From the category archives:

Healthcare Workers

Dealing with Homesickness on the Road

by Howard Gerber on May 16, 2013

No Gravatar

Starting a travel assignment is a great opportunity to meet new people, see a new part of the country and learn new skills. Although it is an exciting time, it’s normal to deal with some level of homesickness. This may especially be true if you are leaving children or a significant other behind. While you don’t want to forget family and friends back home, you don’t want homesickness to spoil your time. Consider some of the suggestions below to cope when you are missing home.

Use Technology: With today’s technology, there are several ways to stay connected with family and friends back home. For example, you can regularly have a Skype time each week to catch up. Texting and emails are also a great way to know what is going on with your loved ones. If you are feeling particularly homesick, sometimes a phone call and hearing your friend or family member’s voice will help you feel better.

Consider a Visit: If possible, plan a quick trip home when you have a few days off. Of course, you may not want to spend all your free time traveling back home since there may be a lot of new places to see. But if you are feeling really homesick, a short visit may help. Another idea, which may even work better, is to have a friend come visit you. This will give you a chance to visit and also show your friend around your new area.

Get Involved: One way to combat loneliness or homesickness is to get involved in your new community. For instance, join a local group, which is centered on one of your hobbies. For instance, if you enjoy hiking, consider joining a local hiking club. Not only will you stay busy doing something you enjoy, but you will meet new people in the process.

Make Your Home Homey: If your environment does not feel like home, it may make you feel even more out of place and homesick. When you’re working as a traveler, you might be staying in a furnished apartment surrounded by things which are not yours. You can add a little bit of home, by placing photos around, candles from home and other mementos that make your new place feel like home.

Allow Yourself a Little Time:  It is common to feel homesickness when you are away from your family and friends. If you are new to working as a healthcare traveler or this is the first time you will be away from home, it is naturally going to be a bit of an adjustment. Don’t immediately decide working as a traveler is not right for you because you are missing home or missing your loved ones.  Realizing it may take a little time to feel at home in your new environment may help you deal with your feelings.

Keep perspective: Keep in mind, your travel assignment will not last forever. Working as a traveler is a chance for adventure, new experiences and of course having fun. Try to think positive and realize the opportunity you have.

{ 0 comments }

How to Cope With and Thrive Working the Graveyard Shift

by Howard Gerber on May 9, 2013

No Gravatar

If you are planning on working as a healthcare traveler, you may be working the overnight shift, also known as the graveyard shift. Although physical, speech and occupations therapists will almost always work day shift, nurses are needed around the clock. Whether you will be new to working overnight or have been doing it for years, it can be a challenge to work through the night.

 

Challenges of Working Overnight

Working overnight can take a toll on your health if you are not careful. That is why it is so critical to be sure you get enough sleep. The natural circadian rhythm for most people involves sleeping at night and being awake during the day. When that sleep schedule is disrupted it can cause some problems. For example, people who work the overnight shift are at risk for shift work sleep disorder. According to the National Sleep Foundation, symptoms of the disorder include disrupted sleep schedules, which may result in excessive sleepiness or insomnia. Additional symptoms include depressed mood and reduced performance at work.

 

Way to Increase Good Sleep

While it is clear working overnight can lead to trouble sleeping, there are several things you can do to improve your quality of sleep. When you are going to sleep in the morning after your shift, be sure to make your bedroom a sleep friendly environment. For example, put up dark curtains or shades, which block out the sunlight. Keep the room cool, which makes it easier to sleep than a room too warm. Try to block out daytime noises from neighbors. Use a white noise machine, turn on a fan or wear earplugs to minimize noise. There are other things you can do to get enough sleep if you are working overnight. Try to develop a sleep time routine, just as you would if you were going to bed at night. Although coffee is often a staple for night shift workers, try to limit the amount of caffeinated drinks you have a few hours before you plan on going to sleep. It is also helpful to go to sleep at the same time each morning. While you may not do this on your days off, at least try to do it on the mornings you get off work. Additionally, try to avoid working both night shifts and day shifts. Switching back and forth is even harder to deal with than just working night shifts the entire time. Following a healthy lifestyle by exercising, eating healthy and limiting alcohol also helps. If your overall health is good, working night shift may be easier to deal with than if you have an unhealthy lifestyle. Don’t forget to get some sunshine when you can. Working nights and sleeping during the day may limit how much sunshine you get. This is especially true during the winter months when it gets dark outside early. Getting a few minutes of sunshine each day can help wake you up and brighten your mood.

{ 0 comments }

Five Fears of Working as a Travel Nurse and How to Overcome Them

by Howard Gerber on May 2, 2013

No Gravatar

It’s normal to have a few fears when you start a new job or move to a new area to live. When you work as a nurse traveler, you combine both a new living environment and a new job. It’s no wonder you may be a little apprehensive. Keep in mind that everyone gets a little nervous starting a new travel assignment, especially if it is their first. Below are some suggestions for overcoming a few common fears nurse travelers may have.

 
1. You’re afraid you will hate your living arrangements. Whether you are worried about getting a bad roommate or living in a less than desirable neighborhood, it’s common to have a few concerns about living arrangements. One thing you can do to ease fears is find out as much as possible about your housing before you leave for your job. Ask what’s included regarding furnishings. Be sure to determine if you will be sharing your place with another traveler. Do an Internet search of the area, which will help you find out things, such as population size, crime rate, and local attractions. Keep in mind your housing arrangements are often negotiable.

2. You wonder if you will be lonely. Moving to a new area and starting a new position where you don’t know anyone can be a bit lonely at first, but there are things you can do. You will immediately meet people at work. Get to know your coworkers. Ask about fun places to visit. Get involved in your community or workplace by doing things, such as joining a church, community group or sign-up for a fitness class. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and ask a few coworkers to get together after work for dinner or to show you around.

3. You are worried about not having benefits. Before you sign your contract for your travel assignment, you will negotiate benefits. Usually health insurance is included. Some jobs will also include the option to contribute to a retirement plan. Whether you have paid sick days or vacations days while you are on assignment varies. Knowing in advance if paid time off is a benefit will help reduce your worries.

4. You’re anxious about getting dumped on. You may worry that as a traveler, you may not get the greatest of work assignments during your shift. Some travelers are afraid they may get the sickest patients or the largest workloads on a regular basis because they are viewed as an outsider. Rest assured, this is usually not the case. Remember the hospital was likely short staffed and that’s way they needed a traveler. Your coworkers may be grateful you are there. If you did see an unfair pattern of getting larger workloads than other staff on a regular basis, talk with your supervisor.

5. You are concerned you will have a lack of steady work. Some travelers may be afraid they will be cancelled from a shift without pay during their assignment due to low census in the hospital. While many hospitals do cancel staff when patient census is low, your contract will state whether you can be cancelled. Some contracts will have a stipulation that a traveler cannot be canceled without pay. That way you are guaranteed a certain number of hours.

{ 0 comments }

Starting out on the Right Foot in Nursing

by Howard Gerber on February 21, 2013

No Gravatar

Starting out on the Right Foot in Nursing


If you’ve finally finished nursing school and started your new job, you may be wondering…what’s next? Launching a new career is one of the most exciting events in life, but it’s also nerve-wracking and overwhelming. You’ll find out pretty fast that no matter how hard you studied, you can never be 100% prepared for every situation. No school can teach every possible scenario…and no nurse can remember everything they learned right out of the gate. Take heart and don’t get discouraged. Here are some things to remember to make getting started easier.

BE the team
Always remember that you’re part of a team. If you are unsure of something, ask. Don’t let ego get in the way of patient care. Experienced nurses will have more respect for you if you lean on their knowledge to guide you than if you make mistakes that could impact patient care. Everybody on the team wants the same thing; excellent patient care. Every nurse knows that it takes a year or two to really be comfortable in the job. Give yourself a break while you learn the ins and outs of real-life nursing.

Don’t beat yourself up
Everybody makes mistakes. When you make one, accept it, learn from it, and try not to do it again. But don’t dwell on negative energy that will make you second guess every decision. Fear can cause decision paralysis, which can severely limit your productivity—and hurt your career. For every bad decision you make, you’ll do hundreds of things right. Dwell on the good things.

Network
One of the most important things you can do from the first time you step on the floor is to build relationships. One of the most powerful ways to do that is by volunteering to help out wherever you can. Collaborate with other new nurses and nursing students, offer a hand to veteran nurses, and go the extra mile for patients. People will notice and remember. Good working attitude goes a long way. Make it your business to introduce yourself to everyone and try to make a good impression without being obvious.

Ask for opportunities
You may be overlooked for procedures in favor of more experienced nurses unless you ask for opportunities. Don’t wait for somebody to notice you. In medicine, proactive is a good thing.

Find balance
We all tend to work too hard and play too little, but working to your potential means getting a good night’s sleep, managing stress, and balancing your work and home life without cheating either. A well-rounded life includes rest, relaxation, nutrition, and interests outside work. You know that. After all, you’re a nurse! Follow the same advice you’d give to a patient, and you’ll survive those stressful first years just fine.

{ 0 comments }

Home Health Care Nursing

by Howard Gerber on January 31, 2013

No Gravatar

Home Health Care Nursing

Nurses are unique individuals. Some love the high-stress, fast pace of a hospital or busy clinic, others like the individualized approach of a doctor’s office, and still others like the personal, one-on-one interactions best found in home healthcare. Would you be happy in such a position? Do you have the skills and the temperament?

Responsibility
One of the most important things to consider is the intense responsibility that home healthcare workers face. You’re the only one there to observe the patient and make a diagnosis. You can’t be there 24/7, so you might walk into any situation at any time; a patient who has forgotten to take his meds, who is in distress, who has had a reaction to a drug or treatment. Your assessment skills must be top rate, you don’t have the luxury of not knowing what to do, and above all, you can’t panic.

Triage Skills
When you do need support, you must be able to clearly describe the patient’s condition and recommend a course of action for approval. You’re not a doctor, but you’re there. On the spot. You know the patient, his condition, his medications, his vitals, and his wishes. You know how he reacts to care and to stress. The more concise information you can convey to a busy doctor, the better the outcome for the patient.

Decision Making
Can you act independently, make decisions, think fast on your feet? That’s the name of the game for home health workers. Today’s tools, like smartphones and tablets, make it much easier to collaborate with peers than in the past, but you’re still out there on your own most of the time. There’s nobody holding your hand or looking over your shoulder. You have to know what to do and be responsible enough to do it.

Social Skills
One thing a home health nurse should always be mindful of is personal boundaries. Even though you’re there to help, often every day, you are entering someone’s home. It’s important to remember that in order to respect your patient, you must allow them dignity and privacy. You may have to inform, educate, and even counsel family members, and carefully deal with family relationships. Families are never perfect, and long illnesses can be frustrating and strain family finances to the breaking point. Diplomacy is often your saving grace.

If this all sounds like you, home health care might be the perfect career choice. It’s personal, fiercely independent, challenging, and most definitely rewarding. You can build real relationships with patients and ensure that they get personal, consistent care.

{ 0 comments }

Working with a Nursing Recruiter

by Howard Gerber on January 17, 2013

No Gravatar

Working with a Nursing Recruiter

If you’re considering a traveling nurse job or simply looking for a change, you might find yourself working with a professional recruiter. Do you know what to expect? What to tell your recruiter…and what not to?

Who needs a recruiter?
If your plan is to apply to local facilities and stay within your current position, you probably don’t need a recruiter. On the other hand, if you want to apply for a different type of position, move into an administrative career, work as a temporary or travel nurse, then your best bet is to seek professional help. Recruiters bring a lot to the table – they’ll help your polish your resume to make the best possible impression and have established relationships with the right people to ensure your resume is noticed.

The recruiter’s agenda
Your agenda is simple, get a great job. The recruiter wants that for you as well, but in order to do that, she must match the right candidate with the right opportunity. A lot of factors are in play, and the most successful recruiters have an instinctive feel for sending well-qualified applicants.

Put your best foot forward
When you present yourself to the recruiter, treat the interview with the same care you would a coveted job interview. Dress for success, be on time, be prepared, and speak with confidence. The recruiter represents you, but their jobs depend on making the employer happy. If you want to land those plum interviews, you first have to convince the recruiter that you’re a suitable candidate. She won’t stick her neck out for you unless you can convince her you’re worth it.

Pay attention
Recruiters have a lot of expertise to offer. If she tells you that you can beef up your resume by joining a group, getting a certification, volunteering, or doing something else that sets you apart and appeals to employers, listen and respond. You may not know what might up your pay grade…but she does. The recruiter can also help you with answers to deceptively sticky interview questions. If you’re unprepared, some common questions can be a minefield.

Be honest and be flexible
Tell the recruiter what you’re looking for. Be specific, but understand that your dream job may not be out there right now, or you may not have the qualifications. So be prepared with a well-developed plan B. Don’t agree to take anything that comes your way, but have a list of positions you’d be happy—really happy—to accept.

What to approach carefully
Religious affiliation can be an issue, and is better left out of the conversation. If you feel strongly about religion, and want to work in, say, a Catholic hospital, it can be a selling point, but understand that it can also be severely limiting. If your objective is to get a job wherever you can, keep your private life private. The same can be said for atheists. If the best job out there is at a church-sponsored hospital, lack of religion need not stand in your way. Either way, you may limit your options by volunteering answers to questions they won’t ask.

{ 0 comments }

The Best Destinations for Travel Nurses: San Juan Puerto Rico

by Howard Gerber on January 10, 2013

No Gravatar

The Best Destinations for Travel Nurses: San Juan Puerto Rico

If you’re in the middle of cold, wet, and sloppy winter, I’ll bet you’re dreaming of a warm getaway. Picture yourself on a beautiful tropical beach in the dead of winter, sipping on a pina colada with your toes buried in warm sand. If you’re a traveling nurse and your idea of wintry paradise does not include scraping ice from your windshield before work, an assignment in Puerto Rico might be just the ticket.

San Juan
Located on the coast of a beautiful tropical island, San Juan is a modern city loaded with old-world charm. The history of the oldest U.S. city* is rooted in rich and colorful culture. On his second voyage in 1493, Christopher Columbus originally named the island “San Juan Bautista” to honor St. John the Baptist. Ponce de León came along and founded a city, which he named Puerto Rico (Rich Port) in 1521. Sometime later, the name of the city and the name of the island were exchanged. The long history creates an intriguing mix of old and new in the city. Modern office buildings give way unexpectedly to centuries-old dwellings, and throngs of tourists waving smartphones and digital cameras provide a startling contrast to colorfully painted ancient constructions.

*St. Augustine, FL, is the oldest city in continental United States.

Things to do
The city is dominated by a 16th-century fort, El Morro (Castillo de San Felipe del Morro) , a six story citadel filled with tunnels, dungeons, barracks, outposts and ramps. The imposing fortress was overcome only once, when the Earl of Cumberland attacked unexpectedly from the land side. The walk through history is well worth the $3 price of admission, and the ocean views from the fort are nothing short of spectacular.

To further explore Puerto Rican history, art, and culture, visit the San Juan Museum of Art and History. It began life as a market in 1855, and was rebuilt in 1979 as a cultural center, featuring native art and music. Concerts and festivals are held there throughout the year.

For a shopping experience, it’s hard to beat the 300 retailers located in the Plaza las Americas, a modern mall graced with elegant architecture and everything you’d expect to find at a mainland mall.

And then there are the beaches. Miles and miles of fine white sand, blue skies and bluer water, gentle waves and an endlessly breathtaking ocean view. It’s warm all year round, so taking a travel assignment in Puerto Rico from January – March gives a whole new meaning to the winter blues.

Area Hospitals
San Juan boasts many modern medical facilities, and one of the nicest is the Doctor’s Center Hospital, which has three area locations. With a diet center, a cancer center, a cardiovascular lab, a nuclear medicine facility and several other specialized care wings, the hospital provides the kind of quality care your patients expect and deserve.

The best thing about being a travel nurse is the opportunity to experience new things, and the wealth of culture and history, the delicious cuisine, and the tropical setting makes Puerto Rico a great choice…especially in the winter.

{ 0 comments }

Page 1 of 812345...Last »