How to Be Healthy and Fit as a Busy Travel Nurse : The demands of working as a healthcare professional can make it quite challenging to have time for other things.
In fact, after working several back-to-back 24 hours shifts, it is understandable that the healthcare professional only wants to hit the bed and get some well-deserved rest.
Yet, in this highly demanding and challenging work environment, doing everything to stay fit and healthy can help healthcare professionals – from doctors to nurses, travel nurses, critical care nurse jobs, orderlies, and virtually everyone that works in the hospice environment reduce stress and be more productive in their jobs.
Whether you are going on your first assignment as a travel nurse or you are a seasoned travel nurse who has been on several travel assignments, it can be tempting to use your busy schedule as an excuse to let go of healthy habits. Unfortunately, your health cannot afford a break. To stay fit, you must make time to manage your health. There are also numerous travel nurse insurance options available to keep you covered in the event of an emergency.
So, check out these selected tips on how to maintain great health and vitality while working in strange places as a travel nurse.
Do Your Research
As soon as you get the details of your next travel nursing assignment, the next thing to do is to research information about the place.
This research should also include finding out local fitness options and if the hospital has a fitness room for employees.
If you intend to rent temporary accommodation, you should consider one that has a place where you can work out in your free hours.
The point here is not to wait until you arrive, your assignment destination before making plans for fitness and exercise, but to do this homework ahead of time so that you will be ready to get started once you get there.
Get a Temporary Gym Membership
The typical travel nursing assignment usually lasts for 13 weeks, although there are some that last a lot longer than that.
Since your assignment is temporary, there is no need for signing up as a full member of a gym, but you can take out a temporary membership. You can always look around for a gym that allows temporary members.
Before you commit to a gym though, you may want to first try out their facilities to see if it fits your workout routine.
Once you have a temporary membership account all set up, be sure to avail yourself of the place whenever your schedule allows.
Set up a Gym Alternative
Not everyone believes that the gym is the only road to fitness. If you fall into this category then no problems. You don’t have to use the gym to be fit and healthy, as long as you have options for working out.
For example, you can choose to take a quick run around the block early in the mornings or in the cool evening. There are also tons of workout tutorials and Yoga on YouTube which you can do in the comfort of your home without having to step a foot outside.
Yoga has many benefits for travel nurses and has been lauded as a great way to relieve stress, build core strength, and increase flexibility. You don’t even need special equipment to do Yoga, and you will get similar results as going to the gym.
Walk to Work
If you live within walking distance of your workplace, there is no better opportunity for working out than by converting your commute into exercises. Instead of taking a cab or driving all the way from your accommodations to work, you can simply do the distance with a fast walk.
Even if you live some distance from your workplace, opt to ride a bicycle the distance instead of taking a cab or driving. Riding a bicycle is a great way to work out and affords the same benefits are jogging or even going to the gym. At the very least, and if you must, you can always take a cab or drive to a point, then walk the remaining distance.
Get Consistent Sleep and Rest
The demands of travel nursing, such that a nurse is almost always on duty and rarely gets enough sleep, however, it is important that you try as much as possible to establish a regular sleep pattern.
No matter how much you care for your patients, failing to get adequate and consistent rest can affect your productivity, leading to mistakes. But when you sleep and are well-rested, your body and mind take time to rejuvenate, so that you are keen, fit, and fresh for the next shift.
Eat as Healthy as You Can
Finally, it is not enough to work out and rest well, what you eat also matters. Admittedly, the tough schedule of nurses, for the most part, means that they survive on fast food, snacks, and coffee. But that doesn’t mean you should not at least try to eat healthy meals every once in a while.
As much as you have limited options on what to do while at work, you should make the effort to get something healthy in on your off days. In fact, experts suggest that home-cooked meals are the best when it comes to healthy eating, as there will be less or none of the fat, additives, and so on used in commercial eating places.
Cooking in a strange kitchen does not have to be hard or complicated, especially after you have done so for the first time. So, during your off days, spend some minutes in the grocery store and be sure to pick out what you will use to cook healthy meals in your home.
Your body and mind will appreciate you for this.
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How to Be Healthy and Fit as a Busy Travel Nurse
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