Tips for being a long-term traveling nurse

Looking to make travel nursing a long-term career? Some nurses encounter many interesting situations and intriguing people that make them want to continue their wandering existences. Conversely, the frequent moves that come with that lifestyle may make others want to find other types of employment. 

If a travel nurse is looking for tips to help keep her on track and succeed professionally, there are a few things to consider. A nurse should remain flexible to the variety of situations, people and elements they will encounter while on assignment.

"You want to keep your mind open to the sorts of experiences you can have at a workplace and the people that you will meet. There are so many different types of technology and different ways of doing something. And you keep your mind open and say, 'How do you want me to do it here?'" Giovanna Goodwin, RN, CNOR told Healthcare traveler.

A travel nurse will be a better employee for clinics and hospitals if she is willing to open herself up to new methods of doing things and adapts quickly. A facility will not wish to employ someone who is unwilling to acclimate to the current professional climate.

While a nurse should remain accepting and flexible, learning and improving oneself in order to bring something to the table at a new assignment will be beneficial for finding work.

"Develop your basic skills and hone your confidence so that you're able to perform at a level that you feel is competent, professional, and gives the patient the best outcome. If you're not comfortable performing a procedure, seek a mentor. Don't be afraid to ask for help," John "J.T." Trebilcock, RN, told Healthcare Traveler.

Long-term traveling nurses are often adept at these two qualities. Professionally, they find work due to their knowledge and experience but they keep the job due to a positive attitude and flexibility to adapt to the situations at hand, even when they are not ideal. In their personal situations, constant learning typically means engagement, success and professional happiness that will positively influence their overall attitudes toward life. Flexibility keeps a traveling nurse willing to explore new areas and to create a home away from home.

Traveling nurses looking to make their work part of a permanent or long-term career should try to incorporate these two features into how they live and work for success.