Being a traveler takes some adjustment.

As a traveling nurse you already have much to adjust to. Perhaps you’re moving from east to west so you have the differing time zones which can put your sleep schedule all out of whack. Then there’s the new hours in which you’ll be working, maybe going from day to night shift and there’s also the possibility of you taking on a different role. The list is vast when it comes to making the adjustments for travel nurses. The most important of these changes is within the traveling nurse themselves.

As a traveler you have the opportunity to see so many different places and meet so many different faces. Each and every place different from the last and with the people it is no different. Here is where your ability to adapt is important. At the many hospitals in which you can work, you will meet a host of varied personalities and there will most likely come a time when you meet someone that you know will not be easy to get along with. So what do you do? You can’t just butt heads over and over, for this will certainly lead to bigger issues.

It all starts with your attitude. It makes all the difference in how we feel and how we will react to those who may do things a bit differently than what we might be use to. As a traveler you already know that it can be difficult at times to get fit to how your new facility and those who work there operate. We all have our ways and we should learn to appreciate the characteristics that make each of us unique. It would be a pretty bland place to live if we were exactly like each other. So when you are thrust into a team situation and one of your peers is going about a procedure in a manner you are not use to, don’t just react. Take a second and think about what really is bothering you about the situation. If there’s no harm being done and it’s simply them doing it differently than you, accept it. There’s not much you can do. If you thought maybe it could put a patient in harms way, by all means speak up. But if ultimately it’s just them doing it a way you may not, go with the flow.

By taking a second to think about the big picture and what it is that may be causing you to question the way others do certain tasks, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary stress. This stress ultimately will begin to affect your life and can turn any travel nursing assignment into a nightmare, especially if you will be working alongside the person(s) for a while. So the next time you want to blurt out something and “correct” someone, stop. Don’t do it. Take a minute, reflect and gauge with honesty. It can work wonders for your attitude.