November 19, 2021

4253 Views

How to Cope with Compassion Fatigue

Posted on November 19, 2021November 17, 2021 by Focus Point

This article was sponsored by Focus Point.

Health care workers are easily some of the most respectable and necessary individuals that the world needs and appreciates. In light of COVID-19, those who are in the medical field have been working tirelessly to put an end to this pandemic. With such responsibility on their backs, it sometimes becomes difficult to push emotion to the side and solely focus on their job. In the medical field, one’s entire life is dedicated to helping and healing others; with such impactful work comes a great deal of emotion. Health care workers are known to experience something called compassion fatigue. CF is when those who deal with patients or people who have gone through recent trauma experience secondary traumatization.

There are many different ways to cope with compassion fatigue. It is essential to identify if you or those around you are experiencing symptoms. Some symptoms include frequent headaches, lack of sleep, or simply feeling intense attachment to a particular case or cases.

Self-Care

Working in health care could make someone feel like their personal life could be set to the side. Those who take part in the medical field must spend time on themselves and practice self-care. A simple bubble bath or day to yourself may seem unimportant, but self-care allows those who suffer from compassion fatigue to prioritize themself gradually. It becomes easy to embody the word selfless in healthcare, but making time for yourself works wonders in preventing compassion fatigue. This is not only prominent in healthcare but also in religious communities. Mother Teresa made it very clear that nuns must take a year off after caring for those around them for four to five years. Practicing self-care and healing is a great way to cope with compassion fatigue.

See a therapist

A different way of coping with compassion fatigue could be to see a therapist. Therapy is a great way to allow healthcare workers to speak about their experiences and not bottle them up. A therapist will also provide not only closure but the realization of the fact that it is vital to be transparent with your emotions and speak freely upon them. Seeking therapy or treatment while in healthcare is exceptionally valid, considering those in healthcare constantly surround themselves with individuals who have experienced trauma.

Set Boundaries

With any position in healthcare, it’s a great idea to set boundaries between work and your personal life. It may become difficult to learn how to separate personal emotions from those you are healing with compassion fatigue. Throughout healing and caring for those who need it, one must express compassion yet limit themselves to how much they bring their workload home. Healthcare workers deal with the continuous challenge of separating work from their personal life. When caring for others is someone’s occupation, the fine line between how much empathy to give becomes blurry. Setting boundaries between yourself and the patient will allow you to cope with the possibility of developing compassion fatigue.

Develop a hobby

Dealing with compassion fatigue comes in many different forms; another exceptional strategy is developing a hobby. One can explore and set their mind aside for something else with a hobby. Hobbies allow people to focus their attention on something besides their daily struggles. Picking up something as simple as gardening can let you take a break from your work reality. Even watching sports religiously could be a great way to cope with CF. The main goal is to distract yourself from the trauma that you hear daily.

Start Journaling

Lastly, an alternative method of coping with compassion fatigue is journaling. Getting your thoughts and ideas out on paper can allow some closure to the end of a workday. Putting words into a journal or even expressing yourself and drawing gives you that separation from work to your personal life. Writing out your feelings towards the trauma that healthcare workers are regularly exposed to provides a great way to write unfiltered without any judgment or exposure.

Compassion fatigue is harsh to cope with, but there are infinite ways to relieve yourself from some of that stress. A few of these tips and tricks might seem insignificant, but in the long run, they help tremendously. Whether you may feel as though you are isolated, there are so many different groups and coping mechanisms that are crucial for healthcare workers to put to use.

To learn more about Focus Point click here.

https://focuspoint.net

We hope you found this article helpful. Have you worked through compassion fatigue? Do you have any tips to share with fellow travel nurses to help them through it as well? Comment them below.

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

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

Check out our travel nurse jobs!

By RNnetwork

November 15, 2021

5173 Views

Five Ways Travel Nursing has Changed Lives

Posted on November 15, 2021November 9, 2021 by RNnetwork

This article was provided by RN Network.

By Lynne Gross, President, RNnetwork

Travel nursing plays an integral role in healthcare, often meeting needs that would otherwise go unmet. I am proud of the work we do at RNnetwork and all of the nurses we get to work with on a daily basis. I have seen firsthand the many ways that travel nursing changes lives. Here are just a few of them.

1. Delivering care (and caring) to those that need it most

Trauma nurse Kathleen Johnson treats all of her patients like family. When she started nursing in 1973, she joined the field because she loves people. She never really cared about making money. Since becoming a travel nurse, she has treated gunshot wounds in Chicago and other crime-related injuries in California. She said that she talked to those patients about their lives and how they can get out of crime.

“When people are sick, they have a certain open door, and we nurses can walk through it, and we can actually heal,” says Kathleen.

Nancy Abelson came to nursing later in life, graduating from nursing school at the age of 59.

“I love my job. I love my patients, and I love my coworkers,” says Nancy. “I’ve made so many connections with my patients that you take with you when you leave at the end of the day and that you remember. I feel a great deal of compassion for my patients. I’ve always wanted to serve a medical mission, and in many ways, this has been my mission field.”

2. Gaining balance between work and personal life

“The permanent game is great, but unfortunately, dialysis has a pretty high turnover. That can lead to staffing shortages, and the burden gets placed on those who are permanent,” Katie Elliott, PCT, says. “I was working a lot more hours than I wanted, and I didn’t really have any social time. When I found out about traveling, there was a lot that appealed to me. I especially liked that traveling gave me more control over when and how I work and didn’t burden me financially at the same time.”

3. Growing and finding yourself

“The personal growth I have experienced through travel nursing is something I didn’t expect,” says labor and delivery nurse Rachel Ronk. “I always expect to leave the hospital feeling like I made a difference. Those feelings weren’t new to me. But the feeling of growth and confidence instilled in me through traveling has been huge. I feel like I’m an entirely new person since I moved here. I never expected to be where I am right now. I’ve learned a lot about myself.”

“I didn’t realize I had as much in me as I have until I started traveling. And I didn’t realize how much of myself I was giving to others,” ICU nurse Angie Kyler shares. “I have always been there for my family, but I knew they had reached a stage where they could do it on their own. I needed to find my own focal point. Travel nursing has helped me find myself.”

4. Meeting your true love

Most nurses don’t take a travel job expecting to meet the love of their life, but it still happens. William and April Cantwell met when William was working a travel assignment at the facility where April was working. One thing led to another, and now they are a travel nurse family, traveling with their baby boy.

“When we started traveling, we explained to our recruiter that we only want to go to places that need at least two nurses,” says William Cantwell. “Everywhere we’ve gone was with the understanding that it’s a package deal. You don’t get me without her, and you don’t get her without me.”

5. Becoming part of a new community

ER, nurse Deb Kelly doesn’t take an assignment just for the job. She loves to throw herself into the local community as well.

“When I’m not working, there are things that I can do to get my mind off of work but also help. I love helping people. And if I’m not starting an IV or starting medication, then I’m going to help pass out food and try to help somebody’s weekend be better,” says Deb. “That kind of keeps me going.”

Travel nursing is more than a job, it’s a calling, and for those who do it, it changes their lives for the better every day. Whether it’s connecting with a patient, a coworker, or exploring a new part of the country, travel nursing offers many life-changing opportunities.

Lynne Gross is the president of RNnetwork, one of the nation’s leading travel nurse staffing agencies, and has more than 20 years of healthcare staffing experience. Since joining RNnetwork in 2011, Gross has held a variety of leadership roles in the company, including director and vice president. RNnetwork is part of the CHG Healthcare family of companies.

We hope you found this article on five ways travel nursing has changed lives helpful in your travel nurse journey. Have you found ways that travel nursing has changed lives? Comment them below.

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 Amber Pickler

November 9, 2021

3047 Views

Gypsy’s Guide to Adventures in Columbia, South Carolina

Posted on November 9, 2021November 15, 2021 by Amber Pickler

So, you took an assignment in Columbia, South Carolina. While the city is large, it may be difficult to find things to do on your day off. We have put together a few great places to visit while you are on your assignment in Columbia. We have also included a couple of restaurants. Below you will find just a few places to visit and things to do.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden

The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden has something for everyone. If you enjoy seeing animals, the Zoo is an excellent place for you. According to their website, they are home to more than 2,000 animals that represent more than 350 species from around the world. If the Zoo isn’t your thing, you may enjoy the Garden. According to their website, the Garden blooms year-round, and more than 4,300 species of exotic and native plants bloom. This makes for a perfect living classroom for all visitors. The Garden also offers a 3-acre interactive children’s Garden if you have children traveling with you.

Cayce Riverwalk

If you are an outdoorsy person or like to be outdoors on your day off, the Cayce Riverwalk is a great option. Their website states that the Riverwalk is the ultimate “daycation” spot. It is “easily accessible from anywhere in the Midlands of South Carolina. Spanning 12 miles, it overlooks the beautiful Congaree River, right across from the capital city of Columbia, S.C., and it is a popular destination for walking, jogging, bicycling, birdwatching, picnicking, and taking in the natural beauty of the riverfront.”

The Riverwalk’s bridges, boardwalks, overlooks, and lighted, central path accommodate all levels of physical abilities. Parking is free. The paved paths are lighted and run through the shaded riverine forest. There are benches and picnic tables as well. You can also enjoy wooden boardwalks with great water views.

Folly Beach

While Folly Beach is a city that is about a 2-hour trip but is a highly recommended place to visit when you take an assignment in Columbia, Folly Beach is located between the Folly River and the Atlantic Ocean. It is just 15 minutes from Charleston, so you won’t have to go far if you want to visit a big city while you visit Folly Beach. There are many things to do in Folly Beach.

The Fishing Pier extends more than 1045 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. If you are interested in fishing, you can rent all the equipment you need from the shop on the pier. If you’re a wildlife lover, you will see loggerhead turtles nesting, dolphins playing in the water and even bald eagles soaring in the sky.

Folly Beach has many options when it comes to dining. From gourmet meals and seafood feasts to a quick sandwich, the restaurants in Folly Beach have you covered.

Folly Beach also has many local shops that offer bathing suits, souvenirs, surfboards, and gear.

Congaree National Park

Congaree National Park contains over 20,000 acres of federally designated wilderness that visitors can explore by foot, kayak, or canoe. So, if you enjoy the outdoors, the Congaree National Park is a great place to visit. There are many things to do, including hiking, camping, canoeing & kayaking, fishing, and walking. Please note that you need to bring your canoe or kayak. These can be rented in shops in Columbia. If you enjoy hiking, Congaree National Park offers many trails that vary in level of difficulty from easy to difficult. If you are looking to spend the night camping at the park, make sure to make your reservations ahead of time. Reservations for the frontcountry campgrounds must be made through recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.

Alodia’s Cucina Italiana

Alodia’s Cucina Italiana is rated very high on Yelp. According to their website, “Alodia’s Cucina Italiana is a restaurant born from the love of an Italian family. Proprietor Adam Huneau’s first restaurant has been wowing taste buds in Irmo with his authentic Italian Cuisine comprised of recipes that have been pulled from the pages of his family’s cookbook.

Named after his Great-Grandmother, Alodia’s fare and ambiance resound with the smells and tastes of Old Italy. Fresh sauces and homemade pastas are the foundation of the menu that brought generations together. Adam is devoted to making his restaurants as inviting and warm as his own family’s kitchen.”

Their menu offers many traditional Italian dishes, from Baked Ziti to Eggplant Parmesan. They offer soups and salads as well as chicken and seafood entrees.

Cola’s Restaurant

According to Cola’s website, the restaurant is “Located in a lovingly restored 1930’s RC Cola bottling plant, Cola’s is a “casual” fine dining bar/restaurant specializing in seafood, steaks and other culinary creations influenced by a broad range of ethnic cooking. There is an emphasis on fresh ingredients and locally grown food where possible. Weather permitting, two garage doors open up the restaurant to views of the Statehouse and allow our guests to enjoy the bustle of downtown Columbia. Cola’s boasts a 40-foot long bar that houses our extensive wine selection. If preferred, try one of our house cocktails or choose a brew from our large selection of bottled beers. Cola’s has ample room to host your private functions in either of the two private dining rooms, seating up to as many as 50. Large booths adorn the main dining room, and table seating for small and large parties.”

Cola offers four different menus: dinner, dessert, and a wine list and bar menu. The dinner menu offers appetizers including oysters Rockefeller, shrimp options, and even a fondue option. The dinner menu also includes salad options, poultry, seafood, and beef options as well. Their dessert menu has quite a few different options, including cakes, brownies, cheesecake, and tortes, to name a few.

About Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in South Carolina, with a population of 132,000. Columbia is the primary city of the Midlands region of South Carolina. It lies at the confluence of the Saluda River and the Broad River, which merge at Columbia to form the Congaree River, which is a popular destination for paddlers and kayakers. Columbia is home to the state’s largest university, the University of South Carolina. Columbia features a revitalized downtown area, which contains many art galleries, shops, and restaurants. Rich in cultural and literary arts, Columbia offers theatre, museums, ballet, a philharmonic orchestra, jazz, opera, choral, and a circus. The city sponsors numerous festivals and events throughout the year. Lovers of the outdoors truly appreciate the many scenic parks, lakes, rivers, and creeks in this region. Golf enthusiasts welcome the warm climate, which gives them the opportunity for a year-round play on the excellent local courses!

We hope you found this list of 6 things to do in Columbia, South Carolina, helpful. We will continue to bring you articles with things to do in different cities. Is there a city you would like to see an article on things to do? Comment the city below. If you would like to contribute an article about things to do in a city, please click here to email our Content Strategist.

Are you looking for an assignment in Columbia, South Carolina? Click here to view the assignments on our job board. If you need to housing click here to search our housing page.

By Heather Downen

October 3, 2021

15264 Views

17 Things You Need to Know About Being a Travel Nurse

Posted on October 3, 2021January 16, 2023 by Heather Downen

Travel Nursing isn’t for everyone. Just like with any other job there are pros and cons to it. For that reason, a travel nurse of 8 years came up with these 17 things you need to know about being a travel nurse before you sign that contract.

17 things you need to know about being a travel nurse.

1. Yes, it will be hard getting your first job.

Because not all hospitals take first time travelers, the more requirements you have (location, shift, block schedule, time off) the harder it will be.

2. You may get a great hospital for your first job that is okay with you being green, asking questions, needing guidance.

But it’s unlikely. Most will give you little to no orientation, the hardest patient load, and then nitpick your care. Or if they do take you it will be a hot mess. Know your practice. That skills checklist you have to do? Be honest. And if you aren’t marking expert in most to all the boxes, get more experience.

3. Yes, we are serious that you should get two years in your specialty.

Yes, TWO years minimum. Are there people who do it? Yup. Would you want someone caring for your grandma who is a year nurse with no support system in place? Oh, and you can bet they will cancel you if you can’t keep up. Or if you need a lot of assistance.

4. We are at-will employees.

Because of this we can’t sue for cancelled contracts, housing issues, ect. We put up a lot of upfront money with no guarantee. It’s just part of travel. You want security, keep your staff job.

5. Are there jobs out there that are destination locations, paying $3k a week, and block scheduling?

Yes, there is one. And it was filled 0.0000005 seconds after it posted by Janet who has been traveling for 22 years and has her travel game on lock down.

6. Have a savings.

You will hit a snag and not have a contract for a month, get cancelled, have that cheap housing fall thru, get sick/injured on contract. Nothing sucks more than being 3000 miles from family, broke, alone, and jobless.

7. They are paying us to work.

If you don’t, they will keep more of your money and you may get cancelled.

8. Be professional.

Yes, more professional than the staff nurses.

9. Mind your business.

They don’t want to know how you did it at your staff job. So, do it the way they want (within the parameters of patient safety). There is more than one way to skin a cat. As they say.

10. Be smart about safety when traveling.

You are alone in a new city. You are a prime target for all kinds of criminals.

11. No one can tell you if it’s better to fly and rent a car, drive to your destinations, or ship your car.

It’s what fits your time and budget.

12. Yes, it’s harder to travel with pets.

Yes, housing is harder. Adding big, bully breeds, or multiple dogs makes it even harder. Is it doable? Yes, but it’s harder. It may limit your locations.

13. Yes there is a quarantine for dogs going to Hawaii.

It’s it doable? Yes. But it’s a huge pain, expensive, and stressful for your pet.

14. Recruiters

There are crooked recruiters. Yes, there are lazy recruiters. There are crappy recruiters. Yes, you will work with a few before you figure it out. But there are great recruiters who will become your friends. Who will support you, listen to you lose your mind/whine/cry. When you find them, keep them. And tell all your friends.

15. Not every “good” recruiter is a good recruiter for every nurse.

Because of this you need to realize your needs and desires and find a recruiter who fits with you.

16. Travel nursing isn’t for everyone.

And that’s okay. You must be flexible, optimistic, and roll with the punches. Therefore, if that’s not you, stay home.

17. There will be nurse that disagree with these.

Saying well “I traveled after being a nurse for two weeks, have fifteen pit bulls and a horse and I found a job making $3k a week with block scheduling on day shift and housing for $50 a month. You can do it”. You can friend, but you are responsible for your license, bank account, and happiness. No one else.

So, before you sign that contract make sure you have not only read over these 17 things you need to know about being a travel nurse, but do your own research as well.

Want more information on travel nursing?

Check out our Travel Nurse Guide

By Frank Hamilton

August 30, 2021

7215 Views

A Complete Guide to Market Yourself as a Travel Nurse

Posted on August 30, 2021August 17, 2021 by Frank Hamilton

The pandemic triggered the demand for travel nursing professionals. But at the same time, it created fierce competition among specialists. Finding a decent job is no longer as easy as before, as travel nurses have many new requirements.

How to overcome tough competition in the labor market and become one of the first to receive the best offers? What is possible to do? Use the following tips to promote yourself as a nursing professional.

Top 5 Tips To Market Yourself As A Travel Nurse

Against the background of increased demand and competition, you have to improve your qualifications and get new experience within the framework of your career. It is time to learn how to promote yourself in the labor market properly. Get started with the following tips to find the best jobs in travel nursing.

Create a Quality CV

The first place to start is to update and rewrite your CV. Most likely, you have gained new skills and experience when dealing with the challenges 2020 made us face. Many people forget to update their resumes from time to time, especially when they have constant work. But for the travel nurses, keeping your resume up-to-date is a must-do.

Do not forget to add new certificates or knowledge of foreign languages. Any international experience will be a great point in your CV. Highlight your traveling nurse experience, plus describe the challenges you have faced and the ways you overcome them.

Create Your Site

The next step for successfully promoting yourself as a specialist is to think about creating your own website. It will be something like a business card or an online resume. You can also run your blog to share your expertise, use-cases, and stories to showcase yourself as a nursing professional and personality at once.

Remember about SEO promotion, as it will help your site reach the top of the search results. Accordingly, your site will be better discoverable and findable by those in search of travel nursing services.

As for promoting your blog, consider using guest posting to reach your target audience and improve your website’s position in the search result. All you need to do is find sites that accept medical guest posts and write some valuable articles that will link back to your website. Find more details here about medical blogs that accept guest posts and how to collaborate with them. By the way, you can discover more about this topic on a medsnews.com website as well.

Use LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the best platforms that allow people to find new business connections. Medical service is no exception, which means that you can find travel nurse agencies with top salary offers within this social network.

There you can post your resume and link to your website. It is noteworthy that there are many HR managers on this site, and they are in constant search of the specialists they need. Therefore, creating a profile on this platform is a potential opportunity to receive tempting offers even without additional promotion effort. But if possible, you should devote your time to updating your Linkedin profile and connecting to those who can offer you a job you are looking for.

Find a Recruiter

One of the best ways to stop worrying about your career is to make a connection with a reliable recruiter. As noted earlier, you can find a suitable one on LinkedIn and stay in touch all the time. The new job opportunities can appear unexpectedly, and there are always a lot of applicants for a vacancy.

Therefore, friendly relationships and ongoing communication with recruiters are a good idea for those who want to remain attractive to employers and be the first to receive the best offers. Some specialists keep in touch with several recruiters so that you can follow this tactic as well.

Follow Nursing Ethics

Another important piece of advice for travel nurses is always to follow the rules of medical ethics. As one of the points, it’s about always being positive about your customers. The main thing is to never complain to your new employer about your experience, especially if this experience was negative. Try to turn negative situations into positive experiences. Focus on the ways you dealt with them and the skills you gained in the process.

Moreover, travel nursing companies are always looking for specialists who know how to care from a medical perspective and a human one. Therefore, politeness, calmness, and a positive attitude are needed for those who want to promote themselves as great specialists and get the best jobs offers.

The Bottom Line

Travel nursing services are in great demand. Make sure to show your future employers you are serious about taking care of people – your professionally created CV, website, and well-developed LinkedIn profile can already say a lot about you. Also, don’t forget about making a good impression as a personality and a human since your personal qualities are no less important than professional ones.

With the market as hot as it is right now for travel nurses, it is more important than ever to know how to market yourself as a travel nurse. We hope you found these tips helpful. Have you found ways to market yourself as a travel nurse that has helped you on your travel nursing journey? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Already have your assignment but need housing? Click here to view 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 Gifted Healthcare

August 27, 2021

6264 Views

Travel Nursing Tips: Maintaining Your Long-Distance Relationship on Assignment

Posted on August 27, 2021August 26, 2021 by Gifted Healthcare

This article was provided by Gifted Healthcare.

Travel nursing offers amazing adventures, great pay, and valuable professional experience, but travel nursing assignments can occasionally cause conflict in romantic relationships. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but this doesn’t make long-distance dating any easier!

Whether you’ve been with someone for years or recently met someone before your assignment, there are ways to make things easier on you and your partner.

Read on for a list of tips and strategies to maintain your long-distance relationship while on assignment.

Make a Game Plan

Planning is important in a long-distance relationship. Before you leave for your assignment, talk about what you expect from each other while you are gone. Outline your needs, wants, and boundaries. Setting standards will prevent a lot of worry and stress.

Do you like texting throughout the day or checking in by phone? Are there certain times of the day you are more available to speak? Will you take a trip to see each other during your assignment?

Once you make a game plan, you’ll both have a better idea about what to expect while you are away. That way, you won’t have to stress about your partner not responding to your texts or phone calls and vice versa.

Communicate Creatively

The physical limitations of long-distance relationships can be difficult, but you can avoid feeling like you’re in a rut by getting creative with your communication.

When you arrive at your destination, giving your partner a “full tour” of your new housing is a fun way to make them feel like they’re along for the ride. Small, thoughtful updates about your day will let them know they’re on your mind. If you’ve established specific times of day to communicate, that doesn’t mean you can’t be spontaneous – send a link to a song you both like, snap a picture of something silly, or talk about what you’ll do during your first date once you’re back home.

Try scheduling your longer catch-up calls ahead of time. Having a skype date or phone call to look forward to can make those long shifts fly by.

Thankfully, technology has made long-distance relationships much easier than they used to be. There are still ways to share experiences, even if you’re halfway across the world from your partner.

Try picking a show that both of you haven’t seen to watch while you’re away. Scheduling evenings to watch it together and discuss new episodes is a great way to stay engaged and connected. You can do the same thing with movies, articles, or books.

Remind Yourself It’s Not Permanent

Even though it may seem like you’ll be apart forever, it’s simply not true! If you experience conflict, miscommunications, or you’re just feeling blue, remind yourself that your assignment will come to an end.

While it’s not a good idea to obsess over how many days remain until you’re back home, it can be useful during particularly rough days.

There are so many ways to stay connected to loved ones while you’re a travel nurse. With a little effort and honest communication, travel nursing can help you learn about yourself and your partner in exciting ways, allowing you to cultivate an even deeper connection than the one you have.

Maintain Friendships with Others

You may be tempted to spend every free moment talking to your significant other, but this can cause feelings of isolation and loneliness. Maintaining independent friendships outside of your relationship is important.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to bond with your coworkers or new friends outside of work, even if it means taking a rain check on that Skype chat with your partner. If your significant other wants the best for you, it will make them happy that you’re making friends.

Be Flexible

While it’s important to set and maintain standards and expectations for your relationship, don’t let a change of plans stress you out. Keep an open mind and try to remain in the present, as your assignment won’t last forever. Plus, your partner will appreciate your flexibility – it will let you communicate that you are confident in your relationship.

Invest in Yourself

The bottom line: the quality of your experience is up to you. Perceiving your travel nursing assignment as an opportunity rather than an obstacle is the best way to enjoy your time away from your partner.

Make plenty of time to focus on your own interests. Explore your new city, take on new or forgotten hobbies, and invest in your own happiness. Spend your time in ways that will eliminate future regret about your awesome nursing adventure.

If you develop the ability to be satisfied on your own, staying in your long-distance relationship will become more meaningful – because you’re truly choosing to be with the one you love.

Looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Found an assignment but need housing? Click here to view 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 Mike Khorev

August 9, 2021

4486 Views

Supporting Family and Friends When Dealing With A Loved One’s Traumatic Brain Injury

Posted on August 9, 2021July 19, 2021 by Mike Khorev

An injury to the brain can alter the way an individual experiences physical stimuli and emotions. They could suffer mild or significant changes in how they experience emotions and how they behave. This can be extremely difficult for family and friends to cope with, and a highly skilled nurse can do a lot to support them in learning how best to support their loved ones.

In these circumstances, it can be frustrating as a traveling nurse to rarely be in a role for the full duration of a TBI recovery. Not spending adequate time connecting with the victims’ support network can make it harder to effectively support and guide them. However, there are still many ways in which you can provide vital support during what time you do have with them.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can cause a previously gentle and composed person to lose self-control. It is important to help their family and friends understand that they may witness out-of-character outbursts of anger or aggression or be the subject of insensitive comments that could feel hurtful and confusing.

Equally, the opposite could be the case. A previously vivacious person may become apathetic in what is also known as the flat effect. This can also be deeply concerning and confusing to the victim’s loved ones.

Nurses understand that it is of utmost importance to treat a TBI victim with care and sensitivity. However, since the injury is not physically visible, loved ones can often become frustrated and struggle to cope and may judge them unfairly or treat them inappropriately.

Here are some of the mistakes that family and friends can make and what you can do to help.

Inappropriately expressing frustration over their inability to recall

Most people who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury also experience challenges in remembering.

Having to repeat oneself several times can be frustrating. Ordinarily, we would ask, “how many times do I have to tell you?”

Such a sarcastic comment may seem suitable to a support person who, in their frustration, secretly hopes that a push in that direction will spur the patient on to remember. However, in the case of a person with TBI, it will only make things worse.

A compassionate nurse can encourage a patient’s loved ones to deepen their understanding and find gentler ways of supporting progress. Suggest the use of a memo board and focus on improving sensitive communication skills. Demonstrate that using kind gestures can help them remember. You could also introduce them to studies showing that Brain Training and Cognitive Therapy techniques can help reverse the situation.

Blunt remarks about their change in behavior

A brain injury could also cause changes in personality or behavior, one of the most common signs being irritability. It could be a direct result of brain injury or an indirect outcome of psychological effects like anxiety, chronic headaches, insomnia, or depression.

While dealing with their own traumatic array of emotions, the patient’s loved ones can struggle to manage their reactions.

It can be hard for them to keep their cool, and it is common to react negatively and critically, which only makes the situation worse.

Give these support people whatever time you can manage to have them feel heard and understood with compassion. Encourage them to seek some support of their own through a counseling service – an online counselor could be more affordable and easier to access. Other simple recommendations for positive change could help exponentially, too. For instance, changing the diet, supplements, or medication can help them cope. Other changes could require more effort, like changes in routines. But ask the questions to help ensure that they are taking care of their own wellbeing and making healthy choices to help them to cope.

Denial about the signs of Traumatic Brain Injury

Although brain injury may be invisible to the eye, the signs are not. It’s hard to turn a blind eye to the behavior changes, challenges in remembering, inability to focus, and other psychological effects.

It is common for some loved ones to make it worse by either being genuinely oblivious to these changes or subconsciously opting for denial as a coping strategy. When they make comments like “you seem fine to me,” it could worsen the situation.

Sometimes, they may not recognize issues like apathy or depression for what they are, and instead, take them to be a form of laziness, and become critical towards the victim.

Help them avoid this downward spiral by gently encouraging them to accept the situation’s reality and seek help from a counseling professional.

traumatic brain injury — Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

How to help

As every nurse knows, every person’s experience with TBI is as unique as their fingerprint. But, inexperienced and traumatized loved ones can struggle to comprehend the changes. Symptoms like difficulties with memory, recurrent chronic headaches, and behavior issues like irritability, depression, and anxiety can prove overwhelming on top of recovering from the initial shock and trauma of the injury itself.

Remind them that they are not helpless. Aside from reaching out to a counselor, you can suggest these adjustments:

Encourage them to breathe deeply and keep calm, especially when the individual has an emotional outburst.
Acknowledge their feelings compassionately and give them a chance to let them out.
Support them in learning how to respond positively and gently provide feedback when the individual regains control.
Introduce the strategy of redirecting the focus to a different topic or activity.
Set up an easily accessible memo board to help with the patient’s recall.

It is also prudent and may help to support the family further to ensure that they have consulted with a lawyer if appropriate. The brain injury could be due to another party’s fault. Perhaps the individual was involved in an automobile accident, operated faulty equipment, fell in a public place, or something went wrong during a medical procedure. In such cases, legal help is crucial. A TBI lawyer can inform patients and family members regarding their rights and guide them in claiming compensation. This can take a huge burden off their shoulders, allowing them more mental energy to cope with the changes.

Final thoughts

As a traveling nurse, your role in a patient’s traumatic brain injury recovery may be fleeting. However, you can still do so much to positively impact their road to recovery and provide them with invaluable support and information that can significantly improve their journey forwards and that of the patients.

Are you a travel nurse looking for your next assignment? Click here to visit our job board. Do you have your next assignment secured but still need housing? Click here to view 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 Next Travel Nursing

August 5, 2021

8181 Views

The Benefits Of Travel Nursing

Posted on August 5, 2021July 29, 2021 by Next Travel Nursing

This article was provided by Next Travel Nursing.

If you’re a nurse looking for a profession that’s in demand, look no further than travel nursing. It’s expected to grow by over 15% through 2026. The increase in demand is more than any healthcare location can handle. Travel nurses travel to different locations and accept assignments where the need is greatest.

Traveling nurses experience a variety of benefits and experience an in-demand career that provides security. Here are some of the benefits you’ll experience as a travel nurse.

Discover New Places

Of course, one of the main benefits is travel. You may end up in parts of the country you never thought possible – or were even on your bucket list. Travel nurse assignments span the entire country, and you’ll be able to see how nursing is different across the nation.

You can take in the beautiful sights of Montana’s Big Sky or get wrapped up in the lights and sights of Las Vegas. Take advantage of what each location has to offer. Some areas are known for their restaurants or their cultural offerings. Take in what you’re able to when you’re on assignment.

As a travel nurse, you’re able to experience the country in ways others aren’t, thanks to the profession.

Flexibility (Personal and Professional)

Travel nursing allows you to do many things from a professional and personal standpoint. You have the opportunity to travel to different hospitals; many include research and learning opportunities – especially at teaching hospitals. At those locations, you’ll be able to learn new techniques and pick the brains of veteran staff.

Working at these locations can also be a great resume builder, making you more valuable and in demand. The fact you’re willing to work at these locations shows you love to be pushed and up for any type of challenge.

Personally, you’re able to coordinate your assignments so that you’re able to take personal time after assignments to focus on things that are important to you – whether it’s spending time with family and friends or doing volunteer work. Your world is your oyster.

Explore Nursing In New Areas

Travel nursing allows you to explore many areas of nursing. Whether it’s exploring different specialties or types of hospitals, you may find you really like the non-profit since that allows you to focus on patient care. You may find you’re a natural teacher and enjoy working at teaching hospitals.

You can also float to different areas of the hospital. Spend some time in the ICU, ER, or the NICU. You can make an impact in several areas. Plus, you’re able to find out if travel nursing is for you and make the decision to continue or settle on a permanent location – assignments are a great length to determine what you want to do.

Develop Skills Beyond Nursing

Travel nursing allows you to craft your nursing skills, but you’re able to develop skills beyond nursing.

By working in different hospitals, you’ll develop patient skills from new experiences you may not be privy to as a staff nurse. It also forces you to make decisions and think critically as you encounter different situations with patients of all types.

You’ll be helping your career over the long term. You’ll see many sides of nursing so you can develop a clear idea of where you’d like to focus on.

In addition to nursing skills, you’ll develop your soft skills. You need to adapt to many different situations and communicate effectively – not only to patients but hospital leadership, as well.

Not only are you crafting your nursing skills, but life skills as well. You’re adapting to different locations, situations. As a travel nurse, you’re picking up and going from location to location and getting familiar with new surroundings.

Nurses In Demand

RNs are in demand right now as there is a nurse shortage spanning the country. The need for nurses is growing at an exponential rate, and their skills are highly sought after.

Healthcare locations are having trouble meeting seasonal needs, and with the rapid spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant, the need for nurses is quickly increasing.

ICU and ER nurses appear to be the most sought after, but really, these shortages span all specialties.

As a travel nurse, you’ll rest comfortably knowing you’ll be in demand as there will always be another assignment waiting for you once your current assignment ends.

Higher Pay

Travel nurses work hard and are well compensated with generous hourly rates and benefits. In some cases, they see higher pay and packages than permanent staff. If you have a specialty or skill set that no one has, that increases your wage.

Some locations will offer a referral bonus to RNs who refer other travel nurses or completion bonuses.

On The Front Lines

If you really want to help and are focused on patient care, travel nursing is where to be. You’re on the front lines helping patients who are in need of care.

You’ll see your impact on people’s lives on a daily basis and see the fruits of your care. You’re not stocking equipment and supply rooms. You will be working in areas and with people who need help in your specialty – so it’s focused care. Looking to start your travel nurse career today? Try Next Travel Nursing, an agency that knows strong nurse-recruiter relationships aren’t easy to come by but believes they’re totally essential. Let NEXThelp you find your perfect assignment today.

We hope you found this list of benefits of travel nursing helpful. Are there any other benefits that we missed? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board. Have your next assignment secured but need housing? Click here to view 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 The Gypsy Nurse

August 4, 2021

5916 Views

Tips for Small Space Living

Posted on August 4, 2021July 20, 2021 by The Gypsy Nurse

So, you’ve decided you want to take the plunge and decrease the square footage of your home; that’s what we did anyway. We renovated a 1971 Airstream trailer to our liking, got rid of a LARGE amount of our items, made space for the dog and the cat, and hit the road. It has been a life-changing, eye-opening event in our lives. For the most part, it has been extremely rewarding, but there were a lot of sacrifices that this lifestyle requires too. Here are our tips on how to make the most of tiny space living, especially with your furry friends in tow.

Plan Ahead-

This one is BIG. This started as soon as we decided we were going to renovate the Airstream. Our layout was meticulously thought out to maximize space and storage. Our bed flips up so that much of our larger items can be stowed underneath. For you pet owners, especially cat owners, you’ll want to think of where their things will go (i.e., the litter box). In anticipation of living in a tiny space, we actually decided to toilet train our cat. Lucky for us, she loves a good food-driven bribe and was willing to do anything for some tuna. If that’s not your cat’s style, you’ll want to find a good storage area for the litter box to slip into and help keep the smell to a minimum.

We had some friends that kept it behind its own cute curtain, which was genius for keeping it out of sight and the smell contained! We also recommend trying to plan your meals ahead of time. If you go with a trailer, the fridges tend to be tiny. We have found that we can cut down on wasted space and food by planning out our meals a couple of days in advance so that we only have what we really need.

Purging-

If you’ve decided you want to take the leap into the world of small homes, this is another big one. It’s also hard! We had to take a good look at all of our items, Marie Condo style. We went with the system of “If it hasn’t been used or worn in over a year, then it’s out.” I’m a total sucker for “it’ll be back in style eventually” and therefore always love to hold on to clothes longer than necessary. However, for the sake of our tiny space, I got rid of soooooo many garbage bags full of clothing. It was heartbreaking but totally worth it when I saw just how neatly all of my clothing now fits into place.

We also did this for kitchen items too, we were very guilty of having far too many drinking glasses and coffee mugs. We had to be realistic and realize we weren’t going to have 10 people over for breakfast in a tiny space, therefore limiting ourselves to our 4 favorite mugs on the road. To this day, two years in, we’ve only ever needed 4 at a time. So go make some money on eBay, and sell that stuff, baby!

Small Space with Pets-

If you’re like me, your pets are your children. Therefore, the tiny space must incorporate them as well. How much space can a cat actually take up? Your dog doesn’t need too much, right? These were both things I had thought prior to making the move, but boy, was I surprised. For one, now that we are in a smaller space, our cat likes to make her presence known. She’s everywhere I want to sit. In my bed, on the toilet (remember that toilet training thing?), yelling at me to feed her.

I adore her, but it can be a lot. It definitely helped when we gave her a designated space. We made space by the window, put her food nearby and one of her toys, and now she gravitates toward that area. I still find her everywhere I need to be because, ya know, cats… but she mostly hangs out in “her” space now. Combined, our cat and dog have their own cabinet in the trailer of just items for pet use. Food, brushes, shampoo, flea and tick treatments, a colorful collection of bandanas. It definitely helps to have all of their items in their own location so that they aren’t mixed in with ours.

We also keep their vet records on hand in their own files. If you’re planning on traveling in your tiny space, this will be especially important as many parks require this information to be readily available. If you are like me and have an allurement toward fluffy pets, you’ll want to keep a lint roller on hand. I can never seem to walk out of the house without a fresh layer of fur on my own clothing, no matter how many times a day we brush them. Keeping a lint roller handy has been truly lifesaving.

Go With the Flow-

I know this may seem contradictory to my first tip of “planning ahead,” but what this life has taught me is you truly cannot plan for everything. There are going to be wrenches thrown into your days. The best thing you can do is, take a deep breath, smile, and try something new. We’ve had countless times where things have gone wrong. Most recently, our two-year-old water heater abruptly stopped working. As frustrating as that was, we ended up getting a gym membership so that we could shower and now find ourselves working out at the gym on a daily basis. That was never the intention, but it was a welcomed change in our life. We’ve become true believers that everything happens for a reason. If you’re finding yourself craving living in a tiny space, well, there’s probably a reason for that too, so I say go for it!

We hope you found these tips for small space living helpful. Are you currently living in a small space or RV? Do you have any tips to share with fellow travel nurses? Comment them below.

Are you looking for your next travel nurse assignment? Click here to view our job board.

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

START HERE

Self-Care

See a therapist

Set Boundaries

Develop a hobby

Start Journaling

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1. Delivering care (and caring) to those that need it most

2. Gaining balance between work and personal life

3. Growing and finding yourself

4. Meeting your true love

5. Becoming part of a new community

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17 things you need to know about being a travel nurse.

1. Yes, it will be hard getting your first job.

2. You may get a great hospital for your first job that is okay with you being green, asking questions, needing guidance.

3. Yes, we are serious that you should get two years in your specialty.

4. We are at-will employees.

6. Have a savings.

7. They are paying us to work.

8. Be professional.

9. Mind your business.

10. Be smart about safety when traveling.

11. No one can tell you if it’s better to fly and rent a car, drive to your destinations, or ship your car.

12. Yes, it’s harder to travel with pets.

13. Yes there is a quarantine for dogs going to Hawaii.

14. Recruiters

15. Not every “good” recruiter is a good recruiter for every nurse.

16. Travel nursing isn’t for everyone.

17. There will be nurse that disagree with these.

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The Bottom Line

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

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