A traveler must be professional. As soon as you walk into the hospital and onto your unit, your professionalism is what people see. Do you walk with your head up or down? Professionalism is probably the most critical factor in making or breaking a travel assignment.
You have to remember that no one knows you when you arrive. You have to prove to those around you that you are not going from assignment to assignment because you can’t get any other nursing job. You have to prove that you are a traveling nurse because you want to be a traveling nurse.
The first step to professionalism is the way you look. It’s not mandatory, but having your hair up off of your shoulder is a good start. Have it neatly trimmed and pulled back nice. Make sure that your uniform is nice and clean without wrinkles. I know that should be a given, but you would be surprised at how many times I have seen unkept uniforms.
During orientation, be alert to their policies and procedures. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask. Do not just go off and do things your way. Ask your preceptor questions about how they accomplish specific tasks. Never say, “Well, I can’t do it that way because it isn’t what I learned in nursing school.” Get out the policy and procedure book to find out how the facility management wants it done. You also don’t want to say, “You need to do it this way, because this is the way we did it in Florida.”
Although there are times when the nurses take it upon themselves to take a short cut, it is then that you will need to use your nursing judgment. For example, don’t break the sterile field just because the OR tech is doing it. Don’t suction a tracheostomy without using a sterile technique just because the respiratory therapist says that it not necessary.
By asking the preceptor or charge nurse how they do things, you will be perceived as one who cares about doing things the right way. The staff will have confidence in your skills.
As a traveler, it is tough to “tell” people of specific top-notch skills that you may have, like starting those hard to get IVs. No matter how much you tell them, the only way people will ultimately believe in your skills is by proving your skills to them.
Another aspect of professionalism is that you must not get involved in unit politics. After all, isn’t that one of the reasons we travel? The easiest way of doing this is by not hanging out at the nurses’ station talking about tummy tucks, boob jobs, and boyfriends. You need to be down the hallway with your patients. Patient care has to be number one.
In my first year of traveling, I was in a situation where there were two of us travelers taking care of the same patient. I was having a tough time keeping up with a patient that demanded a lot of my attention; therefore, I took my charts down to the far end of the hallway closer so that I could do more frequent checks. I survived the night with the patient in good shape and gave report to the other traveler.
When I came back to work, I found that the other traveler stayed up at the nurses’ station chatting with everyone for an hour, and the patient got into trouble. They ended up terminating her contract over the deal, but not before she blamed the whole thing on me. Luckily, I had obtained a second opinion on the person from my charge nurse, who went to bat for me, telling the unit manager that I had spent all night not far from the patient. If I had spent all night up at the nurses’ station talking with the others or spent my time in another unprofessional way, the outcome might have been much different for me.
If your professionalism is a top priority, then you can become successful in travel nursing and demand as a traveling nurse.
Written by Kay Slane, RN, BSed, CGM (Certified Grad-level Nursing Management) Matriarch of Travel Nursing. The CEO of Highway Hypodermics®, LLC, the longest running travel nursing website by a traveling nurse. Author of “Highway Hypodermics: Travel Nursing 2019.”
You’ve selected a great location, your paperwork is completed, but the most crucial step is nailing the interview with the prospective hospital. We’ve compiled a list of top travel nursing interview no-no’s to ensure you avoid them and have a successful interview.
#10 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Not Following Up: After the interview, it’s a good idea to follow up with your travel nurse recruiter. Let him/her know how the interview went and whether you’re still interested. Your recruiter will notify you promptly after hearing back from the hospital about the travel nurse assignment.
#9 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Forgetting to Smile: A smile will change the tone in your voice significantly during the travel nurse interview. So be sure to plaster a toothy grin on your face when answering questions. Your cheek muscles may be sore afterward, but it’ll be worth it when you land the job.
#8 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Making Excuses: If the travel nurse job is important to you, don’t make excuses about why you can’t have an interview at the designated time. Putting off the interview may have a negative impact, and you may miss out on the job to a more available travel nurse.
#7 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Lying on your Resume: It may sound like a no-brainer, but you don’t want to get caught in a lie during your travel nurse interview because you “fibbed” on your resume to make it look better. If the interviewer inquires about it, you’re going to be embarrassed. And that’s a definite way not to get a call back.
#6 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Being Demanding: A big turnoff for an interviewer is a demanding travel nurse. It’s understood that you’ll have expectations about the details of the position, but hospitals want travel nurses who are positive, flexible and team players. Be firm on what matters most to you without being difficult.
#5 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Being Unprepared: One of the worst mistakes you can make is not being prepared for your travel nurse interview. Make sure you know the name of the facility and do some research on it. Learn as much as you can beforehand so you can ask questions during the interview. Plus, check and see if it has been in the news lately for new technology, specialty case, etc.
#4 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Getting Distracted: If you want this job, then show it. When the time comes for your travel nurse interview, put aside all distractions and focus on impressing the interviewer. Don’t try and put away groceries; turn off the television, and have someone else watch the kids for an hour. First impressions are lasting, so make sure you give a great one.
#3 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Forgetting to Ask about Vacation Time: During your travel nurse assignment, it’s inevitable that you’ll want to take time off to visit family, explore your new city or take a trip with friends. It’s imperative to ask about the hospital’s vacation policy and request any foreseeable time off so you don’t miss out on any fun travels. A smart tip: wait until the end of the interview, so you don’t come off as pushy or demanding.
#2 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Acting Unprofessional: Professionalism is key when you have your travel nurse interview. Be polite and conversational, enthusiastic and interested. Avoid slang/empty words such as “like,” “um,” “you know” and “cool” during the interview. Also, make sure your phone outgoing voicemail message is interview-ready, with a cheerful and straightforward message.
#1 Travel Nurse Interview Mistake: Not Asking any Questions: As a travel nurse, you’re not just the interviewee, you’re also the interviewer. Be sure to ask at least three questions during your travel nurse interview (floating policy, types of patients, etc.). Remember that you are trying to figure explanation if this hospital is the right choice for your travel nurse assignment.
Written by Kay Slane, RN, BSed, CGM (Certified Grad-level Nursing Management) Matriarch of Travel Nursing. The CEO of Highway Hypodermics®, LLC, the longest running travel nursing website by a traveling nurse. Author of “Highway Hypodermics: Travel Nursing 2019.”
As a travel nurse, we expect a recruiter that is honest with a great personality and one who will help us find the perfect assignment for the next thirteen weeks. We also need to realize that the road between the traveler and the recruiter is one that can be full of potholes or one that is easy as flying down I-80 in the middle of Wyoming.
Just what do recruiters want in a traveling nurse? Well, this is a question that I recently asked of several recruiters, and here are a few of their replies.
*Someone with a good heart and is looking for a friend and not just a recruiter.
*Someone that the recruiter can believe in and who will be a partner in the business.
*Someone who is focused on their career and experiencing various opportunities at both small and large facilities in various locations.
*Someone who wants to expand their location beyond their backyard.
*Someone who not only represents themselves well but would represent our company well.
*Someone who is dedicated enough to work their committed hours fully and comply with paperwork and contractual requirements.
*Someone that has an open mind and willing to team play with their recruiter.
*Someone who is willing to be a flexible person with a great attitude. Attitude is 85% of a good traveler.
*Someone who is willing to extend their contract.
*An “ideal travel nurse” would be someone who is experienced and well skilled in several different modalities, giving them the ability to float.
*Someone who can walk into any hospital and get to work.
*Flexibility is also very important; they must be flexible with their shift, schedule, and geography.
*Someone who has great people
*Someone who is responsive and updates information upon request turns in their timecard in a timely manner, etc.
*Someone who is a nurse because they love it, they love taking care of people.
*Someone who you trust and are proud to have to work for you.
*Someone who is knowledgeable about the industry and what is realistic. I receive a lot of requests that are difficult and sometimes impossible to place.
*Someone that is honest with a good work ethic.
Now is the time to take an honest look into your career as a traveling nurse. When you look at yourself in the mirror are these qualities reflected back?
Reading back through the list, I personally think that a nurse’s attitude is one of the greatest ingredients to a successful assignment. When you get a bad attitude, it reflects in the nurses who are around you. The other nurses may have bad attitudes because they are “stuck” in that job, but just remember that you can move on in thirteen weeks. Smile while at the hospital, then go home and curse.
A big thanks to the following recruiters for helping out with this list: Jack from OneStaff Medical, Greg from Convergence, and Jenny from Aureus Medical. Look for more of what they say about other aspects of being a recruiter in the book, “Highway Hypodermics: Travel Nursing 2019”
Are you the healthcare traveler what walks into orientation with uneasiness because you are in a new world, new hospital, with new co-workers? Although tranquility is a characteristic of an introverted disposition, most introverts benefit from some socializing.
Introvert travelers love to spend time alone; they do their best thinking alone, and they can even feel lonely in a crowd. They tend to have an inner voice that is difficult to turn the volume down on. They feel like they are dissimulating companionship when they have to meet new people, and they have no desire to be the focus of the orientation group.
The introvert is drawn to reflection and sensitivity. One of their favorite things to do is go to a quiet place in nature like a secluded beach, top of a mountain, or on a lakeshore and just get lost on the train of thought. The idea of being an introvert was the result of works by Carl Jung who stated, “There is no such thing as a pure extrovert or pure introvert. Such a man would be in a lunatic asylum.”
Here are FIVE of our top tips for introverted healthcare travelers:
New research suggests introverts are also highly-sensitized, processing their thoughts differently to extroverts. They process information about their environment unusually deep. They tend to notice intricacies other people miss, are extremely sensitive and have remarkably passionate ethics.
The great thing about introverts as a traveler is that they assess their circumstances very profoundly. They notice little things that other people miss. For example, an introverted nurse may see a skin issue long before it has a chance to progress into a stageable decub.
Embrace your introversion, but do not be afraid to come out of your shell. The first couple of weeks on a new assignment you are trying to find out who you are working with, with everything is, and who your resources are. Go into work every shift with the attitude that, “I’m just here to help.” Let others know that you are there to help, and soon you will be settled right into your assignment.
Until you get floated, and that’s another article.
Written by Kay Slane, RN, BSed, CGM (Certified Grad-level Nursing Management) Matriarch of Travel Nursing. The CEO of Highway Hypodermics®, LLC, the longest-running travel nursing website by a traveling nurse. Author of “Highway Hypodermics: Travel Nursing 2019.”