Questions You Should Ask the Facility During a Phone Interview

Posted on September 7, 2022 by TNC

The phone interview with the facility isn’t just a time for the facility to get to know you; it is also a time for you to get information on the facility. This is important to know if the assignment and facility are right for you. Below you will find nine things that are important to ask the facility during the phone interview.

Nurse to Patient Ratio

Nurse to patient ratio is always important to ask. You do not want to go into an assignment where the nurse-to-patient ratio is too high. As you know, the nurse-to-patient ratio generally depends on your specialty and the facility/unit itself.

Scrub Colors

As you know, as a travel nurse, every hospital, even the different units in the facilities, often has its own color scrubs. Knowing this during your interview will help you plan for the assignment should you get it/take it. The Gypsy Nurses’ website offers a great resource for finding and entering a facility’s scrub colors. Search for the facility and enter the scrub requirements in the box.

Floating Policy

If you aren’t interested in floating often, it is important to know the floating policy at the facility you are interviewing. This way, there are no surprises once you are working on the assignment.

Charting System

Not all facilities use the same charting systems, as you know. And as you know, the charting systems can and do vary significantly. You may not be familiar with the charting system, meaning one more thing to learn in an already short orientation period.

Length of Orientation

Speaking of orientation, it is important to ask how much orientation the facility provides to travel nurses. Knowing how much orientation you will get before you take the assignment will mean no surprises when you start your assignment.

Do you use Block scheduling?

If you plan to go home on your days off or prefer to work your days in a row, this is important to ask during the interview. You can ask that it be written in the contract regardless. However, knowing if this is something they do or don’t do will help when deciding to take the assignment or not if it is of high importance to you.

Parking

Not all hospitals have on-site parking or charge for parking. Knowing this ahead of taking the assignment will help you make your decision and help to decide what exactly needs to be in your contract. If they charge for parking, you may ask for parking to be included in your Meals and Incidentals stipend on your contract.

Weekend and Holiday Requirements

As a travel nurse, the last thing you want is to get to the assignment and get scheduled to work every weekend or holiday if they fall during your assignment. This is another case where you can try to include it in there if you know before signing the contract.

Chances of Extending

You may want to extend if you enjoy the contract and the area. During the initial interview, this is a great time to find out if there is an opportunity to extend your contract should you want to at the end of your first contract.

We hope this list of questions to ask the facility during the phone interview has been helpful. Whether you are new to travel nursing or a veteran, we hope there was not something for everyone. While this list is not all-inclusive and there are sure to be more questions you may feel are important to ask. If you think we missed important ones, please feel free to comment on them below.

Tips for Taking a Break From Travel Nursing

Posted on August 24, 2022 by TNC

While travel nursing can provide adventure and reward, it can also be taxing. Though the day-to-day in each assignment may be similar to a traditional nursing job, hopping from one assignment to the next is anything but normal. Over time, you may become exhausted from all the packing, moving, and readjusting that each contract might bring, especially if you leave little downtime between each new job. If this describes you, it may be time to take a step back from this kind of work. Below are some suggestions to keep in mind as you go about taking a break from travel nursing.

1. Determine the Length of Your Break.

There are no hard and fast rules about how much time you should take between each assignment. Only you know how long is long enough. However, as you are making this decision, you should consider how long you can survive without pay because travel nursing jobs typically do not provide paid time off. Additionally, no work can mean no medical insurance, depending on your personal circumstances. If you are new to travel nursing, it might be wise to speak with an agency advisor for some sound advice around break lengths between contracts. Alternatively, you can speak with other travel nurses to see what they do. No matter what length of time you decide on, make sure it’s worthwhile and truly allows you to accomplish the following steps.

2. Focus On Things You’ve Been Neglecting.

Rest

This is not a suggestion; it’s a plea! It’s important to unwind no matter what job you have. In the healthcare field, it’s even more essential. You likely know from experience that nurses often work long hours. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, lengthy work weeks and travel nursing contracts seemed to be a packaged deal. Taking a break from this line of work should include adequate rest. This can look different for each person. Determine for yourself what would be the best form of R&R for you. Are you in need of a relaxing vacation? Do you want to catch up on some zzzs? Or could you use a trip to the spa? Whatever you decide, be sure not to confuse rest and relaxation with recreation.

Recreation

While different from rest, recreation is just as vital. You’ve heard the saying, “All work or no play makes you dull.” The same is somewhat true if all you do is work and sleep. You have to make time to let loose. Once again, only you know what that looks like for yourself. It’s easy to spend your entire break vegging out in front of the TV. There’s nothing wrong with making some time to do that, but you probably don’t want to spend all of your allotted time for recreation between assignments glued to your couch or bed. If you’re an active person, make some time to try a workout class you can’t normally attend. If you’re outdoorsy, find the nearest incline and put on your hiking boots. The sky’s the limit!

Responsibilities

If your assignments often involve long work weeks, it’s easy to put off important things and neglect responsibilities at your home base. Due to back to back contracts, you may have pushed duties like household chores, car maintenance, and scheduling appointments on the back burner. Now is the time to take care of those responsibilities. When you are ready to begin work again, you want a fresh start, not lingering tasks. To avoid overwhelming yourself while you’re trying to recuperate before heading back out into the field, it would be helpful to make a realistic list based on task priority. Be sure to balance your time between these responsibilities, rest, and recreation. Don’t beat yourself up if there are things you don’t get around to.

3. Plan for the Future.

Remember that you will have to return to work at some point, whether it’s to another travel nursing job or a different position in healthcare. If you haven’t already thought about it, it’s important to come up with a plan of action.

If you’re intending to return to travel nursing long-term, will your previous living/lodging arrangement continue to work for you, or will you need to explore other options? Some nurses have their own home or apartment but take advantage of whatever lodging provisions their staffing agency offers or utilize other housing options while on assignment. Alternatively, some have turned to mobi le living. If that’s something you are considering, be sure to count the cost. A traditional mortgage will not do the trick. If your savings aren’t enough to foot the bill, you may need to apply for a personal loan to finance your tiny living space.

There’s no shame in taking a break. In fact, it’s healthy. Listen to your body and mind as you try to navigate work/life balance as a healthcare professional. The beauty of travel nursing is that opportunity always awaits!

We hope you found this article on taking a break from travel nursing helpful. Have you taken a break from travel nursing? If you would like to share some tips, comment below.

Travel Nurse Burnout

Posted on September 23, 2021 by TNC

I’ve recently experienced this ‘new to me’ phenomenon.

I’ll generally take time off Travel Nursing around Thanksgiving so I can spend some ‘holiday’ time at home before the mad rush of the actual holiday begins. I work the holidays…always have. It normally doesn’t bother me to be at work on Christmas day, Christmas eve and the new Year holidays. I take a certain joy in the fact that I can work and allow someone else to take the day off to spend with their family.

This year was different. I don’t know the reason, I’m still trying to process everything. The holidays this year for me were lonely and I couldn’t wait to get home and spend time with my family. I think I was experiencing Travel Burn Out and I’ve learned some lessons along the way.

Suggestions to Eliminate Travel Nurse Burnout

Take time off from Traveling and Re-connect with family and friends.

Nursing alone is a stressful job that we need to take time away from to hold onto family 300x289 - Travel Nurse Burnout our compassion. I’ve found that making sure to take time to do the things that I enjoy with people that I enjoy being around has made me a more caring nurse. I was recently on contract and had just come back from a short hiatus. My co-workers were stressed, and exhibited a lack of patience with the patients. I’ve experienced these same episodes in the past but this time was different. Having had taken time off to re-connect with ME, I felt I was able to truly take better care of my patients. I was happier. I was less frustrated with the hospital and staff inadequacies.

Know that it’s ok to take a break from being a Tourist

While working in a new city one of the great things is that we get an opportunity to be a tourist. In any given area, we develop a list of ‘To-Do’ things that we want to see, do, or experience in our short time. I find myself occasionally feeling guilty for the day off spent lying on the couch catching up on a favorite TV series or simply taking a day out to rest and relax. Feeling like you have to spend every waking moment (when not working) out exploring and checking things off your list can become almost a chore. Remind yourself it’s ok to take a break. Another option is to combine tourism with something that you enjoy. These running tours are the perfect example (if you are a runner).

Know what ‘family’ events are important in your life and KEEP them Important.

For me, this was an awakening. I always knew that going home before the holidays was important, I’d always planned around it in order to be able to. Neglecting this time with my family was detrimental to my mental well-being. It’s not always about the physical health but also your mental health. If you can’t go home to the family bring the family to you!

I would love to hear from you. What challenges do you face that lead you to Travel Nurse Burnout? What tips do you have for the travelers to elevate these? Please comment below.

Male Nurses: Pros & Cons of Being A Male Nurse

Posted on June 29, 2021 by TNC

Like any other healthcare position, being a male travel nurse definitely has its pros and cons! Today, you’re going to get an honest, upfront perspective on what the pros and cons of being a male nurse are. You’ll hear about the good parts, and the bad parts, too. So, if you’re thinking about becoming a male nurse, you can now make an informed decision whether or not this is the job for you.

Lots of Lifting

Male nurses are often asked for help with lifting heavy patients when manpower is needed. Some guys don’t mind this at all, but others find it pretty annoying to be called for lifting nearly every heavy patient in the ward.

Searching for Scrubs

Most scrub stores cater to women. They have pictures of women on their front page banner, and they offer much more products for female healthcare professionals than for male ones. Happily, this problem has been alleviated partially by one online scrubs store, Murse World, which focuses exclusively on guys and carries only men’s scrub apparel.

Misperceptions

Male nurses are often thought to be the doctor or the janitor. Many male nurses have experienced coming into a patient’s room, for the patient to immediately murmur into the phone, “I have to go, the doctor just came in.” This can get pretty awkward at times.

Better Salary Than Female Nurses

As in many fields, male nurses are better paid than their female counterparts. They often earn between $5,000 and $10,000 more per year than female nurses! You’ve got to admit that’s a pretty significant amount.

The Stigma

Being a male nurse somehow became seriously stigmatized since most nurses are women. Many question the motives of male nurses for entering the profession. But thanks to AAMN, an organization that promotes and spreads awareness about men in nursing, and a handful of other male nurse activists who do the same, it is becoming increasingly more acceptable for men to become nurses. And, just by the way, men become nurses because they want a well-paying career that involves caring for and helping other people.

Male Patients

People often focus on the fact that women sometimes don’t want a male nurse, but they forget that it goes both ways. Most men prefer having a male nurse over a female one. And, since there are so many more female nurses than male ones, it’s much harder for a man to get a male nurse. So when he does, he is generally very appreciative.

Easier Job Search

Since women dominate the nursing field, hospitals and other healthcare facilities will be quicker to hire a man over a woman (with the same skills). The same often goes for nursing schools; guys can have an easier time getting in than girls since there are so much fewer of them.

Positivity & Levelheadedness

Having male nurses balances things out and tends to make the unit more low-key, which is good. As Nicholas Germinario puts it, “As a male nurse, I add a great balance to the unit’s morale. When the estrogen levels are high, I enter with a calm and fun attitude. Not only am I frequently helping to boost patients (because they “need someone strong”), but I also boost positivity!!” It’s a fulfilling feeling to know you’re making a difference in the unit just by being there.

Promotion

Men in nursing are promoted more quickly due to the “glass escalator” phenomenon. Since promotions often come along with raises, this may be one reason why male nurses are paid more!

Making The Decision

So, now you’re probably wondering if there are so many benefits to being a man in nursing, why aren’t more men becoming nurses? I’d say it’s mostly due to the first con we mentioned about the stigma. But if you’re interested in becoming a nurse, and you’re not one to get overly hung up on what others may think, then go for it!

Honestly, there seem to be more pros than cons when it comes to this profession. Being a man in nursing has nearly all the benefits being a female nurse affords, plus a couple more. And men are finally beginning to recognize that. Today, over 13% of nurses are men, and the number of male nurses is growing. Men are finally beginning to realize that nursing is a respectable, worthwhile, and fulfilling profession for anyone! So, what do you think about becoming a male nurse?

Why It’s Important to Take a Vacation as a Travel Nurse

Posted on June 16, 2021 by TNC

While travel nursing has the perks of competitive pay, getting to visit new cities, and adventure, you’re still working. Each assignment you take offers new adventures, but it’s still important to take a work-free vacation as a travel nurse and enjoy yourself without worrying about your next shift. Taking even a short break in between assignments is a great way to arrive at your next assignment refreshed and ready to take on new challenges.

Moving Can Be Stressful

Every seasoned travel nurse learns how to be a pro at moving every few months. However, moving into a new apartment, getting used to a new city, getting accustomed to new job duties, and getting to know new coworkers and friends can take a toll on even the most extroverted traveler. Taking a work-free vacation once a year or more is a fantastic way to de-stress and enjoy leisure time before your next assignment.

It’s Good for You

All nurses know the importance of mental and physical health, and practicing self-care is crucial. Nursing is a hard occupation. You’re on your feet most of the day and responsible for taking care of your patients. Stress is a major cause of heart disease and high blood pressure, and studies even show that those who vacation reduce their risk of heart disease and heart attack!

Vacations Help you Recharge

On assignment, you usually have a daily routine, and it’s easy to lose perspective and forget about life outside your next shift. On vacation, you have time to revisit your goals, explore new surroundings, and abandon your regular schedule to indulge in whatever you enjoy but don’t have enough time for at work. Taking regular vacations also helps prevent burnout in your career.

Vacations Can Improve your Relationships

While it can be relaxing to vacation alone, taking vacations with family, close friends, or your significant other can make your relationship stronger. In addition, exploring new areas, enjoying stress-free leisure time without worry about work, and having new adventures together strengthens the bond with the people you care about most.

Taking Vacations Make you Better at your Job

Taking vacations makes you happier, and, logically, happy people perform better at work. In fact, one study showed that for each 10 additional vacation hours an employee took per year, their performance review was 8% higher.

They Make You a Happier Person

Research shows that chronic stress levels release hormones that can lead to depression and anxiety. Taking a stress-free vacation contributes to your mental health and happiness, and the effects will last longer than your vacation.

The benefits of vacationing are clear – consider it a self-care necessity rather than an indulgence! It’s easy to say you will go and never get around to it. You only live once, so what are you waiting for?

Great National Parks for Travel Nurses to Visit in the US

Posted on June 9, 2021 by TNC

As a travel nurse, you have the opportunity to visit places you may never have before. You may also want to find things to do on your days off. Homesickness is real, so finding things to do like visiting National Parks would be a great option. We have put together a list of some of the top national parks to visit in the US to get you started. This is not the full list, just a start. Keep an eye out for future articles on more national parks to visit. They are listed below in no specific order.

Yosemite

Location: the western Sierra Nevada of Central California

Yosemite National Park is one of the United States’ top parks/forests to visit. According to Wikipedia, Yosemite is “internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness.”

Yosemite is a great park to visit with your family or friends who are up for an adventure. Yosemite has, on average, about 4 million visitors each year.

Yellow Stone

Location: Parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Yellow Stone was the first national park in the United States and attracts around 4 million visitors each year.

Yellowstone is probably most famous for Old Faithful geyser. That is just one of many of Yellow Stone’s geothermal features. The park is also famous for its wildlife. Yellow stone represents many types of biomes. However, the subalpine forest is the most abundant.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Location- parts in Tennessee and North Carolina

There are so many great sites to see in the Great Smokey Mountains that many suggest you take at least 3 days to see as much as possible. The wildlife, wildflowers, lakes, trails, historic sites, and waterfalls are just a few things to see while you visit.

The smokey mountains bring in about 12.5 million visitors each year. Making it the most visited national park.

Mammoth Cave National Park

Location- Kentucky

According to their website, The Mammoth Cave National Park offers: “Rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the world’s longest known cave system.” The website also states that “Mammoth Cave National Park is home to thousands of years of human history and a rich diversity of plant and animal life, earning it the UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve title.”

The Mammoth Cave National Park brings in about 2 million visitors each year. About 500,000 take tours of the caves.

Rocky Mountain National Park — Colorado

Location- Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park sits on over 250,000 acres in Larimer / Grand / Boulder counties in Colorado. The main features of the park include mountains, alpine lakes, and a wide variety of wildlife within various climates and environments, from wooded forests to mountain tundra.

The park offers a wide variety of activities. These include hiking, rock climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering. Fishing is permitted within the park, and there are 4 different types of trout in the park. These include rainbow, brook, cutthroat, and German brown trout.

During the winter the most of Trail Ridge Road is closed. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t activities to do during these months. Snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and backcountry skiing are all activities you can do at the park in the winter months.

The parks draws in over 4.5 million visitors each year.

Grand Canyon

Location: Arizona

The Grand Canyon is a well-known park. It is larger than the size of Rhode Island. It attracts nearly 6 million visitors each year. According to Wikipedia, “Even though It is not the deepest canyon in the world (Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal is much deeper), the Grand Canyon is known for its visually overwhelming size and intricate and colorful landscape.”

There are numerous things to do while you visit the Grand Canyon. These include just site seeing, hunting, hiking, mule rides, rafting, and many other activities. There seems to be something for everyone when visiting the Grand Canyon.

Joshua Tree National Park

Location- Southeastern California

The Joshua Tree National Park has 2 deserts and encompasses a total of 790,636 acres. The park’s climate is a hotter desert-like climate. There are 9 established campsites within the park. Hiking trails are a big hit in the park as well, and there are trails of different lengths. These are just a few things you can do when you visit this park.

The Joshua Tree National park brings in almost 3 million visitors a year. The total visitors more than doubled from 2013 to 2019. Awareness of the wildflower bloom in the spring has brought increased visitation.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Location- Alaska

Because of the location of this park, you are guaranteed to see many animals you won’t find in other national parks, including puffins, bears, whales, and even eagles. There are many things to do and see. The areas within the park vary as well. These include glaciers, fjords, salmon streams, and glaciers. The park offers tours on their tour boats.

According to Wikipedia “The park and preserve cover a total of 3,223,384 acres (5,037 sq mi; 13,045 km2), with 2,770,000 acres (4,328 sq mi; 11,210 km2) being designated as a wilderness area.”

A little over 500,000 people visit Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve each year.

Kings Canyon National Park

Location- Fresno and Tulare counties, California

Kings Canyon National Park is one of the least visited parks, with just under 700,000 visitors each year. Known for its gorgeous views, many people enjoy taking their time to sightsee the park. Hiking and site seeing are 2 of the most enjoyable things to do while visiting Kings Canyon National Park.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Location- Hawaii

Established in 1916, this park is home to 2 active volcanoes Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. In 2018 parts of the park were closed due to explosive and toxic ash smoke from Kilauea. The park had mostly opened in 2020. According to Wikipedia, “The park provides scientists with insight into the birth and development of the Hawaiian Islands and ongoing studies into the processes of volcanism. For visitors, the park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, as well as glimpses of rare flora and fauna.”

This park like Glacier Bay is very different from other national parks because of its location.

A little over 1 million people visit the park each year. This is a great indication that the park is really a great place to visit considering the location and that you cannot just get in a car and travel to it.

Olympic National Park — Washington

Location- Washington’s Olympic Peninsula in the Pacific Northwest

The Olympic National Park has many activities to do all year round. The park has a network of hiking trails. You will need to plan for more than a weekend trip due to the size and remoteness of the trails. Boating is available on Ozetta Lake, Lake Crescent, and Lake Quinault. You can raft on both Elwha and Hoh Rivers. Backpacking along the beach is also an option. The Length of the coastline makes for a multi-day trip.

During the winter months, the park has a ski and snowboarding area that offers ski lessons, rentals, and inexpensive lift tickets. The small alpine area is serviced by two rope tows and one Poma lift. A large amount of backcountry terrain is accessible for skiers, snowboarders, and other backcountry travelers when the Hurricane Ridge Road is open

The parks draws in over 2 million visitors each year.

These are just a small number of national parks in the United States. There are many more. However, we hope this list has helped you find one near you or your next assignment. have you visited any national parks? Did they make our list? If not, comment them below! We would love to feature them in future articles.

5 Tips for Finding Short Term Furnished Housing as a Travel Nurse

Posted on May 13, 2021 by TNC

Whether you’re an experienced travel nurse, or you’re planning your first travel experience, after you take that job, there’s one decision that can make or break your assignment; furnished travel nurse housing!

You can easily get overwhelmed online and dump a ton of time calling on fruitless ads which leave you totally frustrated…and no closer to finding a suitable property to stay in. This type of stress, sometimes called “housing fatigue”, increases every day until you secure proper furnished travel nurse housing for your upcoming job.

In the past, your travel nurse recruiter may have handled your housing, but many travel nurses are now electing to take the housing stipend so they can have more control over where they stay. If you’ve ever been stuck in subpar housing for 13 weeks, you know this! Also, since you can pocket the remaining tax free stipend dollars, most travel RN’s are realizing the importance of taking a larger role in choosing their housing.

Is it really that hard to find your own furnished travel nurse housing? Not necessarily, it can just take a lot of time. Keep in mind that you’re looking for short-term housing which can feel a lot like looking for that “needleinahaystack”! On top of that, you need it furnished, with utilities included, in a safe and convenient area, that’s pet friendly and within a reasonable budget compared to your stipend. Now, the pool of available housing options in your area has suddenly shrunk to next to nothing. Be prepared to keep digging…but where do you start?

Here are 5 tips to help you find furnished travel nurse housing

Be cautious in checking out potential landlords online

When fielding emails from potential landlords online, remember these three rules:

Use your intuition it’s usually right.
Make sure the images match the price If the images are incredible, but the rent is grossly underpriced, it’s most likely a scam.
Never send money Scammers are cyberbullies preying on desperate travelers. (You can get some other tips on how to recognize a Craigslist scam Here and as well as tips from The Gypsy Nurse Here).

Extended Stay Hotels

Extended stay type of hotels are also heavily utilized by travel nurses either as a bridge between traditional housing, or as the housing solution itself. Some travelers like the amenities hotels provide like breakfast, housekeeping, and fitness centers; and most hotels will take animals up to 60 lbs. Also, the majority of these hotels have kitchens as well which can save money on food when you travel and provides an extra touch of home while you’re away for work. In addition, hotels provide you the flexibility on the backend compared to an apartment should your assignment be cancelled unexpectedly.

Travel nurses can receive large prenegotiated rates for extended stay type hotels. TGN recommends Furnished Finder’s Hotel discounts for short stays in between contracts. Hotels are an important part of the housing equation for the travel healthcare industry, so make sure you’re getting the best rates possible!

You have a lot of choices to make after you accept your assignment; many of which can determine your travel experience over the next 13 weeks. Use all the resources available to you and be smart about how you spend your time and money when it comes to housing.

Beware of Craigslist.com and “too good to be true” offers – they usually are!

Do you just jump on Craigslist and start making calls? You can certainly find real housing options on Craigslist, but it comes at a cost. Frankly, you really can’t trust everything you read on Craigslist. In fact, if you’re a member of the Gypsy Nurse Travel Nurse Housing Group, you see it somewhat frequently; someone will post the too good to be true housing offer they found on Craigslist asking if it’s real. Thankfully, other members will step in and tell them to steer clear because it’s a scam. (If you’re not already a member of the popular Gypsy Nurse Travel Nurse Facebook Group and Housing Group, we encourage you to join. They’re a great way to learn from your fellow travelers across the country).

Vacation Rental Websites

Vacation rental websites are a good resource to consider. Some of the most popular are HomeAway, VRBO, and Airbnb. You can find some great housing options on these sites, and for the most part, they keep the scammers away. You simply punch in a city or a state, and you’ll be able to view tons of vacation rentals. Just like any site, you’ll need to filter out the properties that don’t make sense for you…like that 6 bedroom mansion that sleeps 18 people.

Most likely, you’re looking for a reasonably priced studio or 1 bedroom near the hospital where you’ll be working. Once you narrow your search results down a bit, you’ll need to dive into the availability of each property. This is usually where the proverbial asterisk or caveat in your search rears its ugly head; since most of the vacation rentals can be booked online in advance, finding a place that can host you for your entire 13-week stay can be challenging…but not impossible. When contacting property owners on these sites, operate with the 10% rule in mind; only 10% of the property owners you contact will actually respond. Knowing this, to make VRBO/HomeAway/Airbnb work for you, try to send out a lot of availability requests.

Traveling Healthcare Rentals: Monthly Furnished Housing Without Booking-fees.

By now, you’re probably pretty familiar with vacation rental sites like HomeAway, VRBO and Airbnb, and many of you may already have used sites like these to secure housing in the past. They can certainly work out in a pinch, but knowing that your contracts are typically 2-3 months at a time, booking vacation rentals for travel nurse housing can really rack up the extra fees.

Furnished Finder, the official housing partner of The Gypsy Nurse, has over 40,000 listings on their map and is typically the most affordable monthly furnished housing platform since there are no mark-ups to rent or booking fees to inflate the cost. Furnished Finder property owners are specifically looking for traveling nurse tenants so you’re usually speaking to a landlord who knows how to set up their property to meet the unique needs of the traveling healthcare worker.

Safety is top on the list for every traveler which is why Furnished Finder verifies the ownership and background checks every landlord that lists on their platform. Travelers also want to ensure that they make their stipend stretch as far as possible which is why Furnished Finder has a Stipend Calculator that helps travelers plan out their housing. You can search for housing right on The Gypsy Nurse, or through Furnished Finder directly. Safe travels and happy renting.

Tips for Homesick Travel Nurses

Posted on April 29, 2021 by TNC

As a travel nurse, you understand that you will not be at home for many months out of the year. While it’s an understanding, it doesn’t mean being away from home is enjoyable. We speak with many travel nurses who experience homesickness during an assignment. To help, we have put together this list of 10 homesick tips for travel nurses.

10 homesick tips for travel nurses

Stay Connected Via Social Media.

Social Media is a great way to stay connected. You can see what others are doing, and they can also see what you are up to.

Get To Know Your Neighbors.

Your neighbors can be great people to help you explore new areas and no longer be homesick. When you “get adopted” by others in your new surroundings, you can create a new family.

Setup Weekly Calls With Friends & Families.

Schedules give you something to look forward to. Find a day and time that works for you and your friends or families to have a weekly call. Use it as an opportunity to catch up. If you want to have more fun, use Facetime.

Go Out With New Colleagues.

It would help if you had a few similarities with some of your colleagues. Use that to build off of. Invite one of them out to dinner, drinks, coffee, or go exploring if you have travel nurses at your facility, even more of a reason to get to know them.

Explore Your New Surroundings.

Getting out in your next city helps you establish new routines. It also takes your mind off being homesick as you become present in the moment.

Have Friends/Family Visit You.

The best way to avoid being homesick and missing your friends and family is to see them. So why not have them come out for a few days. They can see your new environment, and they get to take a little vacation. It’s a win, win.

Travel With Someone.

Many travel nurses travel with someone else. Whether it’s another traveler, a friend, a loved one, or a pet, traveling with someone is certainly one of our 10 homesick tips for travel nurses.

Join A Social League.

Many cities have sports leagues you can join. These are great ways to have something social in your schedule and meet new people.

Take Your Next Assignment Near Friends and Family.

If you want to avoid being homesick on an assignment, make your next assignment near loved ones. Be sure to let your recruiter know ASAP, depending on your ideal location. It could be competitive.

Do Something New.

There must be something on your bucket list you have always wanted to try—what better time to try something new than when you are on assignment. Doing something new can help take your mind off being said and focus that energy on your new hobby.

Self Care Tips for Travel Nurses

Posted on April 8, 2021 by TNC

As travel nurses, you are always caring for others but taking care of yourself is just as important, if not more important. If you don’t take care of yourself, you will not care for those who rely on you. Being on the road while on a travel nurse assignment can make it harder to care for yourself. Not being familiar with the area may be a concern, but it doesn’t have to be. To help you while you are on the road, The Gypsy Nurse team has put together a list of 4 self-care tips for travel nurses while on assignment.

Rest and Sleep

Self-care for travel nurses should start with focusing on sleep. Getting plenty of rest as a nurse is sometimes difficult. And working twelve-hour shifts as a travel nurse can make having a typical sleep pattern difficult. Nurses average about 6.8 hours of sleep a night. While it is recommended, they get 8 hours of sleep. It may seem that 1.2 hours of sleep isn’t that much. Looking at the big picture, that is a loss of 438 hours of sleep a year that you are losing out on. Sleep loss directly affects your health as well. We realize that getting enough sleep is easier said than done. Here are a few tips to help you fall asleep at night. Make sure the room is darkroom darkening curtains work great to keep out unwanted light, whether during the day for night shift nurses or artificial light at night. Stay off your cell phone and/or computer. Not only does this stimulate your mind, but the blue light from them isn’t good for your eyes. Read a book. Reading helps to reduce stress which helps you fall asleep quicker. If you have tried all of these and still find yourself having trouble falling asleep or getting good sleep, you can try over-the-counter supplements such as; chamomile tea or melatonin. Your body needs rest to keep it healthy and to function at its best. Lack of rest is also dangerous when driving to and from work. If you haven’t had enough rest, you could risk dozing off while driving.

Eating Healthy

As a nurse, it is sometimes difficult to maintain a healthy diet. You don’t always get to take your lunch breaks and are forced to dine on vending machine options. At the same time, convenient these things won’t keep you going for long. Many of these options are packed full of sugar. Sugar affects the body and brain in many ways, including; the obvious weight gain drains your energy, contributes to depression, and many others. Something as simple as packing a few healthy snacks for your shift could make a difference. Some examples of healthy snacks for the go could include; trail mix, avocado chicken salad, protein bars, jerky, veggies and dip, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, or protein shakes. These are just a few suggestions. There are many more out there. You won’t feel the need to reach for the vending machine food if you have something easy at your disposal.

Exercising

Exercising is a great method of self-care. There are numerous benefits you can receive from it. There are some obvious benefits, including helping control your weight and combating health diseases and health conditions. Did you know that it can help your mood, boost your energy, and help you get a more restful sleep at night? You don’t have to get a gym membership to exercise. YouTube is great for workouts if that is what you are looking for. Going for a jog, run or walk are also great options; these can be done anywhere!

Hobbies/ Me Time

Taking time out of your day for your time is important. It helps to refresh and refuel your mind and body. By taking time out of your day for yourself, you’ll lower your stress, become more productive, and have more energy. What better way than with hobbies. They don’t have to be time-consuming or expensive; reading a book, crafting, painting, dancing, or writing. If the outdoors is more your thing, you could go for walks, hikes or go outside and enjoy the weather. You can always get me time by going out and getting a massage, manicure/pedicure, or facial as well.

These 4 things are just a few things you can do for self-care. Taking care of yourself should be one of your main focuses to care for others. While you may be able to get away with avoiding these things for a while, it won’t last, and at some point, your body and mind are going to hit a wall. Take time for yourself so you can help those who need you most.

10 Tips to Help Travel Nurses De-Stress

Posted on March 23, 2021 by TNC

If you’ve chosen to journey across the country as a travel nurse, you’ve probably hit a few bumps in the road along the way. Long days, challenging patients, conflicts with supervisors, and even bad weather can increase stress levels. It’s important to take care of your health and avoid Travel Nurse Burnout. Everyone will appreciate you more if you are in a fair, optimistic mood.

Here are 10 easy ways to de-stress and even lower blood pressure. Please take five minutes for yourself and give them a try the next time life throws you a little extra anxiety.

10 ways to de-stress

Play music

While classical music can be extremely calming and decrease levels of stress hormones, the truth is any music you enjoy can increase the flow of feel-good chemicals to the brain and help you relax.

Disconnect

Turn off your cell phone, step away from your computer, look away from the screen. Uninterrupted screen time can actually increase stress. So be sure to take frequent breaks and, from time to time, disconnect completely.

Laugh

Anything that makes you chuckle will work, a joke, funny video, hilarious memory, laugh out loud. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphin that is released by your brain.”

Take a walk

Moving your body or any exercise that you enjoy stimulates blood flow. Helping to de-stress. Staying active regularly helps keep you fit and better prepared to handle stressful situations.

Breathe

Breathing exercises can help. One popular choice is to take a deep breath in, hold for the count of ten, then exhale for a count of ten. In fact, just taking a few deep breaths can reduce tension and de-stress. The extra boost of oxygen nourishes the brain and can lower blood pressure.

Sniff

Escape for just a few moments with essential oil. Aromatherapy has been shown to decrease stress levels, making them perfect for de-stressing; some popular scents include lavender, vanilla, and chamomile.

Plan

De-stressing takes time and planning. No doubt you will have jam-packed days and challenging to-do lists to keep stress at bay and build time between commitments. Don’t schedule every minute to avoid rushing and fear of being late—real stressors!

Eat like a monkey

Bananas are loaded with potassium, which has been shown to help regulate blood pressure and even improves energy levels during stressful times.

Eat

Good nutrition continuously helps keep you healthy, but a treat from time to time in small portions can also boost your mood and combat stress. Dark chocolate is one of the best choices because its flavanols may improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.

Rest

Sleep is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. But not all sleep is created equal. To be rested, you need adequate amounts of uninterrupted sleep. Many times it quality, not quantity, that can best help you de-stress.