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There’s no doubt about it- travel nursing has steadily gained popularity since the pre-COVID days.
Many nurses are opting for opportunities for better pay, more flexible schedules, the ability to remove themselves from toxic management and frankly, just a break from the monotony that being a staff nurse brings.
Whatever led you to your decision to becoming a travel nurse, you’ll want to read these helpful tips before you get started!
If you have stumbled upon this blog post, you are likely preparing for your next travel nurse assignment and are looking for an essentials list/guide of what you will need when you walk into any medical facility for your shift.
As a nurse who has taken on a couple of travel/agency assignments, I’ll break down all of the must-have items for a smooth going nursing shift- and even include free printable report sheets/vitals lists for you to download.
Let me help you relieve your anxiety about the unknowns you’re walking into and help you feel better prepared as you embark on your travel nurse journey.
The Essentials for Your Travel Nursing Assignment
- Vitals Instruments:
- Automatic BP Cuff
- Pulse Oximeter
- Stethoscope
- Thermometer
- Pen Light
If you’ve worked as a nurse for any length of time, you’ve likely encountered this situation. You have a medication ordered which include BP parameters, or an apical pulse and you are searching the entire unit for your vitals cart, to no avail.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that vitals instruments will be easily accessible and functioning for your shift. Be sure to have your own set. It will prevent any delay to your medication pass and keep everything running smoothly.
2. Other Nurse Accessories
- Nurse Tote Bag
- Treatment Scissors
- Clipboard
- Nurse Fanny Pack
- Compression Socks
- Laptop Mouse
Unfortunately, we don’t recognize that we need most of these items until we find that not having them is inconvenient.
Among the items I’d listed are general nursing accessories all nurses may find useful. Be sure to have them on hand in case they are needed. For example, a laptop mouse may seem like a silly item to bring- but I have been to nursing facilities that do not equip their nurses with them, and it added to my frustration using the touch pad that worked poorly.
3. Login Details
I’ve included a free printable PDF of login details for your charting/computer access.
As a travel nurse, you will want to know far in advance whether you have your own login to the medical facility’s computer system, or if there are agency nurse guest logins for you to access.
In addition, be sure to have your charting system login details ready for use prior to the start of your shift. Some facilities may be very diligent in providing their agency nurses access to their computer charting system. But you may encounter others who are ill prepared and have not set up your logins prior to the start of your shift.
My advice here is to call a few days before your initial shift to get this set up. If you are told, someone will have it for you when you arrive for your shift, ensure that you get that person’s name and show up for work 30 mins to an hour early.
As for the charting system itself, it doesn’t hurt to ask ahead of time what charting system is being utilized before you begin your assignment. If the medical facility is using one that you are unfamiliar with, give yourself ample time before your first shift to get acquainted with it.
4. Report Sheet & Vitals Sheets
These printable sheets are using a standard template that I’ve created. You may revise them as you see fit for your medical facility.
It’s a nice way to keep your vitals and report sheets organized and uncluttered.
The template provided is especially helpful when you are working in a long-term care facility and need quick access to code statuses, dietary restrictions, etc. Many facilities will have their own “brains” or report sheet, but I personally like to use my own version as I can be as thorough as I would like to be during my shift hand-off.
5. Point of Contact Sheet
Okay, now I’m just getting crazy with the PDF sheets- right? But trust me when I say that it will only help you to have an easy-going shift.
This point of contact list identifies your direct supervisor, provider on-call, and other contacts you may need to quickly access during your shift.
The following printable sheet combines the POC list with your login details. Please remember to store this information in a secure location, so that others cannot access your logins/passwords.
Let’s Recap
More nurses are opting to become a travel/agency nurse for many valid reasons. If you have found yourself preparing for this new and exciting adventure as a travel nurse, be sure that you’ve checked off your travel/agency nurse essentials list.
- Have a set of your own vitals instruments.
- Bring your nursing accessories- they will provide you comfort and aide you during your shift.
- Be prepared by first having all of the login details in order. Contact your facility immediately to get these set up.
- Download the PDFs that I’ve provided and revise them as you require to better aide you during your travel assignment. They will help you to identify your patient’s needs, without constantly searching through their chart.
- Know your point of contacts and have their numbers readily available to you, should you need to give them a call.
I sincerely hope that you find my advice helpful and that it leaves you feeling ready to tackle your next travel/agency nurse assingment.
Please feel free to comment below if there is an essential travel nurse tip that I may have missed.