Who are Travel Nurses?
Travel nurses are healthcare professionals who visit different states to perform their duties where there is a shortage of nursing staff. During Covid 19 the demand for travel nurses increased due to a shortage of staff in healthcare facilities. To overcome this problem and provide patient care, healthcare facilities moved towards travel nurses. Travel nurses work on assignments that are typically 13 weeks long.
What do Travel Nurses do?
Travel nurse’s duties are the same as permanent nurses, but their assignments are short and they move from one city to another where they are needed. Some of the duties of travel nurses are as follows:
- Administering medications.
- Performing assessments.
- Creating personalized care plans with the help of other healthcare workers.
- Performing treatments and procedures such as wound care, inserting IVs, and more.
Travel nurses work in specific units like emergency centers, ICU centers, Labor and delivery, Operating room nurses, etc.
Day in the Life of a Travel Nurse
What do travel nurses do in a day? Here in this blog, we will discuss a typical day of travel nurses. Travel nurses work either night shifts or day shifts, typically 8 hours to 12 hours.
Waking up and getting ready
Before starting their first day in a new city, they must have a good sleep and nutritious meal. Nurses should not skip breakfast if they have a day shift or should have a proper dinner before going for a night shift. The checklist includes:
- Stethoscope
- ID Badge
- Meal / Snacks
- Water bottle
- Personal items
- Electronic devices
Here is the list of tips on what travel nurses do before starting their next assignment.
Arriving at the facility
Introduction and orientation: On the first day when traveling nurses arrive, they are introduced to the healthcare team and given a tour of the facility.
Taking over the shift: On other days as soon as they reach the facility, they take over the shift from the nurses before them. They check their tasks and see if there are any critical updates or changes in the schedule. They set their priorities and ask questions. The charge nurses provide brief information about important things such as:
- Patient condition
- Ongoing treatments
- Any significant changes that occurred during the last shift
- Highlighting specific patient concerns
- Personal notes about patient preferences
- Updated documentation and new orders
Tip: The nurses must ask questions and make themselves clear about their duties to avoid any kind of misunderstanding and problems.
Travel nurse’s duties
Travel nurses perform the same duties as registered nurses, but the only difference is that their assignments are short and change with each new assignment. Here is an overview of the travel nurse job description.
- Assessing patients.
- Administering medications.
- Assist with procedures.
- Wound dressing or IV insertions.
- Provide patient education and support.
Taking breaks during shifts
The nurses must take breaks during their shifts to avoid burnout. Nursing jobs are hectic and challenging, and many times nurses skip their meals and even forget to drink water. The nurses must keep track of their time, take breaks, and keep themselves hydrated. The benefits of taking breaks during shifts are:
- Improves productivity.
- Reduce stress and better mental health.
- Prevent burnout.
- Increased job satisfaction.
Tip: Enjoy snacks and flavored water during the breaks. Take a small walk outside and get some fresh air. Stretch a little!
Adapting and dealing with challenges
The hard part of travel nursing is adapting to the new environment with every assignment. Unlike permanent nurses, travel nurse’s facility changes with each assignment. Adapting to a new environment can be challenging. Learning new procedures, technology, and protocols and adjusting to them can be difficult. Moreover, during their shifts travel nurses face many challenges related to patients, they have to use critical thinking to overcome these challenges and provide the best patient care.
Communicating
Communication is an essential part of travel nurses. They must communicate with the other health team members and share any concerns or questions if there are any. Travel nurses should not only communicate with other healthcare team members but also the patients and their families to provide health education and more.
Ending shift
End of the shift include:
- Making sure all the tasks are completed and done properly.
- Documenting each and everything accurately without missing anything.
- Discuss critical information with the incoming nurse.
- Give them information about any pending work that needs attention.
- Clock out and head home.
Personal time
Once you reach home make sure to change and have a nice meal. Drink a lot of water. Watch a movie or read a book. Do something relaxing and if you have the shift the next day then sleep early. If you have the day off you can go out, meet friends, and talk to your family.
What are the travel nurse hours?
Travel nurses typically work for 40 hours per week. If you are looking for any travel nursing jobs, then join Skill Gigs which help you find your dream job according to your interests and skills.
What are travel nurse schedules?
Travel nurses have different schedules depending on their job and healthcare facility requirements such as:
Shift length: It is typically 12 hours, but it can also be 8 to 10 hours depending on the job requirements.
Where do travel nurses work?
Travel nurses work in different healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, hospice care, ASCs, outpatient surgical centers, and much more.
What is it like to be a travel nurse?
Travel nursing is an exciting job where you can visit new places, make money, and help patients. Even though they have some challenges, it is a rewarding job with lots of benefits such as exploring new places, high pay rates, paid time off, and more.
How often do travel nurses travel?
It depends on their personal preferences. A typical travel nursing assignment is usually 13 weeks. Some travel nurses take multiple assignments in the year, travel more, and make more money.
Conclusion
If you have an adventurous nature and want to help patients and bring positive change in the healthcare environment, then travel nursing is the best career choice for you. Travel nurses do not get stuck with the same facility doing the same routines, instead, they work in different cities, travel to new places, meet new people, and help patients. Their passion for helping people combines with the love of traveling, bringing positive change in the healthcare environment. In this blog we have discussed a typical day in the life of a travel nurse, travel nurse duties, travel nursing schedules, and more. If you are a travel nurse and looking for a job, then you are in the right place. Join Skill Gigs now and get the best travel nursing assignment that is perfect for you.
Also don’t forget to check out this cool travel nurse quiz to find the career best suits you! Happy travel nursing.
