While the chance of a natural disaster occurring is low, a travel nurse should consider creating a disaster plan in case of emergencies.
Developing a plan of action for a hurricane, tornado, earthquake or other natural disaster is difficult for those who work and live in one region. Creating a plan for a travel nurse when she's on the go is certainly a challenge. However, she will be glad she did if anything happens while she is on assignment.
Here are a few items a travel nurse should include in a disaster plan:
1. Provide loved ones with her itineraries. It can be easy to get out of the habit of providing details on assignments to loved ones once a travel nurse becomes a pro at travel work. However, before setting out on an assignment, she should email her travel itineraries to friends and family. It should include where she works with an address, best way to contact her at the hospital or clinic, her home address, any phone numbers they can use to reach her, email and social media accounts. A contact person can be an integral part of the plan.
"It's like having a lifeline," Shannon McGauley, president of the disaster preparedness company 4 Survival to Go told Bing. "You could be completely separated from people for days, so having that contact person who can communicate between people is the most important thing to do for a trip and also, frankly, when you're in your home town."
2. Remain aware. A travel nurse should research the weather and potential disasters prone to a region. Areas such as the mid-west in America can experience multiple tornadoes throughout the year. Anticipating this potential problem and remaining aware of the weather can prevent a travel nurse from being caught unawares. One potential solution is to invest in a smartphone with a weather update application.
3. Call the nurse representative. If a natural disaster has occurred in the area, a travel nurse can call her healthcare staffing representative at the agency to notify him or her of her safety. This can provide both the agency and any family members who potentially contact them of a travel nurse's safety.