Travel Nursing Archives - Page 2 of 3

Holiday Gift Guide: 5 Great Travel Nurse Gifts!

December 1, 2022 No Comments

Nurses can be challenging to buy gifts for, so most people resort to cutesy Christmas items such as engraved cups and badge reels. While there is NOTHING wrong with those gifts (I do need a new badge reel, actually), I’m frequently asked for unique travel nurse gifts that we would be surprised by and appreciate! Most people ask me, “How do I buy something for someone who probably has the money to buy themselves anything they want?”

You know your traveler better than I do, but I’ve researched with co-workers and compiled an organized gift guide for you!

#1: Gift Cards

Let’s be honest, we spend far more time in the car than we’d like. Many of us make frequent visits back home to visit our family, which can be difficult to afford even on a traveler’s salary. Gift cards to fast food restaurants, gas stations, or even airlines are guaranteed to be appreciated by any travel nurse!

FIGS Christmas 2022 travel nurse gifts — *(FIGS Christmas 2022, Instagram)*

Scrubs

Not all hospitals use the same scrub colors, and I have four different colors in my closet! When we start a new contract, we occasionally have to buy multiple pairs of scrubs to match the hospital’s required color. Depending on the store, one set of high-quality scrubs costs $50-100. Even though some people think gift cards are too impersonal for a Christmas present, I’ve never heard a travel nurse be disappointed by a gift card for new scrubs! Shopping suggestions:

Pampering

Maybe this is just personal wishful thinking, but nothing can top a massage gift card. My back hurts just thinking about being at work! Gift cards to hair stylists, nail salons, and massage parlors for pampering make great travel nurse gifts for a lady (maybe even a guy, too!).

#2: Packing Cubes

Moving between locations for every contract gets old fast, and it becomes extra exhausting when we don’t have efficient packing methods. A traveler friend of mine got vacuum packing cubes for Christmas last year, and she said it revolutionized how she moved! A packing cube reduces the amount of space that items require, keeps them organized, and protects them from damage. I travel between contracts in my SUV, and I must carefully plan to ensure everything will fit safely. Give your travel nurse something that will benefit them long-term (vacations, anyone?) and help them stay organized with different sizes of packing cubes!

For detailed suggestions on the best packing cubes, try reading this article.

#3: Portable Battery

If your travel nurse commutes between cities or comes home to visit often, then odds are they spend a lot of time in the car or on a plane. It can be so hard to keep our devices charged! Solution: a portable battery. Bonus points if it’s solar-powered! Most battery packs only offer USB charging, but a solar-powered battery with actual plugs on the side (AC outlet) would provide plenty of backup. Shopping suggestions:

#4: Space Heater

Rentals don’t usually have the best heating options, and I’ve personally experienced difficulty maintaining my space at a comfortable temperature when there are multiple tenants. A space heater lets me heat my bedroom, bathroom, or even my desk at work during these cold winter months! Since we tote a lot of stuff around, a heater on the smaller size might be best. I once saw a gal with a USB-powered space heater that fit on her work desk, and I was grateful to stay toasty with her through the entire shift!

Shopping suggestions:

Note: Some hospitals don’t allow personal space heaters or fans, so dayshifters may be unable to utilize one at work.

#5: White Noise Machine

Nightshift, anyone? Sleeping during the day is harder than you’d think; mowers, chatty neighbors, slamming doors, and car noises make it hard for us to stay asleep. My roommate and I are struggling with construction happening in the apartment above us, and we sleep during the day, so there isn’t a good way for our landlord to help us. Our idea: white noise machine! A noise machine can provide multiple sound options, have sleep timers, and using one doesn’t drain a cellphone battery (great time for that portable battery, though!). Even day shift nurses might appreciate this gift too. Shopping suggestions:

Bonus #6: Anything Personalized

I joked about personalized cups and badge reels, but we really do appreciate anything that shows that you care about us. Being a healthcare traveler tends to be a lonely lifestyle. Travel nurse gifts that reflect your love for us, especially if they’re personalized and thoughtful, will be winners in our books! My go-to for personalized items with a handmade flair is Etsy! 🙂

For more ideas on what travel nurses need, click here: “3 Practical Ways to Care for Yourself as a Travel Nurse!”

*New feature! Hover over a photo to pin to Pinterest! 🙂

Nursing, Travel Nursing

4 Worst Ways to Fail as a New Travel Nurse

November 14, 2022 No Comments

What makes a good or bad travel nurse? I cannot count how many travel nurses have complained to me, “Why did my contract not get extended?” Despite other travelers being extended and the unit being on fire every shift, some travelers get dropped like hot potatoes after their contract is complete. Below are some travel nurse tips to avoid losing or hating your job!

1. Laziness

Teamwork is the backbone of the nursing profession, and we all need to work together to keep our patients safe. Nursing is hard enough without dealing with lazy coworkers, especially travelers. Some staff nurses negatively perceive travel nurses, and laziness is a big reason. Just because you’re experienced and (hopefully well-paid) does not mean you are above a staff nurse! Being lazy is a great way to have your coworkers hate you.

My tip: Work hard with a good attitude even when it sucks. No one is ever thrilled to help change a soiled bed or grab endless items for unprepared coworkers, but a strong work ethic will get you far! Check on your fellow nurses, offer to help with turns, and be kind no matter what; these are the same people you’ll depend on when you get a new admission! 😉

Sometimes laziness is simply a symptom of burnout. Nursing is hard, and travel nursing comes with unique difficulties. As a new travel nurse, learning what self-care looks like in your new career is important!

For help with this, try my specific article, “3 Practical Ways to Care for Yourself as a Travel Nurse”.

2. Inflexibility

Hospitals hire travel nurses because they are short-staffed and need experienced, flexible nurses to help with a shortage. Travel nurses should be able to function with minimal orientation to a new unit and serve as an asset, NOT a burden. Expect to float often, have your patient assignment changed on a dime, or have an inconvenient schedule. Nurses that complain about everything quickly annoy their coworkers, which is a HUGE reason travelers don’t get extended! This is not an encouragement to accept poor or unfair working conditions but a call to fulfill what we’re hired for: to be a temporary staffing solution.

My tip: Be aware that your skill set is likely more diverse than many other nurses on your unit. You are better equipped to float to a new unit because jumping straight in is what we do! Be willing to change patient assignments if you need to, as long as the new assignment is safe for you to care for. Show kindness towards stressed charge nurses and agree to float with grace. For very specific ways to remain adaptable, click here.

3. Refusal to Learn

EVERY hospital is going to be different from where you came from! Each facility will have individual policies, practices, and unit cultures, even if it is in the same system and only a block down the street. There are many IV pumps, ventilators, arterial line setups, bed functions, tube feeding, and monitor setups. Refusal to learn new machines and follow new policies will destroy your ability to continue travel nursing! Charting systems can be challenging to learn, and well-seasoned travel nurses definitely have personal preferences, but not following hospital policy with your charting will get you fired quickly.

Equipment room at STL — So many machines to get to learn!

I remember a travel nurse named Michael (name changed for privacy) that I worked with frequently when he first started at my assignment. He was always missing when our patients were crashing and NEVER offered to help a single person during his shift. Even weeks after arriving, he had been labeled a “terrible traveler,” and everyone avoided working with him.

One night I was helping Michael with his patient, and he confided in me that he’d never used our charting system before. This grown man was terrified that someone would ask him to do something he didn’t know how to do, so he avoided everyone and everything!

Unfortunately, his contract was not extended, and most staff members were relieved that he was gone. If Michael had proactively asked for help with the charting system and admitted that he needed help, we would’ve been happy to teach him!

My tip: Ask people to teach you how to use unfamiliar devices. Explaining that you’ve never used something before and proactively looking for education will earn you some lenience with your coworkers! Traveling is a great time to build your skills and learn machines, systems, and procedures that you haven’t seen before. Don’t be a Michael!

4. Flaunting the Perks

This one is hard. Travel nursing isn’t easy, but it can be a dream come true for many of us! I’m happy to avoid the drama and logistics of being staff. I’m thrilled to see my hefty paycheck every Friday morning. I’m grateful for the scheduling flexibility that travel nursing offers me, and I can’t imagine returning staff somewhere! However, flaunting the perks of travel nursing is a great way to lose favor with your unit managers. If someone asks me specific questions about travel nursing, I’m happy to oblige, but raving about why everyone should be a travel nurse isn’t helpful in most scenarios.

My tip: Just be humble, stay out of drama, and collect that paycheck every week!

If you’re looking for more information, check out my article, “Five Interesting Lessons Travel Nursing Has Taught Me!”

Boujie on a Budget, Getaways in the United States, Travel, Travel Nursing

Traveling Light: How I Vacation with a Carry-on

September 15, 2022 No Comments

When I started travel nursing, I commuted weekly from my home in Illinois to my Airbnb in Indianapolis. I got a great carry-on suitcase for Christmas from my mom, and I found that it was FANTASTIC for packing clothes for my nursing contracts!

Because this was the only suitcase I owned and I couldn’t afford the matching larger version, I started traveling with a carry-on for my vacations too. I’ve considered buying a larger suitcase for longer trips and likely will need to eventually, but a carry-on bag can be plenty of space if you pack right!

carry-on suitcases — Our suitcases are packed and ready to go!

Why bring a carry-on?

Have you ever checked a bag and waited an hour for it to arrive in baggage claim after your destination? It’s happened to me. Have you ever had an item break in your checked bag? It’s happened to me. Have you ever had your baggage get lost? To be fair, that one hasn’t happened to me, but probably because I avoid checking a bag at all costs!

I like to only use a carry-on whenever possible for multiple reasons. It prevents me from getting stuck in long baggage check lines on arrival, reducing the time I have to be in the airport. When I’m coming off a work shift and sleeping during the day before a late flight, even 15 extra minutes of sleep feels heavenly!

carry-on suitcases on airport scale — Both suitcases are small enough to fit on the airport scale together

Bringing a carry-on keeps all of your belongings near you at all times. There are no “middlemen” managing your valuables, and your risk of losing your suitcase is significantly decreased.

Smaller suitcases are easier to navigate within the airport and at your destination. Smoothly wheeling your carry-on up to a hotel is much easier than dragging a huge suitcase up to the check-in counter. Carry-ons are lighter than large suitcases, which is ideal for me because I have chronic back problems.

Plus my suitcase matches my hair, which I love!

Not checking a suitcase means more freedom when you arrive at your destination. On our recent trip to Las Vegas, we were hit by bright LED screens and slot machines as soon as we walked off the plane. We were so excited to start exploring and get to our hotel! Unfortunately, we checked both of our suitcases because they had full-size liquids, and we had to stand for over an hour in baggage claim before our bags finally showed up. Not fun.

That leads me to the con of not checking a bag: limitations with what you can pack. All liquids in a carry-on must follow the 3-1-1 rule. Liquids must be 3.4 ounces or less, fit in 1 quart-sized bag, and each passenger may only have one bag of liquids. If you check your suitcase, no matter its size, it does NOT have to follow the 3-1-1 guidelines. This rule was created in 2006 after terrorists in Britain tried to sneak liquid explosives onto an airplane. For this reason, if you expect to have a large number of liquids or cannot put your shampoo/conditioner into smaller bottles, you may have to check your baggage under the plane. Traveling with a carry-on is a great time to utilize those complimentary toiletries many hotels provide!

My tip: Walmart has cheap containers in their hygiene section that follow the 3-1-1 rule! They also have travel-sized deodorant, toothpaste, and mouthwash.

Keep reading below for my tried-and-tested suggestions for packing a carry-on!

Do you really need that extra jacket?

The answer is no; you don’t. Bring a jacket if you expect to be cold, but unless you’re visiting the middle of nowhere, you can always find a Walmart somewhere! Extra “just in case” clothing quickly adds up and can fill your suitcase with items you won’t ever use. My mama taught me to count how many pairs of socks, underwear, etc that I would need on my trip and add one of each. That rule hasn’t failed me yet!

Avoid bulky items

Light summer dresses that don’t wrinkle easily are my go-to on vacation. Leggings and soft t-shirts also roll relatively small and can fit in empty suitcase crevices. Wear your bulkiest shoes to the airport so they don’t limit your carry-on space or add weight! If you really want to bring those thigh-high boots, you better be willing to wear them on the plane. The airport is NOT the place to care about style! I usually wear sneakers on the plane and pack a pair of lightweight neutral flats to go with all of my dresses. If you pay close attention to my trip photos, you’ll see many pairs of repeated shoes! That is okay with me 😊 If you ended up bringing that extra jacket, wear it on your flight instead of using your suitcase space.

Unfortunately, avoiding bulky is difficult during winter or when visiting somewhere cold. Warm clothes are naturally larger than summer outfits, so you might need a bigger suitcase in this instance. If you still need to bring a carry-on, avoid sweaters; these take up a lot of space and you can’t discreetly wear them multiple times in one trip. That brings me to my next point!

Bring clothing that you can wear more than once

A good pair of jeans or a pair of black leggings are your friend here. No one will notice or care that you wore the same pair of jeans 2-3 days or layered a hoodie over the tank top that you wore yesterday. However, if you wear a patterned dress or brightly-colored heels in pictures, people on social media will definitely notice! Within reason, try to bring clothing pieces that are neutral or can become multiple outfits. You’ll thank yourself later for the extra souvenir space you saved in your suitcase!

packing carry-ons — How I organize everything to roll and pack

Utilize the outside pockets of your suitcase

Yes, those are there for a reason! My husband and I usually store socks, underwear, and other soft items in the exterior pockets or interior “tops” of our suitcases. They serve as a cushion for the rest of our items, and we harmlessly squish them into tight places. If our suitcases get thrown into the trunk of our car or underneath the airplane, none of our belongings will be affected.

My tip: Once you arrive at your destination, use the exterior pockets for dirty clothes. Doing this will keep your dirty clothes separate, and you won’t have to worry about them getting wrinkled! Once we get home, I just unzip the pockets and dump our clothes straight into the washer.

Last but not least: Roll your clothing!

Most travelers know this by now, but you should not fold your clothes. Folding causes creases and does not maximize your suitcase space. Roll your clothing! It doesn’t have to be perfect; good rolling skills come with practice. If you don’t know how, click here for a great YouTube demonstration.

For more travel tips, check out my article on Flying Cheap: The Hopper App and Spirit Airlines!

Nursing, Travel Nursing

3 Practical Ways to Care for Yourself as a Travel Nurse

August 30, 2022 No Comments

I love getting my nails done as much as any woman, but nursing demands a new set of self-care skills! Since hospitals won’t let us have our nails painted, we have to look outside the box to care for ourselves and support our mental health. The physical, mental, and emotional strain of being a nurse combined with the unique challenges of living miles (or states) away from your family can be hard to handle. I believe self-care and self-love are essential for success as a travel nurse, so read my best suggestions for travel nursing self-care below!

1. Your Health Comes First (get it? It’s #1!)

Eat enough food

It’s easy to find yourself not eating enough food when you start a new travel contract. Driving back and forth between cities on very little sleep, taking quick naps before shifts or required social gatherings, and having limited time to go to the store can lead to terrible diet choices. I used to eat like a kindergartener when I first started traveling because I had only a microwave and minimal fridge space. If your goal is to survive off mini microwavable mac-n-cheese cups or Lunchables, you do you! However, ensuring that you actually eat home-cooked food can make or break your traveling experience.

My tip: Never rent somewhere without a stove or electric cooking top. You can eat a reasonably healthy diet and cook various meals if you have a functional kitchen area. Right now, I am blessed to be staying in an apartment with a beautifully stocked kitchen, which is THE BEST. If you can find a good kitchen in a rental, I highly encourage you to utilize it!

I started eating healthier and saving significant money by packing hot lunches to take to work. Some of my favorites are pasta with grilled chicken, rice with cooked diced vegetables and grilled chicken, and high-protein veggie burgers. I get pre-cooked grilled chicken from ALDI, which is lean meat, high protein, and easy to add to my pasta or stir fry when I warm it up at the hospital. The burgers that I eat are also from ALDI, and while they get pretty soft when you microwave them, they have still proven themselves to be a solid option at 2am!

Something about cold lunches never feels satisfying in the middle of my shift, so I typically avoid them. I save tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiches, refrigerated fruit cups, and salty snacks for when I get home!

If you already have an exercise routine, stick with it if possible. Many popular gyms, including the YMCA and Planet Fitness, are national memberships that will grant you access to any location. My membership to the YMCA lets me in the door and allows me to sign up for classes at my home gym and the gym in my contracted city. If you don’t have an exercise routine, now could be the perfect time to start one! You probably have more free time than you did at home, and it’s a scientifically proven way to prevent depression, normalize your hormones, and keep yourself energized. If you’re homesick, a little forced exercise definitely couldn’t hurt.

2. Make Sure You Follow Your “Why”

Why did you decide to travel? Was it for the increased pay? Did you want to travel for adventure and sightseeing? Were you looking for new experiences? Was it because you wanted to live in a specific area or be closer to other family/friends? There are endless reasons we decide to travel nurse, but I’d like to encourage you not to lose sight of your “why.”

If you’re trying to make as much money as possible, ensure you don’t neglect your health as you chase that (very reachable) goal. If you choose to travel for the actual travel experiences, use that reason to prioritize your free time. By following your “why,” you will end your contract feeling much more satisfied and fulfilled than if you just plodded through your assignment.

My “why” was not originally money-focused. Of course, it was exciting to see my pay package offers for my first assignment, but I ultimately decided to try it because I wanted to get out of town. I wanted to travel the world, so I was thrilled to start traveling the country! The extra income has helped fuel the leisurely side of traveling, but the adventure of it is still where my heart lies.

My tip: Carefully choose between 36-48 hours. Remember, you can always pick up overtime, but you can’t usually decrease your hours after you’ve started! Those 48-hour contract price points might seem tempting, and that might match your personal goals, but remember to take care of yourself first.

3. Don’t JUST Work.

I know it can be tempting to pick up those extra shifts when you know you’re making travel pay. Fridays are my favorite day of the week (thank you, weekly paychecks)! However, you need days off during the week even if your goal is to make tons of money. Those three months will fly by faster than you expect, even as an experienced traveler. My favorite memories from contracts are always time with friends and having new experiences, and I’ve made some really incredible friendships while traveling!

Make friends with other travelers. Nurses love to eat, and some breakfast mimosas after a long shift are a multi-purpose way to unwind! I love a good mimosa flight and pancake brunch! Bonding with other nurses can build connections for switching shifts, give you people to chat with at night to stay awake, and can be convenient when you need a new reference at the end of your contract.

Don’t be afraid to be a tourist! A quick Google search will pop up plenty of bucket list activities in most cities/areas, and there are usually options advertised on the city’s official website too. Experiencing the local attractions together can be a smooth entry into befriending other travel nurses too!

VACATION! If you’ve read this blog at all, you know this is my FAVORITE topic! I try to take 1-2 weeks off between each contract or contract extension for some R&R. I’ve never had a problem getting a few weeks of vacation time off during my contracts.

My tip: Arrange your time off to start on a Wednesday and end on the following Wednesday. This lets you work your three shifts each week and allows you to have a vacation without compromising your budget. Managers appreciate this format too! 😊

On vacation in San Francisco, CA between contract extensions

For tips on finding restaurants to visit with your new travel nurse friends, click here to read my article, “How I Find Great Restaurants in New Cities!”

Getaways in the United States, Nursing, Travel, Travel Nursing

How I Find Great Restaurants in New Cities

July 30, 2022 1 Comment

As a travel nurse and someone who adores leisurely travel, eating amazing food has become a high priority for me. Being away on travel contracts in unfamiliar cities can get lonely and finding great restaurants to enjoy with my new friends fills my free time with joy! My husband and I also have very different culinary tastes, so I used to struggle to find restaurants that we both would be happy with. Over the past year, I’ve discovered some great practices that help me find phenomenal restaurants with awesome vibes. Keep reading for tips to find great restaurants when you visit a new city.

picking great food at a great restaurants

Ask The Locals

If you’re traveling for leisure, ask the locals for food suggestions! Hotel concierges, lobby bartenders, or even guests you meet in the elevator could have fantastic recommendations for you! If you are already at a restaurant that you enjoy, ask the server for suggestions on future locations. The trick is to leave your schedule open; if you make reservations for every night of your trip, you won’t have any wiggle room when you hear about an amazing restaurant from a local!

If you’re a travel nurse, I’ve found that staff nurses appreciate you wanting to learn more about their city. They’re usually eager to share their favorite restaurants and recommendations on where to visit near the hospital, and they’re often curious about where you’re living. I like to piggyback onto my coworkers’ brunch plans after long nightshifts and have discovered some incredible food and mimosas in the process! (Okay, it might involve inviting myself sometimes, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right?)

Utilize The Internet! It’s your friend!

The Food Network – This site allows you to search by location and is a thorough resource if you’re headed to a big city. You can sort by barbeque, tacos, cocktail bars, best restaurants to impress a guest, and more! The Food Network’s website makes it easy to scope out new territory without sorting through endless restaurant reviews.

OpenTable – This is a go-to website when I’m planning a trip! The site uses your location to find restaurants nearby that are open, and you can see reservation openings without even clicking on the restaurant. After you find a restaurant that piques your interest, you can make a reservation without ever leaving the website. We have used OpenTable for countless reservations, but I have only recently started using it to find restaurants when I’m hungry. OpenTable is easy to navigate and has never let me down on recommendations!

TripAdvisor – Pros: Lots of reviews, details about hours/menus/addresses, and makes it easier to decide if a specific restaurant is right for you. Cons: I don’t particularly like their rating system. Restaurants at the top are affected by popularity, not always the quality of reviews. I use this resource to research a restaurant that I’ve already heard about or found!

Try Searching Social Media

Everyone has seen gorgeous photos of carefully arranged plates posted by Instagram’s food royalty. Every major city has multiple (sometimes many!) foodies with colorful Instagram recommendations. If you’re looking for somewhere picturesque or aiming for a specific vibe, Instagram may help steer you in the right direction. If you end up loving the restaurant, make sure that you leave a positive comment on the food influencer’s post to support their efforts!

Ultimately, the easiest way to find great restaurants is to get out and explore! Find the places that seem busy or have long lines. This shows their popularity and means there is something to see! You may need some extra time on your hands to wait in a long line, but these hidden gems are often worth the wait.

What incredible restaurants have you visited? Have you utilized any of the resources in this post? Are you a foodie with fabulous suggestions? Comment YOUR tips below!

To read about my tips for traveling on a budget, click here.

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