As a travel nurse, or nurse in general, the relationships you make sometimes only last a matter of days. So how do you connect and create meaningful relationships with such short time? There are three things to remember when making these relationships:
Give It Your All
Don’t let the fact that this is going to be a short lived relationship affect the quality of care you give them. Even though you know you may not see this person ever again, it’s important to give all of yourself regardless. If you treat someone you just met like you treat your best friend, only good things will come from it.
Be Open
When you’re open and honest with your patients, your patients will be more likely to be open and honest back to you. The one advantage of a short-term relationship like this is that you can confide in each other without having the stress of having to do that forever. Share stories with them and show them as much about you as you can in the short amount of time that you have.
Make Yourself Available
It’s easy to think that since you’re not going to know or interact with this person that you don’t have to invest time in their wants and needs. But really it should be the opposite. You should try to make up for the time you have with them by being for them as much as possible. Even though this may be exhausting for you, you will make a lasting impression on them.
Short-term relationships can be difficult to navigate, but if you keep these tips in mind you can make a lasting impression on your patients and those around you.
