4 Characteristics of Successful Travel Nurses

Travel nursing is a difficult yet extremely rewarding profession—once you’ve finished one assignment, you’re off to the next state or facility to learn new processes, meet new coworkers, and treat new patients. Not everyone is suited for this type of work, and there are some common traits that all thriving travel nurses share. Thinking about becoming a travel nurse with us and curious about what makes a great travel clinician? Here are four characteristics of successful travel nurses.

1. Adaptable

As a travel nurse, you’re moving from facility to facility, caring for a wide range of patients with distinct injuries and illnesses. Each medical facility has its own methods and processes of providing care, and many use different electronic medical record (EMR) systems and other technology to keep track of the services they provide. 

Some of the most successful travel nurses are people who can easily adapt to new situations and learn these new processes and systems on the fly. And since your travel nurse assignments may differ when it comes to length of assignment and shift times, it’s important that you’re able to easily transition from one to another without losing your drive to provide the best care you possibly can. 

2. Open-Minded

Travel nursing will bring you to places in the United States that you’ve maybe never been before, which means you’ll work with and treat people who have different lived experiences than you. In addition, you’ll be introduced to new processes and systems that you may not have any experience with. 

That’s why successful travel nurses have an open mind—although things may be different from where you come from, it’s important to remember that everyone is working to provide the highest quality healthcare to patients as they can. Try not to be too set in your own ways of doing things—stay open to new ways of completing tasks and communicating with colleagues, as this will make it easier for you to excel at your travel nursing job. 

3. Confident

If you’re chosen by a facility to work as a travel nurse, they’ve already vetted your background, experience, and skills and believe you’re qualified to do the job. In order to be successful in your position, it’s crucial that you stay confident in your abilities, as you wouldn’t be there in the first place if the facility didn’t trust you!

Successful travel nurses approach every patient encounter from a place of confidence in their skills, which allows them to provide the level of care the patient deserves. In addition, confident travel nurses can often teach permanent healthcare providers at the facility new skills and other ways of providing healthcare, which can be a positive reflection on you in the eyes of management at the facility you’re working at. 

4. Team-Oriented

Like any other job, it’s important to be a positive and contributing member of the team you’re on. Many of the most successful travel nurses know this well, and make sure to consult and help others on their teams to ensure that patients are taken care of efficiently and to the best of the full care team’s abilities. 

While you won’t be an engrained member of the team right when you start as a travel nurse, it’s critical that you try your best to meet everyone and learn about them. This will help you build an effective team, and you may even make some new friends along the way. 

Partner with BHS

Want to travel the country as a travel nurse? We have many job opportunities available that may meet your personal needs and professional goals. Check out our job board and apply today to get started!