As you begin your new career in travel nursing, you are likely excited about the adventure and anxious about the challenges. To build your confidence as a new travel nurse, start by advocating for yourself and understanding your contract. Setting boundaries is essential, as is speaking up for yourself. Be flexible and adaptive, and seek to build rapport with your new team. And never let your professional development stop.

Advocate for Yourself

A great way to start building confidence is by advocating for yourself. Start with the contract. Review it, understand it, and ask questions about it. Your new facility will be challenging, so know your limits and avoid being overworked. If the work drastically differs from what you agree upon, speak with your recruiter.

Your recruiter is your most trusted ally in travel nursing. Ensure you communicate regularly with them and discuss any concerns regarding your assignment, housing, or salary. If the contract does not meet your expectations, tell them and seek other opportunities or negotiate for better contract terms.

It is also essential to know when to escalate challenges like contract breaches or unsafe working conditions through the correct channels.

Keep Learning

As a travel nurse, professional development is crucial for helping you improve your skills and boost your confidence in diverse clinical settings. Education can help you increase your marketability, expand your skill set, and position you for better assignments. Continuous learning also helps to keep you current with the latest tools, standards, and practices in healthcare. Here are ways to help you improve your skills:

• Continuing education. Keep your knowledge up and stay up to date with the latest trends.
• Advanced certifications. Boost your expertise and your confidence in your nursing skills.
• Develop soft skills. Interpersonal skills can help you stand out.
• Join professional nursing organizations. Membership often includes CE courses and career resources to help advance your career and build your confidence.
• Network. Connect with fellow travelers.
• Explore leadership opportunities. Building your leadership skills is an excellent way to gain confidence as a nurse.

Know How to Adapt

The more skilled you become at adjusting to new environments, the more confident you will be when starting a new assignment. Most importantly, be flexible and keep an open mind. A positive attitude will help you when times get challenging.

Ask questions instead of trying to figure it all out yourself. Get a notebook and take notes so you do not forget. Put telephone numbers, facility information, unit details, and any other information that will help you be successful at your assignment.

Finding another nurse to be your mentor is an excellent way to learn about the new facility and its protocols. Mentors can make your work easier, and the knowledge and expertise they impart will help your confidence.

Communicate

Your communication skills will be essential for helping you collaborate with your fellow nurses at your new healthcare facility. Communication can boost your confidence, too. Research suggests that nurses who have adequate communication skills feel more confident and competent in their roles. When you explain information so that patients clearly understand, you build confidence in your abilities. As an advocate for your patient’s needs, you build trust in your communication abilities.

Build Rapport

Starting your new assignment is going to be challenging until you get yourself acclimated. The best way to acclimate yourself and gain a bit of confidence too is by building rapport with your team. As a new travel nurse on a new assignment, you can build rapport. Here are a few suggestions:

• Seek common ground with your new colleagues. Perhaps there is a hobby you share with someone, or maybe you have a similar background or education with a team member.
• Ask your co-workers questions and actively listen to their answers.
• Gain trust by being reliable. Offer to help others whenever possible. Try to remain open to learning new ways of doing things.

Personalized Support

The right support system is crucial. A good, reputable healthcare staffing agency can help you not only be successful as a travel nurse but also help you gain confidence. ADN Healthcare is one such agency. These staffing pros can match up with facilities based on your experience while offering you full support. ADN Healthcare can help guide your career and set you up for successful assignments, which in turn boosts your confidence. Let them help you!