It's good to balance comfort with adventure as a travel nurse.

The excitement of a travel nursing career comes from the frequent change in scenery, the eye-opening new places you’ll see and all the discoveries you’ll make about yourself while you’re on the road. If you’re just starting out in your travel nursing career, all this change will take a little getting used to because getting comfortable in this line of work doesn’t always happen instantly.

If you’re having a little trouble adjusting to your travel nursing career, don’t worry. Onward Healthcare offers the following advice and guidance to any travel nurse who needs a little comfort.

Remember the value of taking a breather

Between the travel and the moving and the new places and people to get accustomed to, it’s no wonder you’re feeling a little bit overwhelmed. Stopping for a few minutes during your day and taking a deep breath can work wonders especially if you need to chat with someone briefly or shake some of the day off. Just remember, you’re in one of the most exciting and rewarding nursing fields out there and while it may take some getting used to, it’s going to be worth it!

Leverage your flexibility

When you’re starting out, you may be a little tempted to choose assignments that send you cruising all around the country. This aspect of a travel nursing is an excellent perk, but it might leave you exhausted. Since you have the opportunity to stay longer in some assignments and you choose work that doesn’t send you across multiple time zones, why not take advantage of that? You might have the wanderlust, but you certainly don’t have to cater to it at the expense of your comfort or your career.

Focus on your passion

You probably started your travel nursing career because you are compassionate, academically driven, and you want to help people, not because you wanted to get stressed out. Keeping a sharp focus on the reasons why you are passionate about being a nurse will help you be more resilient and tuned into what’s important in your career. Without that focus, you may get caught up in the uncomfortable details. But with that focus, you’ll feel more empowered and motivated to roll with the punches and be at your best.

If you need help, ask for it

Just like any career, starting out often requires the assistance of those who are seasoned professionals. They’ve been in the game longer and their experience lends itself quite well to helpful advice for others. If you feel uncertain about the direction of your new career or your comfort level with traveling and changing assignments all the time, simply reach out and ask for help. Whether it’s a head nurse at your new assignment or your dedicated Onward Healthcare recruiter, there’s always someone within reach who can offer advice and guidance any time you need it.

Hitting the beach is a great way to relax during a travel nursing assignment.

For many travel nurses, one of the best things about the flexibility of a travel nursing schedule is the ability to hit the beach for a long weekend.  With the 4^th of July extended weekend approaching, we thought we would offer up some quick beach safety tips for travel nurses to stay safe as you enjoy the sun, sand, and water on your days off.

Limit your exposure to the sun
While everyone wants that perfect summer tan, it’s important to take proper precautions while soaking in the rays as the growing rate of melanoma demonstrates. Sunscreen is great protection against harmful UV rays, however you must remember to reapply it at least every two hours.  And while many lotions are marketed as “waterproof,” they are normally only effective for 40 minutes following water activity. Wearing a wide brimmed hat, eye protection, and close-knit clothing will reduce harmful radiation, as will limiting your midday sun exposure (between 10am-2pm).

Be careful of your surroundings
Follow your nurse’s intuition when it tells you that a heavily populated beach is ridden with germs and bacteria. The sand on the beach is a trap for animal droppings, contaminated trash and broken glass, so it is a good idea to wear foot protection to shield the soles of your feet from hot sand and sharp objects. Unlike a swimming pool, the ocean lacks a carefully monitored balance of bacteria-killing chemicals, so avoid swimming with an open wound or infection and try to hit the public showers upon vacating the water.

Play by the rules
Water sports are a great way to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach while getting some exercise, but like any other kind of physical activity they can end badly if you’re overtired or undernourished.  Before engaging in any sort of activity in the water, it is important to eat, rest, and digest in order to avoid cramping and fatigue.  Stay safe by your limitations and studying your surroundings, most importantly the currents and tides in the area.  In the event of a rip tide, stay calm and let the current carry you—do not try to swim against it.

Following these simple but effective beach safety tips for travel nurses will allow you to protect your well being while enjoying some much needed fun in the sun on your travel nursing assignment.

Spring — Spring allergies may occur from January to May and are most often caused by tree pollen such as elm, maple, birch, poplar, beech, ash, oak, walnut, sycamore, cypress, hickory, pecan, cottonwood, and alder. A wet Spring can contribute to a higher mold count and higher pollen counts during the Summer months.

Late Spring/Summer — Summer allergies may occur from May to mid-July and are most often caused by grass pollen, such as: Bermuda, Timothy, Orchard, Sweet Vernal, June, and Johnson. A hot, wet Summer can contribute to high grass and weed pollen counts.

Fall — Fall allergies may occur from August to November and are most often caused by weed pollen such as Ragweed, Tumbleweed, Pigweed, Fireweed, and Lamb’s Quarters, tree pollen, and mold.

For more information on allergies, see the following links:

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Web MD Allergy Site

To monitor the daily local and nation allergy forecast, check out:
Pollen.com