Working as a successful travel nurse, you'll need more than just the proper education and medical knowledge for helping patients. In addition to the necessary supplies, you always want to make sure that you have good communication with your co-workers. Being able to maintain positive relationships with those you stand side-by-side with on a daily basis will help to ensure that you are providing the best medical care possible. Whether you're outgoing or introverted, improve your relationships with your colleagues by practicing these communication tips:
Rid yourself of bad habits
There are multiple bad habits you may be guilty of that you don't even realize. For instance, do you think you're always right? This is never a good practice in the workplace and can even be dangerous when working travel nursing jobs. Instead, listen to what others have to say and consider the fact that you just may be wrong when it comes to the best method of treatment for a patient.
When you are incorrect, be it about treatment or something minor, it's important that you acknowledge you were wrong. Avoid passive-aggressive behavior in these types of situations as well. And when you are right, don't put others down for being wrong – this will create difficult working relationships, and it's important that all healthcare professionals are able to work well together without any underlying issues.
Create good habits
In order to promote better communication skills for yourself as a travel nurse, you'll want to focus on some specific techniques. This profession can be stressful at times, so be sure to express empathy not only for your patients but also your co-workers. It will make them feel more comfortable discussing concerns and issues that are related to work if you acknowledge how they are feeling.
This is also an important time to ask questions of your colleagues to show that you are generally interested in what they have to say. When working with patients together, you can also spend time listening to their ideas and inquiring further to better understand their input. Try practicing these positive communication skills with family, friends, patients and co-workers on a regular basis.
You can also improve communication at work by paying attention to the smaller details. This includes the tone of voice in which you are speaking to someone, as well as keeping in mind your body language. The kindest voice can come off as aggressive if you are putting forth a defense front with your stance or facial expressions. This can include maintaining eye contact during serious discussions.