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Staying Safe and Heathy – What Every Travel Nurse Needs to Know

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Becoming a travel nurse comes with plenty of challenges—not only are you exposed to various illnesses, but the prospect of traveling can also put a stop into your healthy routines. While you may already be living a healthy lifestyle, keeping up with all things healthy can be difficult to do on the road. 

You’ll be dealing with different time zones, a rewired body clock, and food option scarcity. While the barriers to a healthy travel nursing life may indeed be present, there are ways to boost your body’s defenses. With careful planning and research, you’ll be able to eat healthily, manage stress, and even exercise, no matter where you are in the world. Without further ado, here’s how you can stay healthy in both mind and body:

 

1 – A healthy body 

 

Exercise

Exercise impacts both the mind and body, helping you better manage stress and tension. Choosing a local gym to exercise in can be a great place to start, but if the state permits, choose the outdoors. You’ll be able to enjoy running and hiking, as well as other fun outdoor exercises. 

Exercising for 30 minutes a day will be more than enough. The goal is to keep your blood circulating and your heart pumping—as long as you make exercising a normal activity, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

Food

You will need to stay hydrated as much as possible, so keep a refillable water bottle with you at all times. This helps your body remove waste and keeps your body functioning properly, but if you can, add some doses of apple cider vinegar in your water diet. It keeps the weight gain away and helps keep your cholesterol and blood sugar levels low. 

For your meals, make sure to opt for greens and fruity goodness. Meals rich with minerals and vitamins provide you with the energy you need, meaning you can stop relying on too much caffeine! It also keeps your body safe from various diseases, rendering your immune system stronger than ever. Taking multivitamins along with a vegetable and protein-rich diet is also key, as it helps further regulate your bodily processes. 

 

2 – A healthy mind

 

Preparation 

Moving into a new city can be incredibly stressful, especially since you’re dealing with new people and environments once more. As you prepare your things for moving, never forgo the research process. Look up all the places you can visit during your downtime, especially those tourist spots. If you’re not into the city, taking extra shifts can be a viable option—so long as you’re not overworking, the extra overtime money will be well worth it! 

Remember to take down notes on your first day, especially when it comes to door codes, passwords, badges, and other accessories you may need. Keep your mind open—never hesitate to ask your coworkers questions, especially when it comes to taking care of specific patients, the types of equipment to use, and overall learning where things are. 

Self-care

Self-care goes beyond just bubble baths and tubs of ice cream after a long day—it’s about taking good care of your mind. Adopting yoga into your exercise routine can be a great way to reduce stress, as deep breathing exercises are the best way to handle chaotic situations. By learning how to manage stress, you’ll be able to handle difficult patients, stressful emergencies, and even the most tumultuous hospital environments. 

 

The Bottom Line

Travel nursing is a unique opportunity that helps you not only advance your career but get to know yourself in ways you never thought possible. Traveling is never an easy task, after all—combined with the nature of healthcare, you get the best of both worlds of utter stress. 

As you navigate through the career, you’ll come out as a seasoned travel nurse. You’ll be well-versed in stressful situations, have a firm grasp of your identity, and above all, you’ll have discovered what it truly means to be healthy. 

If you wish to pursue a travel nursing career in the United States, Travel Nursing Direct has you covered. We’ll help you find answers about your future career, as well as tips on how to become a successful travel nurse. We’ll also let you in on the latest about the travel nurse industry, so keep in touch with us!

 

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Our community of Pre-Nursing, Current RNs, Travel RNs and Post Graduate Nurses is here to help share their knowledge and experience with you. Learn about Travel Nursing, Find an assignment, or Figure it YOUR next step:

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