Travel nurses spend a considerable amount of time taking care of patients, but they also need to take care of their health as well. Stress and fatigue often becomes a side effect of the incredible work that nurses do and those feelings can often times lead to incredible burnout.
As shared by Healthline, "Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion that can zap the joy out of your career, friendships, and family interactions."
So if a travel nurse, how can you overcome the burnout that is caused by common stress and fatigue while on assignment? Find some tips below!
Take Time to Build Positive Relationships With Others While on Assignment
Whether you are adventuring with friends on the weekends or grabbing coffee on your time off, connecting with others and surrounding yourself with people who care is essential to maintaining your positive mental health. Having a strong support system is vital in maintaining stress and talking through emotions that you are feeling. Whether you reach out to family or spend time with others on assignment, taking the time to build a strong bond is valuable for making your assignment even more enjoyable.
Create and Maintain Healthy Boundaries
Take the time to identify, instill, and maintain critical boundaries for yourself in order to prevent gaining stress or becoming too tired during your daily life. Whether emotional, physical or mental, make sure that you are not taking on more than what you can handle. By maintaining healthy boundaries, you can focus on making sure that your needs are ultimately being fulfilled and that you give yourself time to rest.
Find Your Comfort Zone
As a travel nurse, it may seem desirable to engage in new and adventurous activities while on assignment. However, taking the time to do activities that are comfortable for you can be an essential way to reduce stress or fatigue. Whether it is watching your favorite movie or cooking a special meal, doing activities that are within your comfort zone can help reduce stress and fatigue.
Lastly, make sure to stay connected with your recruiter and be candid about how your current assignment is going. Also, feel free to ask your recruiter for assistance whenever it is needed. We are here for you.
For further resources on how to reduce burnout, click here or call (800)-480-1234. For Nurse Care, a confidential and free mental health service that is available 24/7.
