment.

We hope you found these tips to help you stay fit helpful. As a travel nurse you are always changing locations, jobs and sometimes lifestyles. Staying fit can be difficult. Have you found ways to stay fit while travel nursing that we didn’t list here? Comment them below.

By Titan Medical

February 12, 2021

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Heart-Healthy Foods to Keep you Healthy

This article was provided by Titan Medical.

Each year hundreds and thousands of people lose their life due to heart disease. This Valentine’s Day, focus on your heart and keeping yourself healthy! Here are some heart-healthy food tips that’ll keep both your tummy and heart happy!

Heart-Healthy Foods

heart-healthy food

1) Whole Grains

Whole grains are another great heart-healthy food. Grains are made up of three important parts that contain an abundance of nutrients: bran, endosperm, and germ. High nutrient grains include oats, whole wheat, quinoa, rye, and brown rice.

An analysis of 45 studies showed eating more than three servings of grain a day significantly lowered the risk of heart disease by nearly 22%.

heart-healthy food

2) Berries

Berries such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are filled with heart-healthy nutrients. They are rich in antioxidants that protect against stress and inflammation, leading to heart disease development. Making berries a perfect heart-healthy food.

Berries serve as a great compliment to whole grain breakfast cereal or a low-calorie dessert. Take advantage of these multi-purpose, healthy sweet treats that are great alone or paired with other dishes!

heart-healthy food

3) Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants such as flavonoids, which boosts heart health. Making this the perfect heart-healthy food. Eating dark chocolate can lower your risk of coronary heart disease and reduce the risk of having calcified plaque in the arteries.

It is important to watch the calories, and sugar amount in the chocolate you consume as that can take away from some of the heart-healthy benefits.

heart-healthy food

4) Fish

Tuna, salmon, and sardines are just a few of the fishes filled with omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to heart-health.

Those who eat fatty fish multiple times a week for an extended period see their blood pressure decrease and lower cholesterol levels. If you are not one to eat fish, you can take a fish oil supplement that is high in omega-3 fatty acids and will give your body the nutrients it needs. Fish is an all-around great heart-healthy food.

5)  Leafy Greens & Vegetables 

Eating plenty of Kale and Spinach will fill your body with lots of vitamins and antioxidants. They are also known to lower blood pressure with the help of dietary nitrates.

Another vegetable high in antioxidants are tomatoes. Tomatoes lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol and help eliminate plaque built up in arteries preventing heart disease and stroke.

We hope you found this list of heart-healthy food helpful. Are there any other heart-healthy foods you have found that you think should be on our list? Comment them below.

By Luke Smith

December 26, 2020

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Viral and Bacterial Dangers Travel Nurses Face

It is probably no surprise that nursing is one of the most dangerous jobs in America. There may not be a lot of heavy lifting or machinery involved, but when you are working with sick people, the chance of getting sick yourself is very real. And, every day, nurses come in contact with a variety of bacterial dangers, from COVID-19 to the flu.

As a traveling nurse, you must be aware of the current dangers and the steps you need to take to avoid contracting these diseases yourself. Here are some tips to stay healthy as you help others in need.

Viral and Bacterial Dangers

The most significant viral danger of today is COVID-19. Those that are most affected by the coronavirus are the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, and these are the groups who will most likely need a traveling nurse. Pair this with the fact that 60% of nurses have worked through the entire pandemic, and you can see that as a medical professional, caution is absolutely necessary.

As nurses are in constant contact with sick individuals, they must take all necessary preventive measures to avoid exposure. Wear your gloves and wash your hands immediately after working with patients and sanitize any tools used in the process. Avoid shaking hands and unnecessarily touching others, and keep your hands away from your face. Studies have also shown that the scrubs you wear can easily spread bacteria as well, so wash them on a daily or weekly basis.

Of course, COVID is only one of the thousands of bacterial and viral dangers that travel nurses can face every day. Every year common viral infections from hepatitis to HIV affect thousands of people around the world, so nurses are right there in the thick of things. Viruses can infect the system quickly and spread immediately, so nurses and the public alike should keep surfaces clean, use sanitizer, and avoid unnecessary contact.

Preventive Measures

There is a wide-ranging list of bacterial dangers that can affect traveling nurses, and some threats have evolved to the point that they are resistant to current antibiotics. Such bacteria can be found anywhere from soil and water to the air that we breathe. These infections can be very dangerous and cause a plethora of ailments. Some of the more dangerous are Clostridioides difficile, which can cause inflammation of the colon, and Drug-resistant Candida, which can infect the bloodstream.

Because these diseases can be incredibly difficult to treat, it is in your best interest to avoid getting sick in the first place. Make sure that you are always current on your shots, including necessary vaccines for influenza, hepatitis, measles, mumps, and more. It also doesn’t hurt to take helpful supplements that can fight off potential sickness, including vitamin C, E, D, and Zinc.

As a nurse, it is also necessary to eat well with foods that will boost your immune system, such as citrus fruits, nuts, especially almonds, broccoli, and other supercharged vegetables. Along with a healthy diet, you need to have a healthy lifestyle that includes two to three hours of moderate exercise every week. Exercise will keep your body in check and is great for working off the stress that a day of nursing can provide.

If You Get Sick

In the case that you end up feeling sick, you need to inform your employer and take time off until you are better again. The sad fact is that 83% of healthcare workers continue to work even when they are ill, and that is bad news. Not only do you need to care for yourself, but it is the health professional’s responsibility to the patient to provide a safe and disease-free environment.

With that said, you are allowed to take time off, and in some cases, it is the law for the company to allow you the time away that you need. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some travel nurses are even opting to stay extra safe by avoiding work altogether during this time to instead live with family, so they are not as much at risk.

While recovering from sickness, it is important to take it easy and get plenty of sleep. When you get the rest you need, your body produces infection-fighting antibodies that heal your ailments and work to prevent future issues. Don’t try to work through the sickness and make things worse. Instead, heal so you can come back better than ever.

The life of a traveling nurse is not an easy one. There is plenty of stress, constant activity, and dangerous environments. But nothing can be more rewarding. Stay up to date on current viral and bacterial ailments, take the proper precautions, and continue to be a source of light for those in need.

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 Kevin Devoto

November 4, 2020

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5 Tips For Staying Happy and Healthy as a Travel Nurse

If you’re a nurse hoping to get into the traveling medical profession, you probably have a lot of questions. While the career is exciting and full of unique opportunities, it also brings some unique stressors and can be difficult if you’re not properly prepared. As a nurse, it’s vital that your health is in top shape as you travel. This article will help you find ways to stay happy and healthy and at the top of your game as you prepare for takeoff.

Tips to help you stay happy and healthy

1. Stay Healthy

It’s difficult to stay on top of your nutrition while traveling, no matter where you’re going. As a nurse, you’re probably accustomed to putting aside your personal comfort in order to provide care for your patients. But maintaining your health starts with making sure you’re getting the nutrients you need throughout the day. If nutritious options aren’t available where you’re traveling, you might want to try a vitamin supplement from Nucific, derived from real fruits and vegetables. This is an easy way to stay on top of your vitamins as you travel, no matter what the food options might be.

2. Plan Ahead

There are probably a lot of items on your packing list as a traveling nurse. Everything from immunization records to address updates needs to be completed before you take off, especially if you’re traveling out of the country. Your new job will probably require you to bring documentation with you on your first day, so make sure you have sturdy folders and binders to keep your papers wrinkle-free on the journey.

Don’t wait until the last minute to begin preparing for the job, as a lot of necessary to-do items will require a few months to complete. You might want several lists of what to do a year, a month, a week, and a day out from takeoff. This will help you to avoid becoming frazzled and stressed, and will ensure that you get a good night’s sleep leading up to your big move.

3. Ask Questions

A lot of possible fears and stressors around starting a new job are in the what-ifs. By becoming comfortable with asking your recruiter any questions you might have, you will be able to avoid a lot of nerves leading up to the move. It might feel daunting to ask questions if you don’t think they’re important, but remember that everyone had their first day at some point and you’re in a very normal position.

If possible, try to make contacts with other nurses at your new posting before it begins. This will help you to feel like you already have friends, a great way to avoid homesickness and feeling lonely in a new location. You’ll also want to review any documents and policies that are sent to you, to avoid unnecessary mistakes and embarrassments in your first few days.

4. Track Your Wages

Part of taking care of yourself as a traveling nurse is making sure you’re advocating for yourself at all times. Whether you’re working overtime or on holidays, make sure each paycheck accounts for the extra pay you may be owed. Make sure your contract has been signed before you pack up and leave home, and make sure that the contract has everything you need to have to feel safe and happy with the new job. You might love your work and your patients, but working for free and being taken advantage of can seriously derail your happiness with a position.

5. Get Time Off

You may feel like this is thinking too far ahead, but if you know in advance of the job starting date that you’ll be needing time off, make sure it’s in the contract. By having it written in stone, you won’t have to inconvenience anyone with your time off, and you’ll be guaranteed that time no matter what the circumstances are at your post.

These tips are a great starting place for you to begin planning your career as a traveling nurse. Use them to make sure that you’ll be happy, healthy, and ready to thrive at your new job.

We hope you found these tips for staying happy and healthy as a travel nurse helpful. Do you have any tips to help fellow travel nurses stay happy and healthy? Comment your tips for staying happy and healthy as a travel nurse below.

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

Check out our travel nurse jobs!