Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a constant challenge as a travel nurse.
With the New Year having just passed, millions of Americans have just made commitments to better themselves in 2009. According to a survey by Enhanced News Online on the Top New Year’s Resolutions for 2009, ‘Lose weight’ ranked #2, while ‘Develop a healthy habit’ ranked #3.
As a travel nurse, you’re one of the marathon runners of healthcare. You work long hours, and are away from home for months at a time. Since even a little sniffle can throw you off your game, you owe it to yourself and your patients to stay in tip-top shape. Unfortunately, maintaining good health on a travel nursing assignment takes more than a daily dose of vitamin C—you have to care for your mind, body, and spirit to minimize the probability of getting weighed down by stress, illness, or lack of motivation. Here are some travel nursing fitness tips for your next assignment.
Common sense
Frequent hand washing is the oldest piece of health advice in the book, and it’s because it works. Take the extra effort to scrub up now and again with a little antibacterial soap.
Good nutrition goes a long way, too. A balanced diet of lean proteins with lots of fruits and veggies, along with some healthy fats, will help fuel your body through stressful times as a travel nurse. Make things easier on yourself by stocking up on grab-and-go foods like nutrition bars, carrot sticks, berries, and apples. Prepare as many meals at home as possible. Not only is it healthy—it’s also cheaper.
Try to get several hours of uninterrupted sleep. Eight hours of shut-eye might seem like an impossible dream in the nursing profession, but at least make time for power naps. Lack of sleep leaves you less resistant to illness and negatively affects your mood and your ability to make quick, sound decisions.
Get the blood flowing
Regular exercise is one of the major keys to good physical health on a travel nursing assignment. “When I relocate to a new city,” says Tonya W., an Onward Healthcare traveler, “I get out and start walking within a quarter of a mile radius to where I’m living. Not only is the exercise great, but I check out local boutiques, and search for little cafes nearby where I can sit on my days off.”
Most apartment complexes also have on-site gyms, but if they don’t, make it a priority to locate one nearby. Investigate local facilities that may offer short-term or trial memberships, including the local YMCA. Another option is to purchase a regular membership at a national chain with reciprocal privileges, like World’s Gym, Curves, or 24-Hour Fitness.
Managing stress
Keeping your stress level under control can be one of the most challenging aspects of a travel nursing job. Physical exercise helps in this regard, but consider taking up yoga, meditation, or deep breathing techniques to stay relaxed and strengthen your immune system. Cassandra Lindquist, a Corporate Trainer and Recruiter with Onward Healthcare, recommends that nurses travel with a portable DVD player and a collection of yoga videos. Another trick to travel nurse fitness is to load relaxation audio sessions on your MP3 player; download a free program at www.lifelines.com to see if this technique might work for you.
Always make time for the things you enjoy on your travel nursing assignment. Marathon runners break up their grueling training schedule with massages and relaxing baths. Travel nurses deserve the same indulgences.
By Barbara Eisner Bayer, Featured Contributor
