Communication Challenges on Assignment? Advice From a Nurse Who’s Been There

FlexCare Clinical Director and former travel nurse Arianna Clarke, RN, shares her advice for navigating different communication styles, personalities and team dynamics on assignment. 

Starting a new travel assignment means learning more than a new hospital, charting system or patient population. You’re also stepping into an established team, one with its own routines, personalities and ways of doing things. 

And sometimes, navigating those dynamics can be one of the trickier parts of being a traveler. 

It’s also something FlexCare Clinical Director Arianna Clarke, RN, knows firsthand. Before joining FlexCare, Arianna spent years as a travel nurse herself. She knows what it’s like to walk onto a new unit, bring your own experience to the table and figure out where you fit within an established team. 

Today, FlexCare clinicians have direct access to Arianna when those situations come up. And the calls she gets aren’t always about clinical concerns or formal write-ups. Sometimes, a clinician just needs another experienced nurse (and former traveler) to talk through a situation with. 

We sat down with Arianna to get her advice on one of those “softer” challenges of travel healthcare: navigating different communication styles and team dynamics on assignment. 

Q: Why can communication sometimes be challenging when a traveler joins a new unit? 

Arianna: There can be a stigma around travelers, and the first thing I tell clinicians is just to be aware that it exists. 

You may be coming in with years of experience. You may have worked at several different hospitals, seen different patient populations and learned different ways of doing things. That experience is incredibly valuable. 

But you’re also walking into a unit where you’re the new person. The staff already has relationships, routines and a way they do things. Even when you know what you’re doing clinically, you still have to learn their environment. 

Understanding both sides of that dynamic can make a huge difference. 

Q: So how should travelers approach a new team? 

Arianna: Give people the opportunity to educate you. 

You don’t have to pretend you don’t know something, but you also don’t want to come across like you already know everything. Ask questions. Let someone show you how their unit handles something, even if you’ve done it differently somewhere else. 

Sometimes it’s as simple as saying, “This is how I’ve done it before, but show me how you do it here.” 

That demonstrates respect without taking away from your own experience. 

Q: How do you balance that humility with being confident in your clinical expertise? 

Arianna: You absolutely should lean on your expertise. You’re there for a reason, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to make yourself smaller or second-guess everything you know just because you’re the traveler. 

The key is confidence without condescension. 

You can know that you’re a strong clinician and still be open to learning from the people around you. Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive. 

Q: What if you genuinely disagree with how something is being handled? 

Arianna: You have to be okay with being slightly confrontational (respectfully J). 

Healthcare isn’t a place where you should stay quiet about something important just because you’re worried about creating tension. If you have a concern, especially when patient safety is involved, speak up. 

But how you communicate matters. 

Focus on the issue, not the person. Ask questions. Explain your concern. Keep bringing the conversation back to what is safest and best for the patient. 

Q: Is patient safety the line travelers should always come back to? 

Arianna: Absolutely. Patient safety should be your North Star. 

There are going to be things that are simply preferences. Maybe another hospital did something differently. Maybe you personally prefer another process. That’s different from something you believe could affect patient care or safety. 

Knowing the difference is important. 

You don’t need to challenge every unfamiliar process just because it isn’t how you’ve seen it done before. But when something truly matters for the patient, that’s when you need to trust your clinical judgment and communicate your concern. 

Q: What do you wish more travelers remembered when joining a new unit? 

Arianna: Ultimately, you’re there to serve. 

Of course you’re there to serve your patients. That’s always the priority. But you’re also there to support the staff and the unit that brought you in. 

Travelers bring an incredible amount of knowledge and experience with them. The best travelers know how to use that experience to make the team stronger, and communicate in a collaborative way. 

Come in confident. Come in curious. Be willing to learn how that team operates. And when your expertise is needed, don’t be afraid to use it. 

Q: And if a FlexCare clinician finds themselves struggling with a situation like this? 

Arianna: Call me. Seriously. 

One of the benefits of traveling with FlexCare is that you have access to our Clinical Services team. Sometimes you need help with a clinical issue, but sometimes you just need to talk through a situation with someone who understands it. 

I’ve been a staff nurse. I’ve been a traveler. I’ve walked onto units where I was the new person and had to navigate those same dynamics. 

My job isn’t just to get involved when something goes wrong. I’m also here as a resource. If you’re wondering how to approach a conversation, how to handle a difficult dynamic or even whether something is worth addressing, we can talk it through. All you have to do is ask your recruiter to chat with me, and they’ll get you connected. 

You Don’t Have to Navigate It Alone 

Being a great travel clinician isn’t only about clinical skill. Every new assignment requires you to quickly become part of a team that existed before you arrived, and even experienced travelers can run into situations they aren’t quite sure how to handle. 

That’s one of the benefits of working with FlexCare: you have access to experienced clinical support when you need it. With Arianna, you’re not just talking to someone who understands the clinical side of the job. You’re talking to a nurse who has actually been in your shoes as a traveler. 

Her advice? Know what you bring to the table, but leave room for other people to bring something to it, too. 

Be confident in your experience. Stay curious. Speak up when it matters. Keep patient safety at the center. And when you need another perspective, you’ve got someone at FlexCare you can call.