Jobs that require travelling and navigation could be an enticing experience for employees. But such errands can be risky and may invite certain unwelcoming situations at times. Such is the job of travelling nurses who dedicate their lives to the well-being of patients.
In recent times, when the global pandemic has taken upon a toll on the entire world, healthcare workers need the most to be vigilant and protective about their well-being. Everything from finding safe housing, travelling safely, and taking care of their valuables, travel nurses face many challenges in maintaining an equilibrium between their work life and their well-being. Not just at workplaces, but while travelling too, travel nurses face challenges.
For instance, intercity travelling for nurses can be burdensome with large luggage and medical aids. For smooth navigation, travel nurses should choose cars equipped with a proven quality roof rack basket. It helps to navigate tough road conditions regularly with all essentials needed for their safe drive. Here are a few safety tips that can be extremely helpful to travel nurses in their travel assignments:
Recruiters are a great help:
First and foremost, travel nurses should be well connected to their recruiters throughout their journey. Recruiters are the first point of contact to ask for any assistance. There are many ways to establish a constant touch with them. Chat messengers, cell phones, emails, Skype, and other options can help travel nurses inform recruiters about their necessities.
Everything from renting a house to getting information about different places in the town, recruiters can assist nurses at all steps. Recruiters can also help travel nurses interact with other travellers or people who have lived in the city.
They should check with the recruiters if they provide healthy meals and all safety measures that would prevent them from the risks of diseases. It is crucial as nurses often run short of time in focusing on their health and cooking healthy meals. Also, there should be promising measures from the recruiters to ensure that nurses are working in a minimal risk environment.
Safe housing:
For a safe stay in an unfamiliar place, travel nurses should look for a secure housing unit. They could either select a travel nurse housing or an apartment with the help of their recruiters. Before choosing a housing unit, do extensive research of the rooms, rates and credibility of the landlords.
Another situation which the travel nurses may land in is when they deposit their money to the landlord in advance, but on reaching the site, they do not find it in a proper condition. Travel nurses can ask their traveller friends about their travel experiences. Listening to real-life experiences from friends will benefit them a lot and will save them from awkward situations.
They should use door alarms that could alert them of any potential danger next to their doors. There are motion-sensor devices that could be attached to the walls of the doors. Such devices could make sounds as and when the knob moves. Nurses should always keep the door locked from the inside and ensure the safety of their valuables.
Safe navigation:
For smooth navigation in an unfamiliar place, travel nurses often depend on tools such as Google maps. However, they should also carry a paper map in case their battery goes down, or the signal fails.
Nurses should carry repairing devices that could fix the problems of punctures or any mechanical hiccup. If the car becomes temporarily redundant at a strange, lonely place, nurses should call for the police if they feel unsafe.
One must also not leave their valuables such as laptops, mobiles, and other gadgets unattended in their cars. To avoid the frustrations related to heavy luggage, travel nurses should travel in cars equipped with a roof rack basket.
Stay connected:
Travel nurses need to remain connected with their family, friends and loved ones while they journey. They can stay connected through Skype, emails, cell phones and messengers. While they are on the road, they should continually keep their family members and friends updated about their current location through location sharing platforms.
Not only friends and family, but travel nurses should also make a friendly relationship with the security guards and staff of hotels or apartments. Security guards can accompany nurses to their vehicles or wait with them until a taxi arrives.
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Keep a confident attitude and trust on your instincts:
Keeping a confident attitude shuns strangers with malicious intentions from causing harm. During night shifts, nurses should always leave hospitals in packs. They should always keep the GPS tool active and share their live location with family and friends.
Location services help our closed ones assess the progress of our travel status even if we are not in contact with them. To avoid battery discharge on the road, travel nurses should always carry chargers or power batteries.
And lastly, nurses should believe in their instincts. If they need to purchase something or fuel their car while travelling, they should always assess the place by their gut feeling. If they feel something is wrong with that place, they should never stop their car on that spot and move further to park at some safer area.
Conclusion
With infections like corona getting rampant, travel nurses become a vulnerable section to get hit by such diseases. Many of us think that travel nurses get all the facilities of safe housing in their new city and a high living stipend.
But the reality differs in many aspects. Although they can access their family, friends, and recruiters on the journey with the help of technology, ultimately, it is they who have to act wisely in a troublesome situation. Besides, with good planning and presence of mind, staying safe and healthy is not distant.
References:
https://www.furnishedfinder.com/blog/Safety-Tips-for-Travel-Nurses
Author’s Bio:
Rebecca Siggers is a passionate writer & guest blogger. Writing helps her to improve her knowledge, skills & understanding about the specific industry. She loves writing & sharing her knowledge mostly in the Travelling Industry. She believes travelling is the key to a peaceful life & wants to spread her belief across the world. Apart from writing, She loves Traveling and Reading.