Travel Nursing - A Whole New World

If you are a seasoned traveler, you are where you need to be for your current travel assignment, and you probably have it all down pat. But if you are a new traveler on your first "gig," here's what you should know to acclimate yourself easily and quickly.

Get the Lay of the Land
First, it helps to try to arrive at your destination a day or two before the assignment begins. When you first get to the new locale, locate the facility where you will be working. Assess the distance between it and your living quarters, then determine the most practical route and how you are going to get there.

Try to visit the facility on your off time, to get a feel for the place. Of course, you need to introduce yourself and obtain permission to tour the unit. Find another traveler, if possible, and ask what a typical day is like for a nurse at that facility. Your travel company may be able to provide you with names of other nurses it has working at that facility.

You will need to know about patient loads, patient acuity, how scheduling and charting are done, and even the dress code. You'll want to know how you fit in, so make acquaintance with the nurse manager you will report to. Ask questions and be yourself. Flexibility and adaptability are keys to your blending into the unit, and being open to cultural differences.

Review Clinical Skills
You also should make sure your clinical skills are on target with your new position. "In my experience working with travelers, the most important thing for them to make a smooth professional transition is that they have excellent, up-to-date clinical skills, and they accept assignments only in areas where they have expertise," advised Barbara Carranti, MS, assistant professor of nursing in the College of Human Services and Health Professions at Syracuse (NY) University.

Carranti stated that the idea behind the use of travelers from a facility's perspective is that the traveler will be ready to function with minimal start-up (orientation) time. Therefore, the nurse should be as familiar with standards of care and procedures as possible.