Advice

Communication Tips for Travel Nurses and Allied Clinicians

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Communicating as a Travel Nurse

Effective communication is one of the most critical skills when working in healthcare, especially as a travel nurse or allied health clinician. Clear communication can be instrumental to your success when dealing with facility staff, physicians, management, patients, and your travel nurse recruiter. To become more effective at your daily tasks and thus increase the quality of patient care, optimize your communication by practicing the following tips.

Avoiding Misperception

In order to avoid being misunderstood when communicating, consider the following:

1. Your choice of words

  • Are the words you're using potentially offensive to others? Or do they unintentionally portray judgment? Are there more appropriate words you can use to convey your message?
  • Do your words accurately convey what you want to communicate?

2. Your tone of voice

  • Tone includes inflection, volume, and pace of speech
  • The tone of voice can frequently result in disinterest from the person you are speaking with

3. Your body language

  • Body language includes gestures, facial expressions, posture, eye contact, etc.
  • Does your body language convey that you are approachable, engaging, and optimistic? 

It's Not What You Say, It's How You Say It

For example, when you want/need to ask a staff member about how the facility wants a task completed:

  • Don’t say – “How do you hang blood?”
  • Instead, say – “The steps I’ve taken in the past for hanging blood include … Is this the same policy here or do you have additional/different steps that are required?”

What's the difference? The first question may imply incompetence, whereas the second demonstrates your knowledge and willingness to perform tasks at the facility's standard.

When communicating a potentially difficult topic, it is important to ensure your communication is:

  • Professional
  • Genuine
  • Non-confrontational
  • Informing, NOT demanding
  • Seeking a mutually beneficial resolution

We are here to help. If you need to communicate a complex or sensitive issue with someone at the facility, connect with your S1NGLEPOINT Recruiter to discuss the best options for sharing your problem and minimizing unfavorable results. 

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Edeli Kinsala
Edeli Kinsala, RN, BSN, MBA, Vice President of Clinical Services

With a nursing career that spans almost four decades, Edeli Kinsala brings a wealth of experience to FlexCare. Starting her career in med/surg, telemetry, and trauma ICU, Edeli has held a range of positions, such as Director of Nursing, Chief Clinical Officer, and CEO, to name a few. Her exposure to various healthcare settings – acute care, long-term acute care, skilled nursing, drug/alcohol rehab, psychiatric/behavioral health, and travel staffing – enables her to deeply understand the needs and challenges of nurses and clinicians in different environments. Above all, Edeli's philosophy of caring for people and doing the right thing aligns perfectly with FlexCare's core values.