As we plant our feet into the final quarter of 2023, we know that the year-end holidays are near. Whether your next holiday travel assignment is in motion or you are considering taking a contract during the holidays. Here are several reasons to work through the holidays and how to love every minute of it!
Reasons to Take a Holiday Travel Assignment
The holidays are a time where many perm nursing staff and allied healthcare workers request extended time off. Therefore, there’s an influx in the gaps needing to be filled. This means there are typically a lot more travel opportunities to choose from! Take advantage of the increased job demand and apply for an assignment that aligns with your year-end goals.
Maybe you’re seeking financial growth or a way to get closer to family. Taking a travel assignment near your family allows you to spend more time with them around the holidays. Not to mention, the increase in demand means holiday travel assignments often have additional flexibility. This allows you more freedom and control over how and when you work.
Aside from personal gain, let’s talk about the reason there’s a job opening that requires your skillset and personality – there are people (patients) who require your expertise and care. You’re a medical professional for a reason, and the holidays are a time for selfless acts of kindness and spreading joy to others. Over the past few years, the healthcare landscape has been difficult to say the least, and sometimes the only thing that helps make everything worthwhile is knowing the positive impact you make every day.
Being hospitalized or checked into a healthcare facility is no one’s ideal way to spend the holidays. You get to be there and care for those who need it most, and the smallest acts of kindness can make the biggest impact. So, grab an extra pudding, give a friendly hug, and lend an ear to those who need a friend. It’s a simple way to give back, and it doesn’t cost a penny.
How to Enjoy the Holidays as a Healthcare Traveler
Maybe you’re on the search for a new travel job, are considering extending your current assignment, or have already committed to working through the holidays. Regardless of your current employment status, here are a few tips to make the best of your upcoming holidays so that you can truly enjoy the magic of the season!
Identify your chosen family
If you’ve had the pleasure of celebrating a “Friendsgiving” or “Friendsmas,” you know that it’s not about what you eat or do, but who you’re with. If you’re on an assignment, your chosen family may be your patients, fellow travelers, and perm coworkers. Bring some of the festivities and fun to your work family and share your favorite holiday traditions together!
Celebrate before or after the holidays
Typically, travelers are working to fill in for permanent staff who requested the time off or to fill in staffing gaps for the facility. Mentally prepare yourself to be working the actual holiday and plan your time off and family gatherings before or after. There’s no rule that requires a holiday celebration to take place on the actual day! In fact, many families and businesses postpone celebrations until after the new year to allow for a more peaceful and less stressful gathering.
Adopt a grateful mindset
Your attitude and mindset are powerful assets to your personal and professional successes. Practice gratitude, be present, and appreciate the experiences and growth you’re encountering! Your holidays can be just as, if not merrier and brighter than the year before.
Get festive
Decorate your temporary home and workstation! Festive lights, snowman, trees, and messages can help boost your mood. These holiday pens are sure to bring you and your patients a cheerful smirk.
Working in healthcare is no easy feat, especially during peril times and nationwide staffing shortages. But, if you look at the other side of that coin, you might see that there’s both adventure and job security in healthcare travel jobs. So, if you’re looking to end the year with some great pay, an agency that has your back and truly wants you to be happy, and a chosen family to make your holidays merry and bright, check out LRS Healthcare.
Apply online for a nursing or allied health travel assignment with LRS Healthcare, or to extend your current contract, call us at 800. 811.0064, or reach out to your trusted recruiter.
