{"id":3982,"date":"2021-03-09T20:55:21","date_gmt":"2021-03-09T20:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/?p=3982"},"modified":"2026-03-04T19:55:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:55:50","slug":"how-to-stay-health-as-a-travel-nurse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/how-to-stay-health-as-a-travel-nurse\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential Health Tips for Travel Nurses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"meta-bar\">\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/nurses-prn\/\">travel nurse<\/a> who has recently found a job on <\/span><a style=\"font-size: inherit; background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"http:\/\/wanderly.us\">Wanderly<\/a><span style=\"font-size: inherit;\">, it\u2019s essential for you to stay healthy and be on top of your game! Although your job is to care for others, you still need to make time for yourself too. Like your favorite pair of scrubs, take your healthy habits along with you on your next contract! Let\u2019s walk through how you can stay healthy as a travel nurse.<\/span><\/div>\n<h1><\/h1>\n<article id=\"post-5317\" class=\"post-5317 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-how-to-guides\">\n<section class=\"entry entry-content\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_62 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/how-to-stay-health-as-a-travel-nurse\/#HEALTHY_EATING\" title=\"HEALTHY EATING\">HEALTHY EATING<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/how-to-stay-health-as-a-travel-nurse\/#MOVE_YOUR_BODY\" title=\"MOVE YOUR BODY\">MOVE YOUR BODY<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/how-to-stay-health-as-a-travel-nurse\/#REDUCE_STRESS_LEVELS\" title=\"REDUCE STRESS LEVELS\">REDUCE STRESS LEVELS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"HEALTHY_EATING\"><\/span>HEALTHY EATING<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Traveling to a brand new city and starting a new job can be overwhelming. But, don\u2019t worry, your travel nursing agency will have your housing all lined up before you go. So, this will give you ample time to check out grocery stores and healthy restaurants near you. The more you know, the less reactionary you\u2019ll be at mealtime. Pack a variety of protein-filled foods for your shift. It will help you stay full longer and maintain your energy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5325 lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-300x200.jpeg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating.jpeg 1600w\" alt=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-300x200.jpeg\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/healthy_eating.jpeg 1600w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-was-processed=\"true\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Healthy foods to pack include:<br \/>\n\u00b7 Hard-boiled eggs<br \/>\n\u00b7 Trail mix<br \/>\n\u00b7 Cottage cheese<br \/>\n\u00b7 Salad with chicken<br \/>\n\u00b7 Yogurt with berries<br \/>\n\u00b7 Peanut butter and celery<br \/>\n\u00b7 Hummus and veggies<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pro tip:\u00a0<\/strong><em>Meal plan for the week to avoid constant trips to the hospital vending machine. Plan meals that serve as leftovers, life will be so much easier!<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"MOVE_YOUR_BODY\"><\/span>MOVE YOUR BODY<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Making time for\u00a0<em>you<\/em>\u00a0can be difficult. Your schedule varies from week to week and you\u2019re constantly on the go! When there is a free minute to rest, you want to take it! But, moving your body will do wonders for your mind, body, and soul. In fact, a little sweat session will improve your mood and energy levels.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5327 lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-300x200.jpeg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights.jpeg 1600w\" alt=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-300x200.jpeg\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_lifting_weights.jpeg 1600w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-was-processed=\"true\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to helpguide.org, \u201cstudies show that exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as antidepressant medication\u2014but without the side-effects, of course. A recent study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%. In addition to relieving depression symptoms, research also shows that maintaining an exercise schedule can prevent you from relapsing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Along with promoting good mental health, regular exercise does wonders for your physical health as well. It reduces your risk of heart attack, lowers chances of type 2 diabetes, and allows you to manage a healthy body weight. The perks of regular exercise are abundant. Start putting exercise into your daily routine today.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong><em>If you feel overwhelmed by joining a gym, don\u2019t fret. Try these\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/blog-top-5-strength-training-exercises-for-nurses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>strength training exercises<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0at home.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"REDUCE_STRESS_LEVELS\"><\/span>REDUCE STRESS LEVELS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of the best ways to reduce stress levels is to try the practice of meditation. The beauty of meditation is that you can do it anywhere. It\u2019s a great way to clear your mind and focus on the moment versus the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/night-shift-anxiety\/\">anxiety<\/a> of the future.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5329 lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-300x200.jpeg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk.jpeg 1600w\" alt=\"\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-300x200.jpeg\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/woman_meditating_at_desk.jpeg 1600w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" data-was-processed=\"true\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to healthline.com, \u201cone study found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder, along with increasing positive self-statements and improving stress reactivity and coping.\u201d As a nurse, your job is stressful by nature. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine will improve anxiety, depression, concentration, and job-related stresses. Your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/blog-5-ways-nurses-can-keep-tabs-on-their-mental-health\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mental health<\/a>\u00a0plays a vital role in your wellbeing, don\u2019t neglect your mind.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how you can start meditating today:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Go to a quiet and comfortable spot<\/li>\n<li>Focus on your breathing<\/li>\n<li>Follow your breath for two minutes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By focusing on your breath, your mind doesn\u2019t have time to worry about what\u2019s next in your day. \u00a0If you feel your mind starting to wander, focus on your breath again.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong><em>If it\u2019s difficult to find time to meditate at home, try doing it on your commute to work. Turn off the radio and bring some peace into your day.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>By implementing healthy eating habits, exercising, and reducing your stress levels you\u2019ll notice a dramatic difference in your overall health! To stay healthy as a travel nurse be sure to take time for yourself.<\/p>\n<p>Resources: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prnhealthservices.com\/jobs\">Nurses PRN<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">https:\/\/www.healthline.com<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0As a travel nurse who has recently found a job on Wanderly, it\u2019s essential for you to stay healthy and be on top of your game! Although your job is to care for others, you still need to make time for yourself too. Like your favorite pair of scrubs, take your healthy habits along with [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":{"author_name":"Kelley","author_description":"","author_user_level":10,"author_avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fe55d4feb1c4e681b976a3b0f3c15157?s=96&r=g"},"featured_media":3986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[49,393,18,50],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ANT0117_Frontline_WorksiteWellness_HealthyNurse.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Kelley","author_link":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/author\/manshu\/"},"featured_image":{"size_thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ANT0117_Frontline_WorksiteWellness_HealthyNurse-150x150.jpg","size_medium":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ANT0117_Frontline_WorksiteWellness_HealthyNurse-300x120.jpg","size_large":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ANT0117_Frontline_WorksiteWellness_HealthyNurse.jpg","size_full":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ANT0117_Frontline_WorksiteWellness_HealthyNurse.jpg"},"loftocean-view-count":["1436"],"category":[{"id":49,"slug":"travel-nurse-career","name":"Career Resources"},{"id":393,"slug":"covid-19","name":"Covid-19"},{"id":18,"slug":"nurse-wellness","name":"Wellness"},{"id":50,"slug":"nurse-work-life","name":"Work Life"}],"post_tag":null,"views":9015,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ANT0117_Frontline_WorksiteWellness_HealthyNurse.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p92mSz-12e","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3982"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16637"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3982"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6035,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3982\/revisions\/6035"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wanderly.us\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}