Tired of taking loads of paperwork with you from assignment to assignment? A travel nurse or travel therapist may wish to consider going paperless. Modern technology has enabled the average person to revel in the ability to use compact information storage devices. Items such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB), laptops, tablets and smartphones help mobile and permanent location professionals save the important details in easily accessible formats.
Going paperless can decrease the items a travel RN or travel therapist needs to carry with her to and from an assignment, increase her sustainability and improve her organization of information.
Here are five tips for going paperless:
1. Sign up for online bill pay. Many financial institutions promote online banking functions as a way to improve timeliness in bill paying. Consider signing up and getting on the virtual banking bandwagon. Banks, utilities and credit card companies typically offer the ability to view monthly statements in a PDF format or have them emailed. If the idea of removing that paper reminder causes stress, set up a calendar reminder to go off five days before the payment is due.
2. Keep digital copies of manuals. Almost every appliance, electronic device or large purchase such as tires will come with a manual or warranty guarantee. Instead of keeping all of this paperwork in a box, a travel nurse or travel therapist can search on the manufacturer’s website and download a PDF manual. Save a copy each item on a USB, external hard drive or CD. Keeping copies on multiple devices can reduce the risk of losing something important due to a technology malfunction.
3. Opt for e-receipts when possible. Retail stores are getting in on the benefits of going paperless by offering customers the ability to have receipts emailed to them instead of being printed out. According to National Public Radio (NPR), Apple, Nordstrom, Patagonia and Gap Inc. have all implemented e-receipt capabilities in stores across the U.S. By selecting this option when possible, a nurse can reduce waste, save herself from an over-stuffed wallet and keep everything organized online in case a purchase needs to be returned at a later date.
In addition, remember to shred all documents with personal information on them before recycling, and to keep copies of everything in multiple digital storage formats or a secure online accessible platform.