August 11, 2022

2478 Views

Specialties To Consider as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 11, 2022August 2, 2022 by Kevin Devoto

If you’re a nurse looking to change it up, you may consider becoming a traveling nurse. Travel nurses are always in demand, and there are many benefits to going this route on your career path. Travel nurses have job security, make more money than traditional nurses, and are able to visit a wide range of places all over the country, which makes it easier to avoid burnout. The key is determining which type of travel nurse you want to become. There are a wide variety of specialties.

NICU Travel Nurse

Sometimes, new families experience birth trauma that sends them to the neonatal intensive care unit. NICU travel nurses are responsible for providing care to babies who were born prematurely or who are otherwise too sick to go home right away. The parents of these babies are often distraught, which means it’s important for nurses in this field to be compassionate, kind, and willing to communicate with parents often. NICU nurses must have a wide variety of certifications, including the BLS, ACLS, PALS, and NRP certifications. NICU travel nurses can make an average of just under $80,000 per year.

Operating Room Nurses

Nurses who can work in operating rooms are highly sought after. Typically, operating rooms are the biggest source of income for a hospital, which means traveling OR nurses are usually very highly paid. There are three types of OR nurses. Circulating nurses take care of post-op patients and document their progress. Scrub nurses are responsible for assisting surgeons during operations. Finally, RN first assistants help with surgeries under the supervision of a surgeon. They can make incisions, suture wounds, and more. Operating room nurses must be calm in high-stress situations and have strong attention to detail.

Oncology Travel Nurse

Oncology nurses are in high demand all over the country. Oncology travel nurses are responsible for traveling to different areas of the country and providing care for cancer patients who are either in remission or terminal. These types of nurses must be highly educated about cancer treatment procedures and the side effects that can occur due to chemotherapy, radiation, or other types of cancer treatments. You must be highly compassionate and great at communication if you wish to do well in this role. You will need to be licensed and have at least one year of experience as well. The typical traveling oncology nurse will make nearly $101,000 annually.

Pediatric Travel Nurses

If you love to work with children, becoming a pediatric travel nurse may be for you. Pediatric nurses are responsible for caring for children, pre-teens, and teens. They may monitor vitals and administer medications, but they also perform developmental screenings. Because many children are afraid of going to the doctor, it is important that a pediatric nurse understands children and is compassionate. Pediatric nurses are also responsible for educating parents and children after a diagnosis. The job, which covers a wide range of skills and abilities, earns you about $98,000 annually.

ER Travel Nurse

Emergency rooms are always overcrowded and understaffed, so if you like a job that is fast-paced and always has something new to offer, becoming an ER travel nurse may be just right for you. ER nurses must be quick on their feet, well-organized, able to communicate well, and compassionate. You often need t make quick decisions and are what most people consider the front lines of a hospital. Many ERs require you to have PALS, BLS, and ACLS certifications in addition to your license and experience. ER nurses typically make nearly $107,000 per year.

Whether you want to work with children or are interested in the compassionate task of working in oncology, there is a travel nurse job for you. The key is to find the specialty that speaks to you. These are just a few of the specialties you can choose from. There are hundreds of specialties for travel nurses to choose from.

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 Mynoucka

August 10, 2022

4402 Views

Transitioning to Travel Nursing: My Takeaways

Posted on August 10, 2022July 20, 2022 by Mynoucka

First, deciding to use a staffing agency or book through a hospital directly.

The first thing to do when deciding whether transitioning to travel nursing is for you is to determine whether you want to use a staffing agency versus booking your assignment through a hospital directly. Both options are great, depending on what you’re looking for. When you book through a hospital, you’re cutting out the middleman, and when you cut out the middleman, sometimes it can work to your advantage because you get to pocket more of that money. But in cutting out that middleman, sometimes it may cause you to have to do a little bit more legwork. You will be communicating directly with the hospital; you are getting all your paperwork together and communicating with them regarding your benefits and insurance.

Benefits and Insurance

With a staffing agency, they can coordinate those things with you. And although it does not take the responsibility off you completely, they at least have a process; typically, they’ve been doing it for a while. They’re able to ensure that you are getting everything that you need. Regardless of whether you’re booking directly through the hospital or you are booking through a nursing agency or staffing agency, you want to make sure that you’re discussing things like benefits, insurance, life insurance, retirement, and all the different benefits that people working as a contracted nurse or as a travel nurse think they don’t have access to, but that’s not true. You still have access to these benefits.

The idea that you must work as a staff nurse because you won’t have benefits is not necessarily accurate. Many of these hospitals and staffing agencies still have access to benefits to offer them to you as a travel nurse.

Picking a staffing agency

So, first, decide whether you want to book through the hospital directly or the staffing agency. From there, if you are going to book through a staffing agency, talk to other travel nurses you know, look through different Facebook pages and groups, look through Instagram, and as many different online resources to determine which staffing agency you want to work with. Make a list of what you’re looking for and see if that staffing agency meets your needs. There are so many different staffing agencies, and it can be overwhelming. Talking to someone and getting a direct referral can sometimes be less overwhelming. A lot of times, you can get a referral bonus. The staffing agency may give you a bonus for booking through a referral, and the person who referred you also gets a referral bonus. It is a win-win situation. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It is based on what you decide would be best for you.

Second, verbalize what you are looking for in your travel nursing assignment.

It does you absolutely no good and no justice to take a travel nursing assignment that you’re not qualified for or to work with patients you’re unfamiliar with. It puts you in danger of losing your license; it puts that patient in danger because you might not possess the skills to take care of them, not because you’re not smart or you’re not able to figure it out, but because you need more training.

When booking your travel nursing assignments, talk to the staffing agency and let them know what you’re competent in. What you’re not comfortable with. As I said, it does no good to take a travel nursing assignment where you will be overwhelmed with anxiety every time you go to work because you’re taking care of patients that you’re not familiar with. There are opportunities where you could be trained where you take an assignment, but most of the time, when you take a travel nurse assignment, they are not looking to train you or teach you how to perform the skill they’re hiring for. They expect you to hit the ground running because you’re likely fulfilling a need that they have. They’re expecting you to be competent in the skills that you’re telling them that you’re competent in.

I remember, as a new nurse, the anxiety that I used to have. Feeling like I wasn’t confident enough to do my job. It’s a natural feeling when you start something new. Especially when you are going to a new city, a new hospital with unfamiliar staff, the last thing you want to do is work with patients you’re unfamiliar with. So bottom line, make sure you verbalize what you can do and what you are comfortable with. If you take a travel nurse assignment entirely different than what you expected, verbalize it to the agency or the facility. It is better for you to step up and say, “you know what, this is not for me,” and cut that contract short. You deal with those consequences versus staying, sticking it out, and possibly losing your license because you’re working with patients you’re not trained to care for.

Third, make sure you have a plan.

Visualize where you want to go and ensure that everything you’re doing gets you closer to your final destination or the next season in your career. Though travel nursing can be a lifestyle, and some people choose to work as a travel nurse long-term, it is also a fantastic way to set yourself up for the next season of your career. However, simply making more money isn’t the end all be all. We know that if money were the end all be all, then people who are billionaires wouldn’t be unhappy. Just jumping at any contract because of the money is not a good idea, and you’ll find that just because they’re throwing five to ten thousand dollars $10,000 at you does not mean that it’s going to be what you want it to be.

If your goal of transitioning to travel nursing is to make more money, pay off your debt, build up your savings, or do different financial things, then you want to look for assignments with a higher pay package. Because your goal is to pay off debt and build up savings, you also want to couple that with what kind of work environment you will be going to? What kind of city are you going to? Are you comfortable working in that city? Do you feel safe? Do you have a support system?

You want to make sure that you’re writing down these different things to ensure that when you get to your assignment, you’re comfortable. You can last eight to thirteen weeks, or however long your contract is. A mistake that we make is we operate from a scarcity mindset. We will accept anything that somebody throws at us. If you need money, you will likely accept something that maybe is not the best for you because, at the time, you’re just looking at the contract, In that case, you’re looking at the amount of money that they’re paying, but you want to also make sure that you’re taking into consideration how many hours a week are they expecting you to work, are you able to work for five days a week, and some people can’t. If they’re offering you $10,000 weekly and you want to build your savings and pay off debt, can you work five days a week? If the answer is no and the contract comes with working five days a week, that contract is not for you.

When I was looking for my assignments, I wrote down states that I was okay with going to, cities that I was okay with going to, and cities that I was open to going to, and took it from there. I thought about if I felt safe? Did I have people there that I knew? Was there a church I could go to since that’s something I prioritize? Was it more of a city? Is it more rural? All these things matter, so definitely write down what you’re looking for. If you’re doing this temporarily, look to see if the assignments you’re being offered meet your needs because it is a two-way street; remember, do not operate from a scarcity mindset. There are so many contracts out there, and just because one contract does not work out for you does not mean you’re not going to find another opportunity.

Those are the three takeaways from transitioning to travel nursing that I’m leaving you. Remember number one: determine if you’re going to go through a staffing agency or a hospital directly. Two: verbalize what you’re looking for in your travel nursing assignment. And three: make sure you have a plan, write it down, and visualize what you want to accomplish by transitioning from staff nurse to travel nurse.

Are you currently transitioning to travel nursing, or have you decided that transitioning to travel nursing is for you? Comment your story below.

Follow my journey at The Vintage Traveling Nurse.

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 TheraEx

August 9, 2022

5210 Views

6 Ways to Spot Fake Travel Nurse Job Postings

Posted on August 9, 2022August 1, 2022 by TheraEx

TheraEx Staffing Solutions provided this article.

The rise of fake job postings for healthcare professionals has reached an all-time high. As a travel nurse in one of the most sought-after fields, you must be vigilant when it comes to being able to identify when someone is trying to scam you. Fake postings can fall through the cracks even on the most reputable job boards. Below are a few notable red flags to be on the lookout for:

1. All Emails and Job Postings Are Riddled with Spelling Errors and Poor Grammar

Consider it a major red flag if the job posting contains spelling and grammatical errors or has incorrect punctuation. A legitimate job posting will be professional and polished. Emails from scammers may also be overly formal or look like it was copied and pasted from somewhere else.

2. Is The Company or Recruiter Legitimate?

If you’ve never heard of the individual or company that is advertising the job opening, try performing a quick Google search. By viewing their website, recent news articles about the company, and their social media profiles, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, you’ll be able to have a better understanding of their online presence and if they have actual real employees working for them. Another way to decipher if a company is legitimate is by googling the term “company name scam” to see if there are any previous reports or complaints associated with the company in question.

If they’re a recruitment professional, use LinkedIn to research the person you’re communicating with to make sure they’re legitimate and have other connections from within the company they’re representing. Most scam artists have large amounts of information missing on their profiles and tend to spell “jobs” as “j0bs,” so they’re able to bypass LinkedIn filters.

If you are still uncertain, ask around. Thanks to the availability of social networks and online forums, you can ask for information about the company from your friends, colleagues, and other members in your network.

3. The Recruiter Has a Generic Email Address

Whether your correspondence is with a recruiter from a staffing agency or the head of HR, you should expect that they’ll have a company email address. If the recruiter is using a generic email service such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail, they’re possibly not legitimate. Another warning sign to be aware of is if the email that you receive doesn’t contain any contact information such as a physical mailing address, office, cell, and/or fax number.

4. You’re Asked to Do an Interview Via Chat or Text

If your first interview is scheduled through some type of text messaging services like Telegram, Signal, or WhatsApp, it is a huge red flag. Interviews are typically conducted by phone or through video conferencing software like Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex. Any hiring manager worth their salt will not conduct a job interview via instant message.

5. You’re Offered the Job Without an Interview

Some scam artists will try to offer you a job without even doing an interview. A major part of a genuine recruiter’s job is to spend time ensuring that you’re the right fit for the company and position you’re applying for and that you have all the required training and licenses.

6. They Ask You for Money

Genuine recruiters will ask you for your contact details, an updated copy of your CV, and for references. At no point in the process should they ask you to provide any form of payment.

Steps to Take if You Fall Victim to an Online Job Scam:

If you believe you have fallen victim to a job scam, there are steps you can take to minimize the damage:

File a complaint with the FTC online at reportfraud.ftc.gov or by calling (877) 382-4357.
Report the scam to your state’s Attorney General at usa.gov/state-attorney-general.
Close any bank account(s) affected by the scam and open new accounts at a new bank.
If you provided your social security number at any point, order credit reports from all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and monitor them for unusual activity. To be safe, you can also create an E-Verify account with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and freeze your social security number at e-verify.gov/mye-verify/self-lock.
Report the company name, contact email, and job posting to the site where the fraudulent job was posted so they can remove it and investigate further.
Contact your local police department and file a report.

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 The Gypsy Nurse

August 6, 2022

3845 Views

Exhausted to Extraordinary in 90 Days: The Breakthrough Burnout Event

Posted on August 6, 2022August 11, 2022 by The Gypsy Nurse

Are you beyond resentful at everyone and everything, feeling stuck and unsure about what to do to get back to yourself? Are you living in dread and fear and want to feel calm, confident, and in control? Don’t know how to reframe negative thoughts or turn your mind off to be present with your family and friends?

Join burnout expert Dr. Sharon Grossman in a FREE live workshop to learn the three simple steps you need to go from being enslaved to your job to designing your life on purpose so you can feel lighter, more in control, and more confident in a matter of weeks. And, get your nights and weekends back!

Specifically, you’ll learn:

How to control your mind instead of it controlling you, How to be more in control and less reactive under stress. Three strategies to getting your work done without killing yourself, even if you’re a perfectionist The three secrets to breaking out of a self-fulfilling prophecy. The #1 skill to feeling extraordinary (anyone can learn this).

About the Presenter:

Dr. Sharon Grossman is a success coach, speaker, and author of the Amazon bestseller, The 7E Solution to Burnout, who helps high achievers crack the code of their burnout to find tailored recovery solutions. If you’ve tried workshops and therapy and feel like nothing sticks, working with Dr. Sharon will show you how you can transform your relationship with your work by working on yourself instead of changing your job or career. She’s shared her grounded yet practical approach with numerous organizations, nonprofits, and universities. You can find her on her weekly podcast, Decode Your Burnout and reach her on her website drsharongrossman.com for speaking, coaching, and consulting inquiries. Contact Dr. Grossman: LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharongrossman/ Website: http://drsharongrossman.com/ Book a call with Dr. Grossman: http://www.bookachatwithsharon.com/

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 Gifted Healthcare

August 4, 2022

1610 Views

National Wellness Month: Wellness Tips for Every Travel Nurse

Posted on August 4, 2022August 3, 2022 by Gifted Healthcare

Gifted Healthcare provided this article.

Your overall wellness is important to help you live a higher quality of life, and as a travel nurse, this becomes even more of a priority while on assignment.

Everything we do, from work to bedtime routines, and every emotion we feel throughout the days contribute to our overall well-being. It is this same well-being that directly affects human actions and emotions, so the cycle all ties into one another. Prioritizing your overall wellness will help manage stress, reduce the risk of illness and aid positive interactions and feelings throughout your life.

Wellness is determined by a variety of categories, including environmental, mental, physical, social, spiritual, financial, intellectual, and occupational. We are diving into some of these categories and focusing on how you can enhance your wellness as a travel nurse.

Environmental Wellness

As a travel nurse, your environment is changing regularly, and as exciting as a new environment is, it is also a shift in your routines and alters your atmosphere. As you prepare for a new travel contract, you can prioritize your wellness in prep for the transition.

Pack Extra Days for Your Move

Include extra days in your moving timeline leading up to your first shift, so you have plenty of time to make your new place feel like home. An unpacked and organized environment benefits your environmental wellness and will help you feel prepared for your new assignment.

Create Space for You

While unpacking, try to set up a spot in your home where you can retreat after work. Maybe it’s an outdoor oasis with twinkle lights or a comfy chair and blanket set up by a window for a reading nook. Whatever helps you decompress, prioritize that area of your space because a pleasant and stimulating environment supports your well-being.

Explore Your New Neighborhood

Extra time will also give you a chance to adjust to your new community. Explore your coffee shop options, find a local park, or map out your commute to get a feel for your surroundings. Having these little familiarities will make a huge difference as you transition to a new assignment.

Another big environment that is changing is your work environment. Give yourself a little grace as you adjust to navigating the floor, locating the nurses’ station, or getting lost looking for the bathroom. These are all things that come with time.

Mental Wellness

Your mental and emotional wellness has a large impact on your overall attitude and outlook toward life. This is a huge factor in your overall wellness and can ebb and flow over time. Your mental wellness will help you cope effectively, establish a positive self-regard, and create satisfying relationships in your day-to-day. Here are some tips to help your mental wellness while traveling.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. There are a variety of ways to practice it, so start with some trial and error to see what works best for your body and mind.

If your brain is busy planning, problem-solving, daydreaming, or thinking negative thoughts, you can feel drained. It also adds levels of stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression to your day. Take time each day to practice mindfulness exercises such as meditation, breathing, guided imagery, and more to relax your mind and body.

Check out these five simple practices for daily life to get started.

Self-Care Days

Along the lines of mindfulness, a self-care day can go a long way in easing your chaotic thoughts. Set aside time on a day off to go on a long walk, listen to a relaxing podcast, pamper yourself, or anything else that helps ease your mind and allow you to recover. Even if it is just 30 minutes you set aside, this will help chip away at the stress our bodies build up over time.

Talk It Out

In a world where virtual therapy is more commonly accessible, take advantage of it. Through the ups and downs of your personal life, shift experiences, and travel schedule, a therapist, is a great outlet to put yourself first and prioritize your needs. Don’t let your mental wellness get lost in the shuffle of your other priorities.

If a therapist is not available, rely on your loved ones for a little bit of time here and there to let your feelings out.

Physical Wellness

Physical wellness is not just about working out; it is about your body’s need for physical activity, healthy nutrition, and sleep. While adjusting to your new travel assignment, start to navigate your workout, eating, and sleep routines so you can feel balanced during the transition.

Find Your Workout Spot

Research local gyms and fitness studios near your house or hospital, depending on what time of day you prefer to move. Many studios offer a first-class free or some type of trial period membership, so don’t limit yourself to places you recognize from other cities. There might be a workout that is brand new to you and ends up being your favorite way to work out!

You also shouldn’t limit yourself just to the gym. Venture around the area and look for local trails to hike, parks for running and walking, or outdoor excursions to try for a change of scenery.

Eat Local, Cook at Home

A huge perk of travel nursing is exploring parts of the country you might have never been to before, and with that comes local produce and food. Hit up farmer’s markets to experience local vendors and culinary items that the town or state is known for.

Pack a cookbook with you and use your new favorite farmer’s market items to make some home-cooked meals. Cooking not only soothes your mind, but it’s a way to nourish your body and promote physical wellness. The best part is packing the leftovers for your next shift!

Stick to a Sleep Schedule

Whether you are working day shift, night shift, or a combo of both, your sleep as a nurse has to be a priority. Sleep improves your mood, regulates your blood sugar, improves your mental function, relieves stress, enhances athletic performance, and so many other bodily functions. You can help yourself in this area by setting up a successful sleep environment.

Depending on how you prefer to sleep, there are a variety of ways to control your sleep environment like the temperature, lighting, noise level, etc. If it helps you, pack an eye mask, turn on white noise, blast the ac, or read a book before bed. All of these options will help soothe your mind and body for a restful night’s sleep.

Having a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system goes a long way with your social wellness. While traveling, you might feel a void where those connections used to be, so you will need to actively seek social interactions to enhance your social wellness while living in a new city.

Connect With Friends from Home

If you are traveling alone, connecting with your friends and loved ones while on your assignment will make you feel more at home. Share the exciting experiences of your new town with friends over a FaceTime catch-up, or send pictures to your parents so they can live vicariously through your adventures. These little moments will enhance your social wellness.

Connect With Patients

One of the coolest things about nursing in general, but specifically travel nursing, is that you are helping people that you would have most likely never even met outside of the hospital. Every patient at your bedside has a story, a life they have lived, the advice they would give, etc. Embrace the moments you have with patients to connect with strangers and feel the impact that one conversation can have on both you and your patient.

Take Yourself Out

Time with yourself can be social too. It doesn’t always have to be a home-cooked meal. Research the local hot spot restaurants and create a bucket list of menus you want to try. Check out upcoming concerts, free events, and more to connect socially with your assignment city. Being around the social atmosphere and taking it all in can improve your social wellness as well.

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 Frank Hamilton

August 3, 2022

3141 Views

Continuing Education Benefits For Travel Nurses

Posted on August 3, 2022August 2, 2022 by Frank Hamilton

The healthcare industry constantly evolves and shifts to new technological trends and tools. And it relates to all medical specializations and travel nurses as well. Continuing education is necessary for all medical staff to keep their skills and knowledge sharp and learn the latest healthcare trends and treatment methods.

However, the medical niche is a bit different for others, as continuing education does not depend on your personal initiative and willingness.

For instance, each US state sets official continuing education requirements for nurses who practice within their territories. It provides a kind of educational plan for nurses so they can know how and what skills they have to upgrade to keep working.

As for travel nurses, the education becomes a bit more complicated. It basically entails education on the go—the educational course and facilities will change frequently depending on where the nurse is.

Continuing education for travel nurses can be held online or offline in local establishments. For example, found on the writing service Writing Judge, Nurse CEU is a great online platform where travel nurses can find diverse learning courses to upskill according to the continuing education requirements of a certain state.

Further, we would like to depict what benefits continuing education provides for travel nurses, their professional development as well as their patients.

Continuing education requirements keep knowledge up to date.

As we mentioned above, healthcare trends are rapidly changing, introducing new treatment approaches, medications, technologies, and tools. Travel nurses need to handle different types of illnesses, so they need to be aware of wide expertise. So it is important to learn the continuing education requirements of the state or country you currently are to know what diagnoses and treatments will come in handy in those areas.

To take a close look at the continuing education requirements and travel nurses license, we would like to highlight the following from the custom writing service Best Writers Online:

Board of Nursing—public authority that is tasked with specifying rules and regulations of travel nurse practicing and licensing and is responsible for their renewal according to the completed nursing courses;
Continuing Education or Continuing Competency —owes to the Board of Nursing and is tasked with allowing practice for nurses;
Continuing Education Unit (CEU)—defines which nursing course can be approved and certified as professional and entailing counting education for travel nurses.

Travel nurses track their upskilling process.

Each CEU course provides travel nurses with a tracking checklist with professional writing assistance. It commonly includes the list of lessons and training, their status, results, and so on. As a travel nurse, you cannot select any course and suppose it to be needed for your continuing education. Foremost, it needs to be a CEU-approved learning course. Secondly, the results must be managed and approved by the Board of Nursing to renew or update your nursing license and include your new knowledge and skills in it.

Knowledge gives travel nurses opportunities to grow careers.

It is not necessary for travel nurses to be nurses all their lives. The more knowledge, certifications, and licenses nurses get, the more opportunities they get to become a doctor in the sphere they are the best. Continuing education helps travel nurses reveal their strong sides and shows the medicine from different sides and situations so that they can decide what direction suits them best. Of course, the process of qualification from travel nurse to doctor is long-term, challenging, and requires lots of courses and certificates, but when you actually study all the time, it shouldn’t seem to be very complicated.

To sum up

Being a travel nurse is a very challenging job as it requires frequent changes of places and adjusting your skills to new continuing education requirements and medical institutions. Thanks to advanced online education, it has become available even to healthcare workers, who can select various learning courses and receive official certificates and licenses. In the healthcare niche, continuing education has specific knowledge and license. However, overall continuing education is good practice for different industries. To be professional in your sphere, it is essential to keep your knowledge and skills up-to-date, learning the current trends and new directions.

We hope you found this article on continuing education benefits for travel nurses helpful. Do you have any tips for continuing education for travel nurses? Comment below.

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

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 Lina Belegu

August 2, 2022

3023 Views

Strong Advice for Keeping up a Healthy Lifestyle

Posted on August 2, 2022August 2, 2022 by Lina Belegu

Simply said, when we are healthy, we perform at our best. But is keeping up a great state of health really so easy? There are many temptations that we must resist, including those to watch TV, eat junk food, and check social media while lounging on the sofa.
You must alter your lifestyle if you want to keep it healthy. You could first find it challenging to adjust, but as you see the difference, you’ll be persuaded that it was worthwhile. Together, let’s learn how to have a healthy lifestyle by adopting a few clever changes.

Choose a healthy diet.

Even if choosing a healthy diet may be challenging for you, you can do it with some effort. Increase your diet of fresh fruits and vegetables by visiting your neighborhood farmer’s market and purchasing seasonal produce. Lean meat, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains should all be included in your diet since they help the digestive system work properly.

Try to cook at home, and while dining out, pick meals made with fresh ingredients. Without looking at your phone or the TV, eat your food and enjoy it. Also, keep in mind that we are what we consume. We need to eat healthily if we want to stay healthy.

Get moving

We spend a lot of time indoors in our contemporary lives, frequently working long hours at a computer. You need to get up and start moving as one of the first stages to becoming healthy. Whichever exercise you choose, as long as you are moving your body, strengthening your muscles, and lubricating your joints, it doesn’t matter.

Getting moving can help with a number of ailments to improve their symptoms. When modified, it can lessen the symptoms of illnesses like plantar fasciitis and assist with poor muscle tone.

If you experience such issues, you may always think about further therapeutic options. You might select a foot massage, foot spa, or foot roller, for instance. All of these items are designed to relieve the area’s strained muscles and provide much-needed pain relief.

Take in a lot of water.

One of the primary elements that might harm overall health is dehydration. We are really stopping our organs and systems from working properly when we don’t drink enough water.

Eight glasses of water each day is the bare minimum advised. The most important thing is to drink water and limit our intake of tea, coffee, and sodas. Some of these drinks have diuretic qualities, which exacerbate dehydration. Others are high in sugar and provide empty calories, which raises the risk of diabetes and hyperglycemia. Regular water hydrates us and soothes our thirst. That is all there is to it. And we perform as we should when we are well hydrated.

Sleep for 7-8 hours every night.

There is a circadian rhythm that governs how our bodies work. We were created to sleep at night and be active throughout the day. In the present day, we often work long hours and forgo sleep. We also spend more time staring at bright displays and complain of sleeplessness. Lack of sleep can make it difficult for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle, raising the possibility of developing chronic health issues and impairing our productivity.

The simple fix is to get the recommended seven to eight hours of shut-eye each night. Paying attention to sleep hygiene is also crucial. For instance, you shouldn’t have a substantial meal just before night. You won’t be able to sleep since your body will be too busy digesting all that food. Spending excessive amounts of time on your phone or watching TV might stimulate your brain cells and keep you from falling asleep. Last but not least, check to see whether the air is too dry or the place is too hot.

Every day, floss your teeth.

In order to maintain proper dental hygiene, how frequently should you floss your teeth? It’s not always obvious how frequently we should floss our teeth for the best results, but doing so removes plaque and food particles from difficult-to-reach areas between your teeth and around the gum line, says a dentist in Carefree.

Plaque is made up of bacteria that like feeding on the sugar and leftover food that has been left on your teeth. This bacterium then releases an acid that damages the enamel, the tooth’s outermost layer. The toughest material in the human body is enamel, but if it is damaged, you might get cavities, gum disease, or even toothaches.

Put an end to being busy.

This is possibly one of the most significant causes of chronic health issues. No of the repercussions, working nonstop has become the norm for us. We spend less time outside and are always plugged into some form of gadget. While it is important to recognize the advantages of technology, moderation is the key to leading a healthy lifestyle.

When you go home, do something instead of browsing social media and worrying that you missed anything. Visit the gym, play tennis, or go for a swim. A great method to maintain your health and feel fantastic mentally is to engage in active fun. Being busy will make you feel anything but healthy and is not as glamorous as it might appear.

Finally, make an effort to maintain a healthy weight, drink lots of water, get adequate sleep, work effectively and moderately, and keep active. Also, keep in mind that having fun is a great method to relax and unwind.

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 Sadie Brooks

August 1, 2022

896 Views

Why Family Vacation Is a Must in a Travel Nurse’s Life

Posted on August 1, 2022August 1, 2022 by Sadie Brooks

Being a travel nurse is an amazing career. It offers many perks like competitive pay, the ability to travel and explore new places, help people all around the world, etc. You might be on the road a lot of the time. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t travel with your family. Going on a special vacation with your spouse and kids is a special adventure that allows you true travel enjoyment without having to think about your work. It’s crucial to take short breaks throughout the year and use at least some of them for a family vacation with your family.

Here’s exactly why family vacations are a must for a travel nurse:

Battling stress

It’s not hard to see why traveling as a nurse is stressful. It includes moving every few months, getting used to new apartments, new environments, and new colleagues with new job duties. Even the most extroverted of people can feel a bit overwhelmed with all the new stimuli and people surrounding them. Plus, a nurse’s career is stressful in itself because it involves dealing with people, their health, and even death. But, a family vacation is a great way to battle all that stress. It’s great to meet with your family, get plenty of love from them and relax without having to think about your work.

Why Family Vacation Is a Must in a Travel Nurse's Life — Photo by Leah Kelley

It fuels your body and mind.

Every nurse knows the importance of keeping your body and mind healthy and strong. Self-care is the key to being a good parent, a good spouse, and a good nurse. Why? Well, as a travel nurse on an assignment, you’re on your feet most of the day, helping your patients and taking care of other people. Being under stress and physically exhausted can cause heart disease, high blood pressure, and many other health conditions, so taking a vacation is necessary. When vacationing with your family, you can have a lot of fun, learn and teach new things, and occupy your mind with other things besides your work. It’s a great way to prevent burnout and stay not only a great nurse but also a great spouse and parent.

It can improve your bond with family.

As a travel nurse, you don’t get a lot of opportunities to spend time with your family. While no distance can sever the bond with your loved ones, it can certainly feel much better to spend time with them and reconnect. Kids love to spend quality time with their parents, and what better way to spend time than to travel. Provide your family with a great adventure that helps them have fun, learn new things and get some closeness with your loved ones.

And don’t think you have to spend every second with your kids on vacation. If you’re traveling with in-laws to Miami, you can leave the kids with them (or hire a babysitter) and have a romantic evening with your spouse. Organize a great evening in a seafood restaurant in Miami for your spouse and enjoy tasty food in a beautiful setting. A day outing for a sea-front lunch with kids can also be a fun way to catch some sun, recharge, and have plenty of laughs.

Family Vacation — Photo by August de Richelieu

It will make you a better nurse.

Vacations are 100% necessary for good performance, both at work and at home as a family person. Nurses that are happy and rested are better at their job. They can offer better support to their patients, be there to fulfill their needs, and stay sharp to make the right decision at the right time. Chronic stress won’t help your career—it causes depression and anxiety, which stops you from performing at a level you desire. A vacation with your family will reduce your stress, improve your mental health and ensure you’re fresh and sharp when you come back home.

It creates memories for life.

Your kids won’t stay kids for a long time, so make sure to spend their youth together. Every chance you get should be aimed at your family, with a side of self-care. Traveling with your loved ones will give you plenty of chances to watch your kids grow, develop and laugh. You’ll get to teach them many new things, experience various situations together, and share some tasty meals. And don’t forget to take plenty of photos together on your vacation. These are memories that you’ll cherish forever, and you won’t feel guilty that you’re traveling and spending time apart from your family.

Every travel nurse should vacation with their family every chance possible. It’s great for your physical and mental health, your family life, your romantic relationship, and your career—do it whenever you can!

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 Brandy Pinkerton

July 29, 2022

3352 Views

I Hate My Assignment, Now What?

Posted on July 29, 2022July 19, 2022 by Brandy Pinkerton

If you have been a travel nurse for a while, you have undoubtedly experienced an assignment you didn’t love. Hate is a strong word, but if I’m being 100% honest, I have had an assignment along the way that, in my mind, I hated. There is nothing worse than getting your hopes up about a new travel assignment than getting the “rug pulled out from you” when it doesn’t quite meet your expectations. If you have read any of my blogs or listened to any of my live events, then you know I am one of those people who speak from the heart. So, I’m going to help you get to the root of the problem, and unfortunately, it may require you to ask yourself some tough questions. If this is your first assignment, I encourage you to give yourself some grace and not give up because not all assignments will be this way, trust me!!

Why do you not like it?

#1 Is it Unsafe?

Know the difference between unsafe practices and simply not agreeing with how something is done or not liking how something is done. I have been a nurse for nearly 20 years and have learned there is more than one “right” way to do things. As long as you are providing safe patient care and achieving the same goal, do things how that facility wants you to do it. They, unfortunately, don’t want to hear how you did it at your last job! Every facility likely does things just a little differently than you are used to. Know how to use your resources and how to access their policy and procedures on day 1 of orientation. Now, if patient safety or safe staffing ratios is a concern, that is a whole other issue that I could write an entire blog post about, so for time purposes will briefly go over what to do if you are put into an undesirable situation. What exactly is making you feel unsafe? Do you have poor patient ratios? Do you feel like you’re not well prepared to handle your assignment? If it’s something small, I encourage you to go to the charge nurse or management and discuss it with them. Talking with management may not change anything, but if you approach the subject positively, then maybe you’ll get some great feedback out of it and have an immediate plan of action. If not, know your chain of command and how to use it. Call and speak to your recruiter and a member of your company clinical team asap for guidance.

Mentor PRO Tip: Choosing a company that offers 24/7 Clinical coverage is important in the early stages of preparing to become a travel nurse. You never know when you will need them, and although I highly encourage you to keep your recruiter in the loop at all times, at the end of the day, they are not usually a clinician, so you want to have as many resources to help you if the need arises. Travel Nurse Company: Basics to Choosing the Right One (thegypsynurse.com)

#2 Is the Staff Unwelcoming?

I’ve had my fair share of catty and click-ish nurses over the years, and unfortunately, I wish I had a magic answer for this. Poor leadership can also fall into this category. Understand, their behavior is a reflection of themselves, and their unhappiness really likely has nothing to do with you. Misery loves company, so just let them be. My philosophy is just to kill them with kindness and take the higher road. Easier said than done, I know!! I try to just find common ground with them and be my happy, helpful self and usually win them over!!

#3 Is it just not What you Expected?

The expectation is the root of all heartache when it comes to life lessons, and this also applies to travel nursing. I don’t know about you, but this has been something I have struggled with personally and professionally. The Children’s Hospital that grew me as a nurse really set the bar high when it comes to being a stellar facility. So much so that I spent 15 years there before traveling. It was just a great place to work, and I will always be partial to them. Other facilities I have traveled to came with their own uniqueness and helped me grow in my career. The great thing about traveling is you get to “try on” other facilities, so to speak, to see if they are a good fit for you; if they aren’t, then you are only committed to 13 weeks. If so, maybe you will consider extending or coming back one day! It’s all about your perspective, so I encourage you to stay optimistic; there will be good takeaways no matter what!!

#4 Is it you? (Don’t hate me here)

Have you had this issue more than one time? Did you leave your home hospital because you weren’t getting along with anyone and needed to start over? This is a tough one to consider-gulp! But sometimes, as I have gotten older and wiser (LOL) and able to self-reflect more, I will admit that sometimes the problem has been me. For example, I struggled with an assignment right after I left flight nursing. As a flight nurse, you have A LOT of autonomy, and I earned respect and trust at the hospital I worked out with the staff and especially the physicians from the type of relationship I had with them. Then, when I went back to a bedside travel job at a brand new facility, they gave me an ego check very quickly. It was a hard transition back to being a bedside nurse; I am not going to lie. It was a facility where the physicians did not, unfortunately, seem to trust their core staff nor gave them much autonomy.

Several physicians were known to “talk down” to staff, and later the nurses told me that it was a losing battle, that managers knew, and unfortunately, they just learned to keep their mouth quiet and take the disrespect, which makes me so sad! So, it took a couple of shifts of me being on my own to run into the experience where the physician treated me like, well, quite frankly, I was stupid. I really enjoyed my co-workers and the facility, so I had to learn to just bite my tongue to make it through the assignment. Unless patient safety was a concern, then, of course, I would speak up. Plus, I really only ran into that doctor every couple of weeks. Despite all of that, if asked, I would go back to the facility in a heartbeat. So, is it you?? Take time to reflect on yourself and ask yourself the hard questions. If it is you, I’d recommend sticking it out, making the most of it, and then doing some work on yourself so that you don’t have these same issues in the future. Please know that I say this all with love and your best interest at heart.

What to do about it:

– Keep the line of communication open with your recruiter at all times so they can intervene early if necessary.

-Seek advice from a clinical team member with your agency

-Speak with the charge nurse and unit manager. Try to follow the proper chain of command (make sure you ask what that is during your first week of orientation)

-Always CYA!! Keep a paper/email trail of all conversations. Make sure to save emails and texts and also take a pic with your phone. To avoid forgetting details, physically write down specific events, convos, names, dates, and times to have so you remember exactly what happened.

***At the end of the day, I will ALWAYS tell you that your mental health comes first!!

Unless it is unsafe, I encourage you to Stick it Out.

You can do anything for 13 weeks. Remember your goals and your “why” (Preparing for a Career as a Travel Nurse – TRAVEL NURSE 101) and that you’re there for a reason. Your patients count on you to show up, be present, and do your best. I don’t encourage you to be taken advantage of, so know your boundaries but also take responsibility for your commitments. You will grow both professionally and personally, too!

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!)

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First, deciding to use a staffing agency or book through a hospital directly.

Benefits and Insurance

Picking a staffing agency

Second, verbalize what you are looking for in your travel nursing assignment.

Third, make sure you have a plan.

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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1. All Emails and Job Postings Are Riddled with Spelling Errors and Poor Grammar

2. Is The Company or Recruiter Legitimate?

3. The Recruiter Has a Generic Email Address

4. You’re Asked to Do an Interview Via Chat or Text

5. You’re Offered the Job Without an Interview

6. They Ask You for Money

Steps to Take if You Fall Victim to an Online Job Scam:

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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Specifically, you’ll learn:

About the Presenter:

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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Keeping in Shape is Essential to Your Health and Wellness While Travel Nursing

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Yoga, Meditation, Self-Care, and Why I Started This Journey

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Environmental Wellness

Pack Extra Days for Your Move

Create Space for You

Explore Your New Neighborhood

Mental Wellness

Practice Mindfulness

Self-Care Days

Talk It Out

Physical Wellness

Find Your Workout Spot

Eat Local, Cook at Home

Stick to a Sleep Schedule

Social Wellness

Connect With Friends from Home

Connect With Patients

Take Yourself Out

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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Disasters, Outbreaks & What You Can do to Protect Yourself

Yoga, Meditation, Self-Care, and Why I Started This Journey

More Licenses = More Opportunities

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Continuing education requirements keep knowledge up to date.

Travel nurses track their upskilling process.

Knowledge gives travel nurses opportunities to grow careers.

To sum up

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