“Nurse practitioners who recognize these feelings [fakeness, anxiety, lack of confidence and frustration] have an awareness of the transition process may have a shorter adjustment period. A family NP who engages in self-reflection rather than focusing on fears, weakness, and self-doubt will experience an easier transition process,” said Vanessa Gaydas, RN, BSN.
Don’t let your self-doubt scare you out of your dream job as a traveling nurse. Stay strong in these moments of doubt with these four helpful tips.
Pat yourself on the back, nurses are heroes! Here are 7 reasons why.
This Compared to That
Sometimes our deepest insecurities come from watching someone ace their job and wondering if you look that professional doing the same thing. Comparing yourself to others is your first step to feeling uncomfortable in your own skin both in our personal lives and professionally.
“They say that comparison is the thief of all joy, and there’s no question that the hours we spend measuring our own life against that of others is the time that would be better spent being grateful for what we do have or even working to achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves,” said Camille Styles, Founder & Creative Director of CamilleStyles.com.
Instead of instilling fear in yourself by comparing what you have to others, be grateful and confident in the skills you do have, be thankful for your past and how much you’ve grown so far. Use these reminders as fuel to learn more and achieve greater things through your everyday practice.
If you’re worried about getting a culture shock at your new assignment, prep yourself with these steps!
Find Your Interpersonal Skills
In order to practice successful interpersonal skills throughout your entire profession, keep these 5 stages in mind:
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Listening: chances are, you already know what you need to do for the patient’s best interest, but before you block off all other advice, listen to the patient and their family members so they’re comfortable with your diagnosis and care methods.
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Communication: even in fast-pace environments, precision is your first priority. This is especially true since nurses pass on information they take in to the doctors for further procedures. This line of communication can mean life or death in some situations.
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Patience: family members of patients are notorious for requesting frequent updates, which aren’t always readily available. It’s up to the nurses to deliver calm and consistent messaging when constant updates are requested.
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Stress management: fight your immediate reaction when a patient is suffering. You’ll want to go into panic mode, but instead, take deep breaths, tell yourself you are in control of the situation and keep moving forward with what you know needs to be done.
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A sense of humor: recent research has even proven a sense of humor to make others feel good, gain intimacy and help buffer stress – which is just what an ill person needs to boost their recovery!
Build Relationships
If there’s anyone who knows the ins and outs of a facility, it’s the ones who have been there the longest. Find a mentor of sorts who has been there for a while to give you insights and advice you might not be able to learn on your own.
Stephanie Vozza, freelance business writer, advises how to find the best mentor in any industry:
“To identify a good candidate, look for someone in your company at about the same level who is currently excelling – someone the leadership team acknowledges as having a promising future. Don’t choose a friend and stay away from those who gossip.”
Modeling your work ethic after someone who is excelling in every direction is a great start to bringing yourself up to parr with everyone in your new environment.
Excited to start a new journey, meet new people and explore new places? Where should you go next? Take this quiz to find out.
Testing, Testing…
Remember in grade school when you had to give your first speech? Your hands would shake and sweat just thinking about facing your peers and presenting your hard work, even though you know you aced the assignment. Your teacher probably advised you to practice your speech in front of a mirror or loved one, right? The same test run can be used when approaching a new facility or work environment, and your recruiter can help you with this!
Ask your recruiter for facility maps, brochures and any fine details you may not be able to learn from the website. Ask for possible commute times through various modes of transportation for the best arrival time, check out the parking situation, and see what kind of coffee shops or breakfast shops are on the way. This extra prep taken before even facing your first day settles any uncertainties you’ve been repeating in your head for days.
Is the new staff you’re working with less than pleasant? Here are 4 ways to deal with difficult doctors and staff members.
Battle self-doubt by preparing yourself for your new assignment with the help of your trusty recruiter and the Freedom difference. Find an excelling coworker who you can trust to provide honest feedback and be proud of how far you’ve come.
Ready to enjoy a new adventure? Talk to us, we promise you won’t regret the shift!