Traveling Nurses: Best Tips on How to Adapt to Change

There’s never been a better time to be a traveling nurse.

Not only do they get paid excellent wages right now, but they also have plenty of opportunities to work in different, diverse, and varied locations across the country.

Simply put, travel nursing can be a highly lucrative, fulfilling, and exciting career path.

With that being said, it’s not altogether always easy either.

One of the most difficult challenges associated with travel nursing is that you’re constantly going to need to be adapting to changes.

Your locations will change.
Your workplaces may change.
Your co-workers may change.
You may even need to change your lodging accommodations on a somewhat frequent basis.

But while these challenges can be overwhelming, it’s also true that with a proactive mindset and a firm plan of action, you can overcome them.

And in this post, you’re going to learn five tips for how to adapt to change as a travel nurse without getting overwhelmed.

1. Get Proper Housing

Whether you choose to stay in extended stay hotels, corporate housing, or short-term apartments, finding lodging that actually works for you is going to be the number one key to remaining adaptable and comfortable in ever-changing environments.

This will be your home away from home, so don’t hesitate to put some time, energy, and effort into finding a place that suits you well.

2. Focus On The Priorities

Travel nurses often have to think about many things all at once.

Not only do they need to think about work-related challenges and issues, but they also need to focus on the personal infrastructures of their day-to-day life.

They may need to think about education for their children, how to handle daycare, taking care of their pets, staying on top of bills, doing laundry, etc.

So each and every day, it’s always a good idea to make a priority list, to help you focus on the biggest priorities first.

Here’s the thing.

Sometimes, you can’t get everything done at once.

This is especially true for traveling nurses who have a lot on their plate between stints at different facilities.

So do what you can with the time you have. And always make sure to be focusing your efforts on the things that absolutely must get done now, so that you can focus on other things tomorrow and in the following days.

Speaking of days…

3. Take It One Day At A Time

With so many responsibilities on your mind at all hours of the day, you’ll be tempted to try to get everything done at once.

Making a priority list, as we’ve already discussed, can help—but it’s also important to understand that you don’t need to get everything done in one day all the time.

Sometimes, it’s important to take things one day at a time, and to do what you have to do to maintain your own mental and physical health while you also knock things off of your to-do list and carry your life forward towards success.

Travel nursing is a high-demand occupation.

Traveling nurses face pretty serious levels of burnout.

And part of the reason for this is because there’s just a lot of transition that goes on in this field.

Therefore, remembering to give yourself time to get it all done is highly important.

4. Stay In Touch With Your Support System

When you travel away from home, it can be easy to isolate yourself from your usual support systems.

This could mean your friends, family, loved ones, etc.

While you’re sure to make friends over the course of your travels, it’s also true that permanent friends, family, and loved ones should still continue to play a supportive and important role in your life.

So don’t be afraid to reach out to them often.

5. Take Some Time For Yourself

Last but definitely not least, it’s important to understand that travel nurses also need to take some personal time for themselves.

This is especially true on their days off.

Try to use some of your time off to pamper yourself, and to engage in some self-care activities that will help to keep you rested and healthy for the next work phase.

This could mean doing fun things with friends, traveling back to your hometown to see your friends and family, getting a massage or a pedicure, indulging in some of the local scenery and attractions, etc.

It really is important.

Maintaining your mental and emotional health is a powerful key to longevity when you’re embarking on such a challenging and fast-paced career.

Conclusion

There you have it.

These five tips should help you adapt to change as a travel nurse, and empower you to have a better experience in the career field without burning out or succumbing to exhaustion.

At the end of the day, travel nurses play a pivotal role in the modern healthcare system.

But it’s vital that you take care of yourself while you do it.