Whether you’re a newcomer to the field of nursing or posted at the nursing job of your dreams already.
Newly minted nursing professionals and nursing students have reported alarming levels of anxiety and stress as per many academic and research institutes but that CERTAINLY does not have to be your fate if you have chosen nursing as your career path.
If you’re looking to strike the golden balance between work and personal commitments; hoping to spot a burnout long before one’s in the cards; searching for tips for traveling nurses or seeking a better nursing job–this article is chock full of advice that can help YOU thrive in 2022. So let’s dive right in!
Identifying and Managing Burnouts
Spot Burnout
Nurse burnout can be precipitated by factors such as long work hours, constantly switching shifts, as well as the pressure of tending to critically-ill patients. You can identify if you’re going through a burnout phase in your nursing job or if you’re feeling emotionally exhausted by your profession. While no sane human being can plaster a smile or be in a perky mood 24/7, if your job is taking a toll on your mood, then it might be time to take a break.
Burned-out professionals mostly lack a sense of competence or accomplishment in their nursing jobs. If your work achievements no longer seem to bring you joy, keep you motivated or bring you satisfaction then it’s another sign of burnout.
Lastly, if you feel disassociated during shift hours then there might be a more vicious reason at play in the background. Disassociation can often manifest as a lack of interest and inner motivation for work. In nursing, you can identify this if you’ve been responding to receivers of your care, service, or students in an impersonal or cold manner. This is often the first tell-tale sign of depression.
Stress Management Tips for Burnt-Out Nurses
Free up calendar space. The one trapdoor that exists in nursing jobs is that nurses tend to spread themselves too thin. So avoid putting your hands in too many pots if you’re already feeling overwhelmed! This can mean that you say no to participating in research projects or chairing your nursing unit’s workers’ union. Saying no not only empties up calendar space but also clears your mental real estate for a much-needed breather.
Spot your daily stressors. First and foremost; you might need to take into account your daily stressors. Jot down the activities or factors that are causing you anxiety on a daily basis, then go ahead and write down at least 1 way that you can reduce every stressor. This might be something as simple as asking another nurse, your head nurse, or your nurse staffing agency for help.
Set healthy boundaries at the workplace. Granted, this might require a great deal of self-control. But if you’re overstaying your shift timings despite needing to tend to personal commitments immediately after work, take it from us, you’re not setting the right boundaries at your nursing job! Not only will you only be running late to get to places throughout the day like this but you’ll always be giving people the leeway to ask you for favors post-work hours. The solution? Drop things, grab your bag and be out the door when the clock says “time up!”
Monitor or chart healthy habits. Get the right amount of sleep, plan healthy meals in advance, and squeeze in that 30-minute-cardio. A great way to do this is to journal your healthy habits. Especially so, if you’re a traveling nurse! If you’re a traveling nurse; you might struggle with maintaining a healthy schedule. So if you can’t exercise before work, park your car further away for a walk to the hospital. If you’ve got a sweet tooth then swap out that chocolate bar with a bowl of freshly cut fruit at lunchtime.
Job Seeking Tips for Nursing Jobs
Introduce Yourself to Your Mentors in Nursing
While this advice might seem best for new nurses, knowing who your role models are in your career at any point, can help you identify nursing job timelines that you want to follow. Your role model’s work provides you with a blueprint that you can emulate without having to start your journey from scratch. Oftentimes creating strong professional ties with seasoned experts in their specialty can mean you have a reliable source of practical information.
Whether you’re contemplating specialty training, long-term career or financial goals, or work hours; the best person to answer those questions will definitely be someone who has your dream nursing job right now.
You may want to make it a goal to introduce yourself to those you consider to be mentors. Mentors can easily boil down many years of their wisdom into golden nuggets, being open to helping someone out in order to save them years of their life in a field like nursing is a common thing among nurses.
When On The Lookout For a Nursing Job
Search every forum for new vacancies. Reading newspapers, going through social platforms, and dropping your resume in places that might require nursing staff may be a starter for you. Reaching out to a nurse staffing agency can also be the breakthrough for your career. With Omicron beginning to make waves in many countries now, danger seems imminent. It won’t be long before hospitals start hiring nurses again for such urgencies. Therefore, you should be ready for any opportunity that comes your way.
Look for a job that fits your degree. There’s no need to go after vacancies that have no relation to your degree. In fact, applying for a nursing job that doesn’t require your degree may become a problem for you during interviews. The subsequent encounter can become a stressful trigger for you and may affect your performance in the future. Most hospitals provide adequate information about their requirements for hiring, such as degree and professional experience. So, collect proper information about the opening and then go for it.
Timing and patience are everything. It’s essential to stay one step ahead in nursing job applications. Hiring offers do not remain open for long, because too many people sign up for them. Administrations keep these advertisements open for around 3-4 days, after which they close them. They take their time to select the best individuals in groups, after which a few of them are sent forward for interview. Simply put, if you get the timing right, you’ll get your name in the earliest batch, and then all you have to do is wait for the call.
References can go a long way. There are a lot of ways your network can help you out. Whether it be your social circle or people that you’ve worked with, there’s a chance they can give you something. Ask your nursing friends to recommend you for any vacancy that comes up, or inform you about them. The same goes for previous job experiences. You can contact your former boss or employee to refer you for a nursing job that is looking for the skills and experience you have.
Reach out to a nurse staffing agency. When in doubt, leave it to the professionals! One great way to ensure that you land the nursing job of your dreams is to register with Capstone Healthcare Staffing(CapstoneRx.com). Capstone Healthcare Staffing is a nurse staffing agency with a great online platform where you can search for jobs according to the state, per diem, or permanent basis. You may also type in keywords that best fit your qualifications; jobs that specify they’d only “prefer” experienced nurses are a jackpot because that means they’re open to fresh graduates too.
Insider Tips for Traveling Nurses
Pave Your Own Way
Go through the hiring process thoroughly. Although traveling nurses receive many great incentives, there may be limitations starting from the selection procedure to your first day at the job. Therefore, as a traveling nurse, it is important to keep an eye out for everything you go through in the process. Whether it be a better nursing job offer or an obstacle in your selection, you should know about it beforehand. Even reading your contract is advised by a lot of professionals, so that you know everything about your job and what comes with it before you go in.
Explore new facilities. Many experts recommend that traveling nurses should accept almost every assignment they’re offered. Whether it be a general ward or an ICU, there’s something new to learn in every facility. The reason traveling nurses are very different from hospital nurses is because they have ample experience in the major facilities, so they can work with most people in most settings. It may give you a new sense of liking other places than your favorite one.
Know what benefits you’re receiving. It’s the hiring company that’s providing your paycheck most of the time. Hospitals aren’t involved in the insurance and payroll intricacies for traveling nurses, but instead, the traveling company handles it. Traveling nurses should know where it’s coming from and what other benefits they can avail themselves of. There are many great incentives such as housing, stipends, and mileage reimbursement. All of those are usually mentioned in your contract, so be sure to comb through it and ask questions if you don’t find the benefit you’re hoping for as a traveling nurse.
Nursing is a noble profession that requires individuals to treat affected people with kindness and love. Those that stepped into the profession are true heroes, especially in these troubled times. They are respected globally, and therefore, staffing agencies like Georgia Medical Staffing aim to provide nurses with the greatest care and advantages. Be sure to exploit the website to its fullest and use these tips to your advantage so you can thrive in 2022.
Original article from https://www.capstonerx.com/2022/01/13/career-advice-for-nurses-in-2022/