5 Travel Nurse Super Powers
This article is dedicated to all of the staff nurses and travel nurses who put patient care above all. Thank you for restoring order amidst chaos, for providing hope for patients and their families during intensely stressful times, and for delivering compassionate, unbiased patient care at all times.
You are our Super Heroes
Being a nurse means you will step into people’s lives, and you will make a difference. Whether through caring words, thoughtful actions, or just being a friendly face for a scared patient, nurses show their true super powers when they exhibit those special qualities that make them great.
Melodie Chenevert, Renowned nurse and author of the Pro Nurse Handbook
Chenevert and others in the profession include these as the top five nurse superpowers:
1. Nurses protect family, community and national health at all times.
Medical professionals to their bones, nurses always answer a million questions asked by friends, neighbors, friends of neighbors, friends of kids, etc. ad infinitum. They are the voice for patients and their families and they’re always there to lend a hand--no matter where they are.
A superhero nurse graciously shares his or her hard-won, complex medical knowledge, whether in the hospital, the grocery line, the playground or relaxing beside the pool. In addition to sharing knowledge, in emergencies, nurses administer expert help before the ambulance arrives. Everyone rests easier when a nurse is around.
2. They serve, even when it’s not their job.
If your patient lost a beloved family photo that had been on the nearest shelf, it is the nurse who will dig through any and all trash receptacles to locate it. If a dying patient is alone in his final hours, a super nurse will sit in his room and work on her charts in a chair by his bed. While hospitals have the perception of being sterile places, nurses add heart and soul to every room and every situation.
3. They advocate fiercely for their patients.
Watch out Mama Bear; you have some competition for protector-in-chief.
Often it is only the nurse on duty who can best understand the needs of the patient. Perhaps a patient has suffered a speech impairment due to a stroke, and cannot communicate his or her needs; it is up to the nurse on call to decipher what is necessary and comply with the patient’s request. Or maybe a patient has a special request that only certain members of his or her family be allowed to visit: it is up to the nurse to be on top of this, and ensure that the patient’s preferences are granted.
4. Nurses dropped discrimination, racism, and heterosexism forever ago.
Getting to optimum health is the bottom line for patients, which makes superhero nurses immune to snap judgments. There is no room for racism/sexism/religious or political bias when you’re striving to help heal a patient. No matter how the media or society at large tries to influence you, all you see is a patient in need of your expertise. The best nurses never discriminate against their patients but are only focused on providing the best care possible with a sense of equality amongst all.
Related: How Nurses Can Advocate Effectively For Safety
5. Nurses are empathetic.
Despite having demands constantly thrown their way, a super nurse stops to listen – really listens to a patient’s needs. Patients aren’t always forthcoming with what they desperately need, especially if their needs are intangible and emotionally driven rather than physically driven. Administering pain medication is one thing, but providing a much-needed hand squeeze or a reassuring pat on the back has proven to make huge differences in patient outcomes.
AMN Healthcare works hard to ensure our national nursing superheroes are satisfied in their assignments. Reward your giving nature with a stint in your favorite city or natural wonder.
Ready to get started? Contact a Recruiter today!
