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Coffee is beloved by our entire community, but when you get to that fourth or fifth cup, you start to feel pretty blah. Or worse, it loses its effectiveness and you need it to simply function, rather than get a little boost when you need it. So what do you do to keep going on shifts when the long hours and high-stress situations are draining your batteries? Here are some caffeine alternatives to try.

Every nurse knows the benefits of compression socks and stockings -- preventing and slowing the progression of venous disorders like thrombosis and edema. They help with achiness, improve circulation, help with ulcer treatment, and reduce the risk of blood clots. They even offer relief to pregnant patients who are dealing with foot and leg swelling during the course of their pregnancy. All in all, you're probably very familiar with them and have likely helped more than one person put them on during their hospital stay.

Travel nursing offers up tons of opportunities to experience different cities, different hospitals, and different ways of doing your job. Every assignment offers up its own unique challenges and experiences, whether you're dealing with internal politics or figuring out new guidelines for a procedure you've done a hundred times elsewhere. Not every assignment can be a dream gig, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to learn.

You've decided to take a travel nursing gig that's landed you in the San Francisco Bay Area. Fantastic! Now that you're on your way, you may want to familiarize yourself with the area and spend some of your precious downtime exploring everything that beautiful Northern California has to offer. If you're in the area, you might as well make the most of it, right? Time to take a scenic drive! Here are our suggestions for seven drives to take in the Bay Area.

1) Lotion and hand sanitizer - Hospitals are well-stocked with sanitizer (""foam in, foam out,"" right?), but it doesn't ever hurt to carry extra for emergencies. It's not only important but necessary to disinfect frequently throughout the day, but all that alcohol really does a number on your skin. Dry, cracked hands can be distracting, so make sure to keep some quality unscented hand lotion in your bag for relief.

Negotiating for pay is stressful. We all know it. It's a test of wills between what you know you deserve and what your employer is willing to offer, and a lot of times those numbers don't match up. When you're working with a travel nursing company, there's often the additional stressor of wondering if you negotiated for high enough pay, or if you could've gotten more if you'd kept pushing just a little longer. Instead, that money might be going into the recruiter's pocket as incentive.

Beyond the Brown Bag Lunch: Phoenix

You're in the middle of your Phoenix travel nursing assignment, it's lunchtime, and you haven't had a bite to eat since about 4am. You're famished. Where do you go for good eats? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Here are a few of our favorite Phoenix area lunch spots!

Benefits of S1NGLEPOINT

A lot of travel nursing companies have recruiters who work with nurses to place them in great assignments that strengthen their skills and test their fortitude. No question about that. A lot of these same companies also make the assignment more difficult to navigate by transferring you from department to department while you make sure all the paperwork is in order, the pay is negotiated, and the details are in place. It's stressful and chaotic, leaving you feeling frustrated.

Great Reads…

We know it's unlikely that you have a lot of free time to read, but if you do have some downtime between shifts, there are a ton of fantastic nursing book out there that you can find at the local library about the nursing life. Whether you're looking for something by specialty or interested in a memoir that tells a story to which you can relate, there's a book out there we know you'll love. Here are two of our recommendations.