Your decision to become a travel nurse is the first step to an amazing career, but it’s not a stroll down easy street. Entering the healthcare industry requires an extreme amount of dedication, tenacity, and adaptability (as you can’t always predict what you’re getting into). To succeed in travel nursing, you must hone your mindset to tackle all the experiences you may face—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
While it takes time and experience to get your perspective just right, a positive approach to the challenges of travel nursing will help you professionally and beyond. Here are a few ways to adapt to your new lifestyle and maintain a positive mindset for travel nursing.
1. Stay Flexible Throughout A Travel Nurse Assignment
Flexible travel nurses often have more success finding contracts that meet their various needs than those who are super-selective. They may not get the assignment with the perfect compensation or the particular location they want, but that doesn’t stop them from making the most of their travel nurse experience! If it feels wrong or doesn’t meet the bare minimum of your preferences, then saying no is the right move.
Flexibility comes in many forms when you’re a travel nurse, especially when you’re on the floor. You’ll constantly have to adapt to conducting new procedures and making fast, efficient decisions on patient care. The travel nurse experience is bound to toss you a few curveballs.
2. Prepare For Every Step
In addition to flexibility, preparation is vital to maintaining the travel nursing mindset, and it starts as soon as you commit to a contract. Thinking ahead for your journey will be important to your success. How you pack, where your housing is arranged, your first day, and how you will adapt to your new environment all hinge on your preparation and research. Sometimes, arrangements for your travel nurse assignment don’t go as planned, but the best you can do is be ready for whatever life throws your way.
3. Replace Fear With Courage
Travel nursing is a chance to escape your comfort zone and find new interests that challenge you to improve. However, comparing yourself to other travelers can zap the confidence you need to try new things, making you fearful of potentially failing. But it’s important not to dwell on negative thoughts!
There is always a learning curve whenever you’re trying something new, but it wouldn’t be so rewarding if it were easy. When it comes to the experiences you want to pursue as a travel nurse, no one is a better advocate for your aspirations than you. Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith!
4. Don’t Gossip
Playing into the gossip game can affect your relationship with your co-workers and leave a bad impression on your facility and travel nursing agency. Not only are you potentially burning bridges, but you’re creating a negative environment for yourself when chatting behind others’ backs. Patients can also suffer if you and your co-workers can’t get along. In short, skip the gossiping if you want to be a stellar travel nurse!
5. Remain Resilient
There will be good days, bad days, and even lonely ones. It’s always important to remember that the travel nurse lifestyle comes with a complete set of challenges, but not many people can do what you do. A resilient mindset helps travel nurses focus on what’s important and let go of what isn’t. You bring incredible value to the healthcare system and especially to your patients. Remembering your value and what you bring to the table will motivate you to push through the tough times and relish in the good ones.
A “glass half full” kind of attitude will help maintain the longevity of your travel nursing career. The more you put into it, the more rewarding experiences you’ll get out of it. If you’re ready to hone your skills even further, visit our job board to find the latest travel nurse jobs in the top travel nurse locations!
