6 Ways to Avoid Travel Nurse Burnout
The healthcare profession is known to be one of the most exhausting and difficult industries to be a part of in the global job market even though Wanderly simplifies the process immensely. It takes a toll on both the body, the mind, and occasionally even the soul. Similarly, although travel is exciting, it presents a lot of unknowns, potentially difficult situations, and curveballs. Combine the two and it is a whirlwind of challenges and new adventures. Working in any new hospital is difficult enough to transition and find your feet in; imagine adding a new culture, language, or way of life. Traveling nurses can often go through a lot of change very quickly, and that can be incredibly overwhelming. Because of this, traveling nurses sometimes begin to feel exhausted, risking burnout. We have taken a deep dive into 6 preventative ways to avoid travel nurse burnout.
1: Have a Hobby
Having a passion that is separate to your work is crucial no matter what field you work in; but especially in the more intense fields. Depending on personality and individual preference, these ‘side hobbies’ can differ. Some people choose meditative and holistic practices, some choose exercise (either body or mind), and some paint, write, or draw. No matter what your personal preference, these hobbies keep you centred, and mean your whole world does not revolve around your work. These activities help you rest, recharge, and rejuvenate your soul; helping your body in avoiding burnout.
2: Know How to Say No
This is not a recommendation to slack off or avoid responsibility, but it is a warning to my Type A personalities. It is extremely easy, especially if you are a people pleaser like myself, to just say yes every time you are asked to do something. But this is not healthy. It is vital to set both personal and professional boundaries as a preventative measure for avoiding burnout and exhaustion. Taking on too much, even with the best of intentions, is never a good idea. Do not overwhelm yourself!
3: Know Your Body
The best piece of advice I can give you is to be aware of your own body. Only you truly know how you feel and if potentially you may be edging close to burnout. Stop it and change your behaviour when you feel that you are getting close to exhaustion. If your exhaustion is related to work, there are many people to speak to in every organisation about this; as it should not be the case.
4: Build Your Support Network
Having a support network is important for any person or way of life, but vital in the nursing profession. I would personally suggest having a group of maybe 2-5 individuals who you trust, who you can be totally honest with about your mental health, physical wellbeing, and potential exhaustion symptoms.
5: Put Your Health First
I am not saying go to the gym 24/7, just to clarify. And I certainly do not recommend fad diets or other extreme measures. However, mental and physical wellbeing are strongly linked, and keeping yourself healthy is a crucial part of avoiding burnout. Even little things such as making sure to get out in the sun, or drink enough water in the day, are crucial to keeping yourself both happy and healthy! Exercise is a great stress reducer, and provides your body with endorphins.
8: Sleep Soundly
Being constantly tired is not good for anyone, and it has a major (negative) impact on both your physical and mental wellbeing. With sleep schedules, consistency is key. It is important to get your body into a good routine by going to bed at similar times each night and sleeping relatively the same length of time every night. However, this might not work for your schedule! So try relaxing meditations, soothing teas, and if you really start to struggle contact your doctor for advice. Sleep is absolutely crucial for both your physical and mental wellbeing and goes a long way in preventing exhaustion.
Healthcare is an extremely taxing industry to be a part of, and it requires a lot of physical, mental, and emotional effort. Because of the naturally taxing nature of the industry it is crucial to put preventative measures in place in order to ensure that total physical give out and burnout are avoided. Hopefully, these six top tips will help you put the right structures in place to be at your best both physically and mentally.
About the Author:
Kristin Herman is a business and technology enthusiast and a head project manager for Essay Roo and Essay Help online writing services. She often writes business articles for online magazine and blogs, such as Essay writer, as well as lending her talents to a variety of other websites.