Last month, we shared a post on Gypsy Nurse highlighting five traits successful travel nurses have in common. That got the team thinking about what these coveted road warriors do to prep for assignment/ working vacation.
Whether they’re heading to a nearby town or crossing state lines, outstanding travel nurses understand the importance of preparing mentally and physically for each new adventure.
The nitty-gritty of how to prepare is a personal choice. After all, you know you best. But ensuring you’ve got the following on-lock helps guarantee you’re bringing your best self to each assignment. Plus, those five traits—achiever, adventurous, proactive, adaptable and empathetic—can be activated to help you as you prepare to relocate on medical assignment.
1. Meet your requirements.
Accepting an assignment comes with responsibilities, often in the form of everyone’s favorite boogeyman—paperwork. That’s one reason partnering with a quality recruiter is key. LRS Healthcare is here to help make sure you have the proper licensing, tax forms, IDs, tests, etc.. This helps so you can focus on providing quality patient care and adventuring at full capacity.
2. Get the lowdown on the medical facility.
Our team of medical travel recruiters can’t stress this one enough, and we are one of our travel nurses’ finest resources when it comes to familiarizing yourself with the walls you’re about to walk through. The hospitals we partner with are typically well-known to us because we’ve been working with them for years. This type of mental prep for an assignment is nice to have in your back pocket to arrive ready to rock!
3. Stay connected with friends and family.
Let your loved ones know where you’re going. Also let them know when you’ll be there and the best ways to get in touch with you. Sometimes, travel nurses are looking to disconnect, but it’s important to keep in good communications with your inner circle. You never know when you might need to hear a familiar voice, and if you’re one of our travel nurses, we’re also only a phone call, text or email away at all times.
4. Know the lay of the land.
Top pay, top attractions and/or timing most often magnetize a travel nurse to a specific location. Whatever motivated you to make the temporary move to your next placement, it’s nice to acquaint yourself with the town or city. It good to know the public transportation (or lack thereof), neighborhood crime rates, local hangouts and other insights of this nature. Adventure is everywhere, and it’s important to be in the know when it comes to these basics. Also, feel free to ask your recruiter if you’re curious about what other travel nurses have said about your next location—shared knowledge is power.
