What is it Like to be a Traveling Nurse?

The life of a traveling nurse is a demanding, but rewarding and exciting lifestyle. In this article, we will highlight some of the day-to-day duties, considerations, and helpful tips that you should keep in mind as you either begin or continue your journey as a travel nurse.

As a traveling nurse, your day-to-day life can change rapidly depending on the hospital, location, and specialty that you are working in. Different environments can render different situations that require you to think on your feet and act quickly to manage several patients across the floor. With that being said, the functions and responsibilities between a full-time nurse and a travel nurse are mostly the same. Although, despite practicing with the same duties as a full-time nurse, the benefits of travel nursing are endless, especially for those looking to pursue a new adventure and experience freedom unlike any other. 

The standard functions and responsibilities of a traveling nurse are immensely critical but are practices you should be familiar with. Performing assessments, monitoring I/O’s and vitals, administering medications, educating clients, and reporting pertinent changes to a patient’s provider are the core principles of a nurse’s role that you should already be comfortable and confident in. However, one thing to keep in mind during your daily work as a traveling nurse is to be conscientious of hospital policies and procedures. If you are constantly changing facilities contract after contract, it can be difficult to re-learn new protocols at a facility that you are still unfamiliar with. This is why it is important to consult other floor nurses, and your unit manager, and refer to digital hospital policies to ensure that you are practicing with integrity and keeping yourself free of the legal limelight. 

Outside the core duties that often remain the same as a travel nurse, you may be wondering about your contract schedule. Typically, this is up to hiring managers and the unit’s needs, so at times your schedule may be out of your control. A common rule of thumb is to expect to work 8- 12-hour shifts from 3-5 days per week. These long hours and work weeks during your temporary assignment can cause undue stress, which is why it is important to explore your city and ensure that your living style is warm and comfortable. This will provide you with opportunities to de-stress, relax, and re-energize for your next set of shifts that are soon to come. 

Overall, the life of a traveling nurse is awfully similar to that of a full-time nurse. However, being a travel nurse offers you a unique set of experiences that a permanent nurse will not have the opportunity to pursue. Sure, the money can be exceptional, but the opportunity to see new parts of the country, taste new food, and visit new attractions are some of the incredible benefits of contract work. It especially provides those who are bored quickly with experiences that fuel their individuality, all while maintaining the same rewarding work as a nurse. The balance of continuing to foster connections with patients to improve their state of health in conjunction with fulfilling your world curiosity with a valuable immersive experience is what makes the career of a traveling nurse so special. 

If you are a facility looking to fulfill vacancies, we invite you to fill out the facility inquiry form at https://www.novoconnections.com/facility-inquiry-form and allow us to diligently attend to your staffing needs. For our clinicians, visit our job board today at https://careerportal.novoconnections.com/#/ to find a contract opportunity and connect with a recruiter to secure an agency job that you deserve. 

About: Novo Connections is a leading healthcare staffing agency that brings people together in search of rewarding healthcare career opportunities. We provide class-leading staffing services to healthcare facilities around the U.S.

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