May 18, 2023

3438 Views

Five Tips for Making the Most of Your Experience in a New City as a Travel Nurse

Posted on May 18, 2023June 26, 2023 by Uniti Med

Uniti Med provided this article.

Traveling to a new city as a travel nurse can be both exciting and overwhelming. It’s an opportunity to explore a new place, discover its unique culture and attractions, and meet new people.

Here are five ways to make the most of your experience in a new city!

Research the city before you go –

Before you travel, it’s a good idea to research the city. Look up the main attractions, popular neighborhoods, and local traditions. You can also find information on public transportation, local events, and dining options.

Livability <– You can find data-driven rankings, editorial listicles, articles, and more. Search by state to narrow down your options.

Try local cuisine –

One of the best things about traveling is trying new foods. Each city has its own unique cuisine, and trying local dishes is a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture. You can research popular restaurants or markets in the area or ask locals for recommendations.

Need help finding the best spots?

Yelp <– Search for local restaurants and read reviews from others. You can filter by cuisine type and location.

Join a tour –

Joining a tour is an excellent way to see the city and learn more about its history. You can choose from a variety of tours, including walking tours, bike tours, or bus tours. Many tours also offer local guides who can provide insider tips and recommendations.

Looking for a great resource to find the perfect tour?

TripAdvisor <– Offers a wide range of tours and activities in different cities. You can search by destination, activity type, and rating and book directly through the platform.

Meet locals –

Strike up a conversation with the locals you meet along the way. Not only will you get to know your new city, but according to a study, talking to people you encounter throughout the day makes you happier.

Be open to new experiences –

Finally, the most important tip for traveling in a new city is to be open to new experiences. Try new foods, explore new neighborhoods, and embrace the local traditions. Traveling is all about stepping outside your comfort zone and experiencing something new.

By researching the city before you go, trying local cuisine, joining a tour, meeting locals, and being open to new experiences, you can make the most of the journey and create lasting memories.

Happy travels!

The Gypsy Nurse 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:

START HERE

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

By Medical Solutions

May 17, 2023

3289 Views

6 Types of Nurses Who Should Seriously Consider PRN/Local Travel Contracts

Posted on May 17, 2023May 17, 2023 by Medical Solutions

Medical Solutions provided this article.

The flexibility and adventure of traditional nursing and allied travel are undoubtedly enticing. But what happens when your contract ends or you find yourself with some free time? PRN/local travel combines the flexibility of working on an as-needed basis with the adventure of exploring new regions around you. Whether you’re looking to pick up more shifts or you just want more control over where and how you work, PRN/local can be just the thing to help get you where you want to be, both in life and location.

Wait, what’s the difference between traditional travel and local travel?

Traditional travel contracts involve longer-term assignments in new locations, typically ranging from 13 weeks to a year or more. Travel nurse agencies, such as Medical Solutions, generally provide housing accommodations or stipends, travel reimbursements, healthcare insurance, retirement plans, and other fun perks and benefits, like rewards programs or exclusive retail discounts.

On the other hand, PRN or local travel contracts involve shorter-term assignments within a local region that can range from single, as-needed shifts to a few weeks of coverage, depending on the facility’s needs. It offers greater flexibility in the hours you work and the ability to choose assignments based on availability and personal preferences, but they generally don’t include housing arrangements or full benefits packages (although that really depends on the agency or organization you work through!).

What types of nurses should travel locally?

Many types of nurses may consider PRN positions depending on their circumstances, career goals, and personal preferences, but PRN/Local contracts are perfect for:

Parents that need flexible schedules

Whether you’re a new parent (congrats!) or a seasoned parent veteran (mad respect), you don’t have to miss those school concerts, sporting events, or important moments with your family.

Retirees looking to scale back

Ease into part-time work without being tied down to a fixed schedule or extensive work hours. PRN allows you to stay active in the nursing profession part-time and maintain your skills.

Clinicians in-between contracts

Even if you don’t sign a contract right away, it’s comforting to know you can always fly home and pick up as many PRN or Per Diem shifts as you want!

Clinicians in or returning to school

You need time to devote to studies and equal parts time to work. Local travel gives you a chance to gain experience in different healthcare settings or specialties without committing to a full-time role.

Full-time clinicians seeking extra income

You’ve got big financial goals, and PRN can help you get there–it’s a great way to stay busy and earn some supplemental income on your days off or during your free time.

Want to travel but can’t commit to far distances.

Sometimes you just can’t commit to an extended period away. But commitments close to home shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a travel career your way!

There are so many reasons you may want to pick up a PRN/local travel contract, but the best part is knowing you can create your own work-life harmony while still helping healthcare facilities struggling with staff shortages or seasonal fluctuations.

Getting started is easy!

Some PRN organizations, like Matchwell, allow you to skip recruiters and agencies altogether, making it extremely easy to dip your toe into local travel and schedule your work your way!

How does it work? Simply head to the Matchwell site to set up your account and upload documentation, then peruse through their extensive online marketplace for job postings that meet your criteria and preferences. Choose from local acute and post-acute, per diem, PRN, block schedule, or even full-time opportunities close by. Then, once you find a perfect match, you can connect with the hiring manager directly. Jobs are added daily, so check back often for fresh opportunities nearby.

If you’re a nurse with a passion for adventure and a desire to make a positive impact, PRN travel nursing might just be the perfect fit for you!

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.

By RNnetwork

May 15, 2023

4763 Views

Travel Nurse Pay Pitfalls — And How to Avoid Them

Posted on May 15, 2023May 15, 2023 by RNnetwork

RNNetwork provided this article.

There are many factors that go into the decision to accept a travel nurse job, but one of the first questions most nurses ask is: How much will I get paid? However, the answer to that question isn’t always as clear and simple as it should be.

When you receive an offer from a travel nursing agency, it’s important to ask clarifying questions and dig deeper to make sure you understand what you’re getting. Not all offers are created equal, and you may end up disappointed if you don’t know exactly what you’re signing up for.

Here are three common travel nurse pay pitfalls and how to avoid them.

1. An offer that isn’t really an offer

Once you’ve shown interest or have spoken to a recruiter, some agencies will send you a letter that looks like an offer — look closely because it may not be. Instead, it may just be a generic pay package that doesn’t take your personal preferences or situation into consideration.

“Sometimes nurses think an email they received is an offer, but it’s generic to everyone,” says Michele Kluger, a senior recruiter with RNnetwork. “I hear this a lot, and I recommend they send me the letter. I can help them clarify what it means, and then we can calculate what they’d actually earn with RNnetwork.”

RNnetwork works diligently to come up with a compensation package that’s customized to each nurse’s situation. Senior recruiter Chris Georgiou says it may take a few extra minutes on the phone with your recruiter, but by the end of the conversation, you’ll know exactly what you’re going to get paid.

“It’s best to be as specific as possible,” he says. “That way, you know exactly what you’re going to earn for that specific assignment.”

2. More hours than you signed up for

It goes without saying that before you accept an assignment, you should read the offer thoroughly. One issue that comes up again and again, Kluger says, is you were quoted a weekly pay that looked attractive but was higher only because you ended up working more hours than you anticipated.

Some agencies may not be as transparent as they should be in this regard, and you’ll only discover this after you begin your assignment. Kluger gives an example of someone who began working for another agency: “The nurse didn’t notice, and it wasn’t clearly communicated, that the wages being quoted were for a 48-hour work week rather than a 36-hour work week.”

You may be making the promised weekly pay, but you’ll be working more hours than you planned to earn it.

3. Overdoing the non-taxable reimbursements

Travel nurses’ paychecks, at their most elemental level, are comprised of three buckets: hourly, taxable wages; per diem; and housing (or housing reimbursement). Per diem and housing are non-taxable reimbursements but are still part of the total compensation package. RNnetwork offers a custom compensation package whereby nurses can work with their recruiter to determine how they’d like to split up their compensation into these buckets.

For example, some nurses choose to take a higher hourly taxable wage, then a lower stipend and/or per diem. Another nurse may choose a lower hourly taxable wage but a higher housing and per diem. In either scenario, the gross compensation is the same. The only difference is how much of your compensation is taxable vs. non-taxable reimbursement.

Some agencies may try to entice you with offers of lower taxable wages and really high non-taxed compensation to inflate your take-home pay. Be wary of this: Accepting an excessively low taxable hourly wage — what Kluger refers to as a “babysitter’s” wage — could set you up for tax penalties later on. RNnetwork is committed to never going below a reasonable hourly wage because we don’t want to expose you to higher risk down the road if you were audited by the IRS.

Open and honest is best

There are a lot of factors that come into play when considering travel nurse pay and how it works. It may initially seem confusing, but when you connect with an experienced recruiter, they should work diligently to be transparent, open, and honest — and help you to secure the perfect job with the best compensation package possible.

To learn more about travel nurse pay, check out RNnetwork’s Travel Nurse Pay Guide, view today’s travel nurse job openings, or call us at 800.866.0407 to speak to a recruiter.

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.

By Jogan Health

May 13, 2023

3443 Views

Nervous Nursing: How to Manage Stress as a Rookie Travel Nurse

Posted on May 13, 2023May 13, 2023 by Jogan Health

Jogan Health provided this article.

With a looming staffing shortage on the horizon and a high demand for temporary placement, it is no mystery that more healthcare professionals are flocking to travel nursing. After all, in recent years, the job has provided professionals the opportunity to gain wide and varied experience quickly, offered them a chance to see different cities and towns, and helped organizations quickly cover gaps in their roster.

Moreover, travel nursing has become an effective solution to healthcare provider burnout. A source of recurring work and a gold mine of experience, it can be one of the most rewarding choices a healthcare provider can make. If you’re an HP who has recently chosen travel nursing as your career, it is normal to feel nervous about your first day. Here are some ways to help manage that stress as a rookie travel nurse.

Study Up

In the weeks or months leading to your first assignment, it’s a good idea to research the cities and facilities where you will be working. A staffing agency can help you filter out facilities that don’t meet your criteria and ensure you end up with the team that suits your skills. You can also do this yourself, using online ratings and speaking with other providers who have worked there. There is an urban myth that accruing true, consistent experience as a travel nurse is hard, but with a little research, you can get positions at the right facilities and compile a list of references from the best organizations all over the country.

Preparation is Key

The day before you begin working at your new facility, make sure to lay out all your necessities, including your equipment bag, your uniform, ID badges, and any documentation you might require. Being in a rush on your first day is the last thing you want, so make it as easy as possible for yourself. If you’re big on breakfast, make something that is easy to reheat, so you don’t have to spend a ton of time frantically putting together a meal. If you’re not a big fan of the first meal of the day, don’t skip it. You’re going to need the energy! Instead, opt for a nutritional shake or a cereal bar with plenty of protein. Remember to take a water bottle. Staying hydrated can help with energy levels and general wellness.

It Pays to Be Kind

One of the biggest sources of anxiety for first-time travel nurses is the potential demeanor of the facility’s on-site team toward traveling providers. While there is no surefire way to tell if the atmosphere at your new workplace will be friendly, it pays to lead with kindness. In most situations, other providers will base their reactions on your skills, not your role in the healthcare industry. If you are still nervous, there are staffing concierge solutions available that can help you vet a facility or hospital. However, every service has its limits. In the end, the best way to test out whether a position is right for you is to jump in, feet first. If the experience doesn’t live up to your expectations, remember that you’re a travel nurse. None of this needs to amount to a long-term commitment to a team or facility. The fact that you can give a test run to organizations – and even entire specialties – is a strength, not a weakness!

Exercise Your Curiosity

When you arrive at your new workplace, don’t be scared to ask questions. It’s better to confirm verbally and publicly something that seems obvious than find out later that you’re not equipped to perform a task because you assumed incorrect information. Travel nursing is about providing consistency to organizations that need coverage, so do your best to remain informed of their procedures and workflow so that you can best help the existing team.

Focus on the Fun

Don’t forget that half of your title is nursing, but the other is traveling. Don’t be afraid to explore the new city or town you work in – it’s one of the reasons many travel nurses seek out the role in the first place! Meet new people, explore parks, and visit museums. Fully immerse yourself in new cultures and experiences during your time off, and your shift won’t feel so overwhelming when it does come back around.

Final Note: Confidence is Everything

Remember that being a travel nurse is no less important than being a local nurse. Your role might be slightly different, but you are just as necessary for the proper functioning of an organization. So, tackle your first day with confidence! Use your strengths, be honest about your weaknesses, and collaborate with your team to compensate for them.

As we mentioned previously, travel nursing provides a balanced opportunity. On the one hand, you have access to relatively consistent work. On the other, you can see new places. You’ve made the right choice, so remind yourself of all the personal reasons why this works for you. Then, go out and do what you do best! We’re rooting for you!

We hope you found these tips for rookie travel nurses helpful. Do you have any tips to share with rookie travel nurses? 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.

By Triage Healthcare Staffing

May 12, 2023

2163 Views

Ways to Be a Travel Nurse: How Different Families Make It Work

Posted on May 12, 2023May 12, 2023 by Triage Healthcare Staffing

Triage Healthcare Staffing provided this article.

Lots of times, nurses think they can only be travel nurses if they’re travel nursing on their own. Either they’re single or leave their families and spouses at home while they go off on an adventure alone. If you’re interested in travel nursing with a family, see how these travelers make it work.

Travel Nursing with Your Family: How Others Make it Work:

Travel Nursing With a Partner Who’s a Remote Worker

If your partner is a remote worker, they may be able to join you on the road. One of the positive things that came out of the pandemic was how common remote work became for office workers. Before 2020, a lot of companies were against remote working, thinking that employees needed to be in the office to work effectively, but many have loosened that requirement. If your partner can easily work from anywhere, you’ve got a built-in travel buddy.

If your partner is traveling with you, check to make sure your housing is work-from-home friendly. This might be a corporate housing apartment or private Airbnb, so your partner can easily work during the day. Before you book your housing arrangements, make sure that there’s strong WIFI that’s included so you don’t end up spending money each day upgrading your WIFI.

Travel Nursing with a Partner Who’s a Travel Healthcare Pro

If you and your partner are both healthcare professionals, it will take a little extra work to make sure you’re both in the same city and even more if you want to be at the same facility with the same shifts. One way to do this is to use the same recruiter as a resource. If you’re a travel nurse and your partner is a lab tech, make sure you’re working with an agency that has both types of contracts.

Traveling PTs Kari and Tyler love traveling together because they always have a buddy to explore a new area.

“Having each other never makes you feel too far from home because you always have your person ‘home’ with you. However, it can be difficult to find two assignments at the same time. What makes it more difficult for us is that we are a little pickier about setting and location. We see pair jobs pop up often, but not always in settings we are willing to work. Having a recruiter who knows your interests and has your best interests in mind is key to being successful as a travel duo,” said Kari.

Travel Nursing With Kids

If you’re travel nursing with a partner and kids, you’ll want to look for housing near some kid-friendly activities, especially if you’re only taking one car while on assignment. You’ll definitely want to look for an apartment or at least a hotel suite with a separate sleeping area for your kiddo, so you have a place to relax if you’re working long hours or nights. Traveler Cindy travels with her husband and small daughter and suggests Furnished Finder after finding scams on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

One of Cindy’s favorite things about traveling with her family is the ability to explore new places as well as looking for a permanent place to call home.

“We love to explore the new city, museums, aquariums, zoos, parks, and the best restaurants and ice cream parlors. We are looking for our next place to live permanently and want to experience as many parts of the country that we have interest in as we can,” said Cindy.

Traveling gives Cindy’s husband, James, the freedom to attend online school while staying home to care for their little girl. She sometimes attends preschool, which gives her some interaction with other kids while allowing James time to focus on his studies while Cindy’s working. It’s an arrangement that takes a little effort but is well worth it, according to Cindy.

Travel Nursing With a Pet

Your four-legged buddies can be just as much of your family, but it can make finding housing more difficult, especially if your pet is bigger. Traveling PT Kari says their dog Spencer also has a vet in almost every state. He’s been rushed to the emergency vet after a snake attack in Louisiana, sprayed by a skunk, and even taken into work.

“The best part about traveling with a pet is having someone who is always so happy to see you! It is also great to see how much he loves to explore new places—he loves to adventure as much as we do. He is our little piece of home that is always with us,” said Kari.

Are you interested in travel nursing with your family? Triage staffs the best and brightest travel nursing, laboratory, radiology, cardiopulmonary, and rehab therapy professionals in facilities across the country. Visit our job board of travel nurse jobs, many with pay listed.

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.

By CareerStaff Unlimited

May 11, 2023

4683 Views

How Hard Is It to Get Your First Travel Nursing Job?

Posted on May 11, 2023May 11, 2023 by CareerStaff Unlimited

CareerStaff Unlimited provided this article.

Travel nursing has taken off in a big way recently, offering more opportunities than ever before. But as more nurses pursue the traveler lifestyle, employers have sometimes become a little more selective. For new or experienced nurses new to traveling, just how hard is it to get your first travel nursing job in 2023?

What to Know About Travel Nursing in 2023

Always a favorite career for adventure seekers and those looking for new experiences, travel nursing is now appealing to many other types of people, too. From nurses who want the flexibility of working as contractors to those driven to help communities in need, travel nursing offers some pretty rewarding outcomes. Alongside visiting exciting destinations across the country, there are multiple reasons why nurses are going mobile!

If those benefits sound good to you, you’re not alone. More nurses are pursuing travel nursing jobs than ever. But the good news is that there are also more opportunities than ever. After the Covid-19 pandemic, many employers started using more travel nurses as contingency staff — a trend that will likely continue into the foreseeable future.

The not-so-good news is that travel nursing jobs aren’t always so easy to land, especially in great facilities or popular locations. As more and more nurses choose to travel, the average experience goes up. As a result, new nurses may find themselves competing with many other, more qualified applicants.

Checklist: How to Get Your First Travel Nursing Job

With that in mind, what should people new to travel nursing understand about working as a traveler? What steps do you need to take to get your first travel nursing job?

✓ Earn your degree. Any type of nursing job begins with getting the right education. For RNs, that means an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited university. For LPNs, LVNs, and CNAs, it means graduating from a college nursing program or similar training — check out the technical schools or community colleges in your area to see what’s available.

✓ Get licensed. All RNs and LPNs will have to pass the NCLEX to get licensed in their home state. A travel job may require getting licensed in another state, too. If this is the case, your recruiter will guide you through the process of getting the license you need to travel.

Pro tip: Getting licensed in a Nurse Licensing Compact state lets you work in dozens of states with a single license!

✓ Get certified. If you’re pursuing a specific specialty, you’ll need to get certified before working in that field. For instance, nurses who want to work in the ICU will need a Critical Care Nurse Certification (CCRN®). If a job requires additional certification, your recruiter should be able to help you get it.

Pro tip: Always ask questions, and discuss the specific path you should take to land your dream job!

✓ Develop skills. Some of the skills that can help you stand out from applicants don’t always require certification. If you really want to make sure you land the job you want, demonstrating skills in communication, organization, and leadership are always valued by employers. Once you gain those skills, remember to spruce up your nursing resume!

✓ Get experience. A look at current job listings for nurses and nurse support professionals shows that some jobs still make a point of accepting new grads. However, many hospitals and skilled nursing facilities prefer RNs with one to two years of experience and LPNs/LVNs and CNAs with at least six months of experience.

✓ Develop relationships. At a time when jobs are competitive, professional references are more important than ever. Cultivating strong relationships in school, during conferences or events, or at other times could be the difference in making your travel nurse application stand out among the rest.

✓ Find a recruiter. As your greatest resource in landing that first travel nursing job, a good recruiter will be dedicated to making sure you find the job that’s the best fit for you. They’ll also help walk you through any additional licensing or certification you may need and be on call to help you through any issues.

So, just how hard is it to get your first travel nursing job in 2023? It’s a little more competitive than it was a few years ago. However, aspiring travel nurses who have honed their skills or built strong connections are more likely to have their choice of great travel assignments than ever before!

Good luck with your next travel adventure! If you’re looking to land your first travel nursing job, CareerStaff Unlimited has opportunities across the United States and great recruiters to help you find the one that’s right for you. Visit CareerStaff.com for all the details.

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.

By Medely

May 6, 2023

3214 Views

The 6 Things it Takes To Be a Nurse

Posted on May 6, 2023 by Medely

Medely provided this article.

At one point, everyone has had their lives touched by a nurse. Whether it’s the school nurse that let you lay down in her office when you had a headache, the nurse that was with you through the delivery of your first baby, or the nurse that held your hand when a parent or grandparent was in the hospital. Nurses are tireless, compassionate, and passionate workers that are there when it’s time to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, and they are a group with a unique set of skills. So, it’s time to celebrate the qualities that make a great nurse, and there’s no better time to do that than during Nurses’ Week.

Here are the 6 top qualities of nurses who are working every day to provide the best possible care for their patients:

Empathy.

First and foremost, nurses care. Their empathy and compassion are unmatched, and these are crucial skills nurses need to be the best in their field. Patients often come to nurses when they’re in pain, anxious, or scared, and nurses offer comfort and support in addition to medical help. Caring about their patients on a deeper level and trying to understand both their physical and emotional needs establishes a foundation of trust. This nurse-patient trust helps them build a rapport and a plan for treatment catered specifically for each patient.

Ability to Communicate.

Nurses are able to effectively communicate with doctors, medical teams, patients, and their families in order to provide the best possible care. This starts with active listening from the very first patient interaction, communicating those needs to doctors and other medical professionals in the patients’ care team, and conveying complicated medical information in everyday language back to patients and families. They are the essential conduit that patients trust, and doctors rely on to make sure everyone has all of the essential information to give the patient the care that they need.

Passion for helping others.

If you ask a nursing professional why they decided to become a nurse, they will often say it’s because they wanted to help others, care for patients, and be there for people when they’re most vulnerable. They are motivated by creating intimate connections with patients and having a meaningful impact on their lives – helping them navigate illness, end-of-life care, or caring for family members – all while treating them with respect and kindness. They help those in need for a living and take a lot of satisfaction and pride, knowing that they can be advocates for their patients and be the ones that help alleviate their suffering and get them on the road to recovery.

Equanimity.

Nurses are cool under pressure and have quick decision-making and sound judgment skills. They are smart and steadfast. In order to be able to make decisions in complicated and urgent situations when it comes to patient care, nurses have to be able to think critically and solve problems fast, which often involves weighing potential complications, analyzing data, and leaning on precedent and their own knowledge and experience to implement safe and effective care. It’s not easy, but nurses make these tough decisions every day.

Resilience.

Nursing also requires resilience. Many nursing professionals are still reeling from the effects and burnout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which added challenging and distressing elements to work that was already physically and mentally demanding, even in the best of times. Plus, many nurses work in fast-paced and high-stress environments, facing challenging situations like emergencies, critically ill patients, hard decisions, and difficult conversations with patients and families. But, they are a strong workforce that can handle the stress and pressure while staying professional and putting patients first. And the nursing field is growing and expected to see continued growth as more and more brave nurses join the force in order to help people for a living.

Adaptability.

With the ever-changing field of medicine, especially post-pandemic, nurses have to be adaptable, especially when it comes to changing policies, tech, care plans, procedures, and schedules. And, as healthcare has evolved, so too has the nursing profession. Some nurses have found their niche by specializing in cardiac care and family care, or become nurse anesthetists or educators, while some have looked outside of hospitals and delved into home health care or hospice care. Some have turned to travel nursing, local assignments, and other ways to expand their skills and find new experiences, while still, others have found permanent staff positions to be a part of a local community of patients. There are always evolving ways for nurses to use their skills to help those in need, and they continue to step up to be our best care advocates in every stage of life.

Nurses are an integral part of the delivery of care across the United States. This National Nurses Week, take time to acknowledge, celebrate, and recognize the nurses that have changed your work and personal lives. These skills are also something to keep in mind if you are considering a professional career in nursing.

If you’re interested in learning about how you can use your skills to lead a more flexible and balanced work life, visit medely.com to find per diem, local assignments, and travel assignments that are right for you.

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

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!)

By RTG Medical

May 4, 2023

3231 Views

Skills Every Healthcare Traveler Should Have

Posted on May 4, 2023 by RTG Medical

RTG Medical provided this article.

Traveling healthcare professionals, whether nurses or other medical professionals, play a critical role in providing medical services to patients and filling staffing gaps around the country. To succeed in this field, healthcare travelers should possess unique skills and qualities that allow them to adapt quickly to new environments, work independently, and provide high-quality patient care. Here are the critical skills that every traveling healthcare professional should have to excel in their roles.

Adaptability

Traveling healthcare professionals often work in new and unfamiliar environments, adapting to new cities, facilities, staff, policies, and contracts. Having the ability to adjust to new situations is essential to success. In addition to adapting to new environments, several aspects of adaptability are necessary for traveling medical professionals:

Flexibility: Quickly adjusting to schedule changes, patient needs, and healthcare protocols is crucial.
Open-mindedness: Being open to new ideas and approaches can lead to better patient care and more effective teamwork with colleagues.
Resilience: Medical professionals often face difficult situations and high-stress environments. Having the ability to bounce back from setbacks is an integral part of adaptability.

By cultivating these skills, healthcare travelers can thrive in their work and provide the best patient care possible.

Clinical Expertise

Of course, having strong communication skills is essential for any medical professional. As a healthcare traveler, you should be confident in providing quality care in various clinical settings.

As a healthcare traveler, you’ll encounter diverse patients, each with a unique medical history, cultural background, and language barrier. Improving your clinical expertise can provide better care and build stronger patient relationships.

Taking continuing education courses, attending medical conferences, and learning about the latest medical advancements can improve your clinical expertise. Moreover, you can also seek mentorship from experienced healthcare professionals to improve your skills and knowledge. You can build stronger relationships with your patients and provide the best care possible by constantly improving your clinical expertise.

Communication

Effective communication is crucial in any healthcare setting. As a traveling medical professional, you must communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals. Strong communication skills are fundamental in the healthcare industry, where clear and concise communication can be a matter of life and death. As a traveling medical professional, you’ll encounter a diverse range of patients and healthcare providers, each with their own unique communication styles and needs.

Here are some tips for effective communication in a healthcare setting:

Listen Actively: Take the time to truly listen to patients and colleagues and ask clarifying questions when needed.
Be clear and concise: Use simple language and avoid complicated medical terminology when speaking with patients. In addition, be precise and use appropriate terminology when talking with other medical professionals.
Use nonverbal cues: Body language and tone of voice can convey just as much information as words. Make eye contact, use appropriate facial expressions, and pay attention to your tone and pitch.
Be respectful: Treat everyone with respect and empathy, regardless of their background or circumstances. This includes patients, their families, and your colleagues.
Use technology wisely: With the rise of telemedicine and remote work, it’s important to be comfortable using technology to communicate. Ensure you understand how to use any communication tools you’ll be using and be mindful of privacy and security concerns.

By practicing these communication skills, you’ll be better equipped to provide quality patient care and collaborate effectively with your colleagues, no matter where your travels take you.

Time Management

Being a traveling healthcare professional means working in different locations with varying schedules. Effective time management skills are crucial in keeping you organized and meeting deadlines. Here are some tips to help you manage your time more efficiently:

Use a planner or calendar to keep track of your schedule and deadlines, including travel time.
Prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency to avoid procrastination and stay focused on the essential tasks.
Minimize distractions while working by turning off your phone or finding a quiet workspace.
Take short breaks throughout the day to avoid burnout and increase productivity. Use this time to stretch or take a walk.
Stay flexible and adaptable because unexpected changes may occur that require you to adjust your schedule or priorities.

By implementing these time management strategies, you can stay organized, efficient, and productive while working as a traveling medical professional.

As a traveler, you may face additional challenges, such as jet lag or adjusting to different time zones. To help combat these challenges, consider the following tips:

Get a good night’s sleep before traveling to your next location
Try to adjust your sleep schedule gradually before arriving at your destination
Stay hydrated and eat healthy meals to keep your energy levels up
Take advantage of any downtime during travel, such as waiting at the airport, to catch up on work or rest
If possible, schedule your work tasks around your natural energy patterns. For example, if you are more alert in the morning, schedule your most important tasks for that time.

By incorporating these additional tips into your time management strategies, you can ensure that you are organized and productive and care for your physical and mental well-being while working in different locations.

Emotional Intelligence

As a traveling nurse, it’s essential to recognize that patient care extends beyond medical interventions. Cultural differences can significantly impact patient care, making it crucial to take the time to learn about a patient’s cultural background and beliefs. This helps to provide respectful and culturally appropriate care, which can make all the difference in a patient’s recovery.

Patients may experience feelings of vulnerability or anxiety, particularly if they are in an unfamiliar setting. Explaining procedures and treatments clearly and compassionately can help alleviate these feelings and put patients at ease.

Sometimes, you may encounter patients with complex medical histories or conditions requiring specialized care. Working closely with the patient’s healthcare team is essential to ensure the patient receives the best possible care.

Overall, empathy and openness to understanding each patient’s unique needs and circumstances are crucial for providing high-quality care. As a traveling nurse, approaching each patient with these qualities will improve their physical and emotional health.

To succeed as a healthcare traveler, one must possess various skills, including adaptability, clinical expertise, communication, time management, and emotional intelligence. Adaptability is crucial when working in new and unfamiliar environments, and clinical expertise can enhance patient care. Effective communication can convey information with clarity and empathy; time management skills can help you stay organized and efficient. Emotional intelligence is essential in recognizing cultural differences and providing respectful, culturally appropriate care. By mastering these skills, healthcare travelers can provide high-quality patient care and make the most out of each assignment.

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:

START HERE

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

By AMN Healthcare

May 1, 2023

3163 Views

Finding the Best Assignments in Travel Nursing

Posted on May 1, 2023May 1, 2023 by AMN Healthcare

AMN Healthcare provided this article.

A career as a travel nurse can provide you with adventure, professional development, and personal growth. With literally thousands of travel nurse jobs available across the United States, you can also choose when and where you work.

However, with so many options, such as various locations, clinical settings, organizational cultures, and compensation packages, how can you select the most suitable assignments?

The key components are focusing on your personal and professional priorities, conducting some research, and forming a partnership with a travel nurse agency that will position you for success. These means will require some work front and center, yet they can significantly affect the long haul.

Here are a few critical variables to remember as you start your journey to find prime travel nurture tasks and score your best agreement yet!

How to Find a Travel Nursing Assignment

Selecting a reputable staffing agency, such as American Mobile, and beginning work with a recruiter are the first steps in finding a travel nursing assignment. This step should include online research, requesting referrals from nursing colleagues, and conducting due diligence when contacting an agency. Before deciding if this is the right company for you, learn about the available jobs, reputation, and benefits.

From that point, the fun starts! You can make a list of your preferred travel locations and facilities—teaching hospitals, trauma centers, smaller rural facilities, etc.—before your first meeting with your recruiter. After that, browse the AMN Passport to get a sense of the available opportunities and submit an application within the app. You can likewise set your inclinations in the application to get robotized warnings.

Your travel nurse agency’s database may allow you to search assignments by contract length, location, specialty, and more. Preparing a list of assignments that have piqued your interest will help you when it comes to the next step.

Clarify your personal priorities:

You and your recruiter will be able to choose the best travel nursing assignment for your situation if you evaluate job opportunities based on your priorities. Your recruiter ought to take the time to inquire about your “must-have” and “nice-to-have” lists for potential assignments from the very beginning.

When selecting travel nursing assignments, consider the following:

Assessing job opportunities based on your priorities will help you and your recruiter identify the best travel nursing assignment for your situation. Right from the start, your recruiter should take the time to ask you several questions to help discover your “must-have” list vs. your “nice-to-have” list for potential assignments.

Some of the factors to consider in selecting travel nurse assignments may include:

Geographical location, including whether it is close to people or places you want to visit
Community profile, such as city size, climate, and type of activities available nearby
Type and reputation of healthcare facility and unit (i.e., a Magnet-designated hospital)
Clinical experience and support that may be available
The compensation package, including your travel nursing salary and benefits
Length of assignment and type of shifts available

Network with fellow travel nurses

Developing a network of travel nurses can also assist you in your search for the most You never know when a highly sought-after position might become available, and a colleague in travel nursing might recommend you for it. Making associations is not difficult to do through web-based entertainment, AMN Passport, online gatherings and gatherings, and different methods for computerized relationship building.

Be that as it may, remember eye-to-eye contact, as well. Inquire with the nurses you currently work with to see if they know any travelers who might be interested in learning more about the area and offering advice.

Update your resume

Your resume may have been overlooked if you haven’t looked for a job in a while. If that is the case, you should update it as soon as possible before submitting your complete travel nursing application. Make sure that all of your experience, certifications, special skills, and other accomplishments are up to date because your recruiter will use this information to create your candidate packet, which will be presented to client facilities. Additionally, see “Expert Advice for Writing a Nursing Resume.”)

Notwithstanding, on the off chance that you really want the additional opportunity to guarantee that your resume precisely mirrors your nursing vocation and features the things that make you stick out, don’t let that keep you away from conversing with a spotter. You can let your recruiter know that your resume still needs some work by filling out American Mobile’s quick online application as a starting point. In point of fact, your recruiter might be able to offer you some guidance with regard to making those updates.

Build a relationship with your recruiter.

As you start working with your movement nurture scout, you’ll before long find the significance of laying out a trust-based relationship. You not only want to have faith that they are thinking of your best interests, but they also need to know that you are truly qualified for the position and that you will effectively represent their business when you arrive at the facility.

Correspondence is of the most extreme significance. Staying in touch via phone, email, and text is part of this, as is being open and honest about your needs and wants. A prompt response time can help ensure that you don’t miss any chosen assignments and is always appreciated.

American Portable travel medical caretakers can likewise utilize the AMN Visa Application to rapidly find occupations of interest and speak with their spotter. The app makes submitting applications and documentation on time from your smartphone simple!

Heed expert advice and know when to be flexible.

Keeping an open mind and being agreeable to unexpected opportunities is one of the easiest ways to ensure you have a great experience as a travel nurse. Being too rigid about location or any other factor may exclude you from some amazing travel nurse assignments.

Honestly, it can be difficult to find an assignment that matches everything on your wish list. That’s why it’s important to be clear about any “nonnegotiable” items yet willing to listen and take your recruiter’s advice based on what they know about you and the hiring facility. If they recommend a certain assignment, there is a good reason they are doing so! And as you continue to build that relationship, you will learn to rely on their wisdom and experience even more.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Do you need housing for an upcoming assignment? Click here to search our housing page.

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

START HERE

Here are five ways to make the most of your experience in a new city!

Research the city before you go –

Try local cuisine –

Join a tour –

Meet locals –

Be open to new experiences –

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!)

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Empathy.

Ability to Communicate.

Passion for helping others.

Equanimity.

Resilience.

Adaptability.

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!)

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