How a Traveling Nurse Can Build Strong Patient Relationships

Travel nurses move around the country and perform their professional duties in a range of healthcare settings. Yet while there are many upsides to this, the big downside is that it can feel difficult to establish that much-needed patient rapport when you are diving in halfway after a care plan has started. This post covers how a traveling nurse can build strong patient relationships and feel fulfilled at the end of the day. 

Travel Nurses: Who Are They and What Do They Do?

As this article, what is a travel nurse explains, this is someone with professional experience in nursing who moves around in different healthcare facilities to treat patients in places where there is a care deficit to make up for. They do everything that non-traveling nurses do but they move their location as and when a new assignment or suitable area comes up.  

Building Patient Relationships: What Comes First?

Listening and showing empathy are the two key skills that every nurse needs, but they are more important than ever for someone who travels around and lacks the confidence afforded by familiarity. When someone feels heard and understood, they naturally relax and feel more trusting, and this is especially important for a traveling nurse coming into a new care setting. 

Paying Attention to Your Body Language

Patients are also going to respond to your body language. If you hold yourself with confidence and talk directly to them while maintaining appropriate eye contact, they will feel more reassured in your presence. Strong relationships with patients are only attainable if you think about how you behave and all the subtle things you do. Common things that cause tension include sighing, eye rolls, and standing rigidly. 

Let them Know You Care

Never be afraid to say that you care about how people are and ask questions to engage them. Talking to patients is essential, and this can be done regardless of where you are actively nursing. Traveling around as a nurse does mean you have to get to know a whole new setting and a different team in each area too, but your rapport with patients and always showing how much you actually care can remain consistent. 

Be Mindful of Appropriate Boundaries

However, make sure that you are mindful of appropriate boundaries with patients at all times. It is arguably better to not act over familiar with someone until you know they are ready and reciprocal. You have to be able to get a good read on patients and respond accordingly. 

Corroborate with the Patient’s Healthcare Leads

Finally, don’t neglect the in-house team. They are the people who know the charts and are likely to recognize regular patients on the wards or alternate care settings. Talk to them and offer your assistance so you can learn how this particular set of staff gets the job done. This will help you deliver a consistent care model to patients and, therefore, improve your relationships on the ground. 

Traveling nurses earn more money, see more places, and work with some of the best healthcare professionals in the country. However, building strong relationships is a necessity that must be observed.