4 Ways to Stay & Eat Healthy As A Travel RN

Being a travel RN, you enjoy numerous benefits, including the obvious of travel.

You can do nursing in your favorite city or any state or country. Although you might have to adjust to a new routine and schedule while working with a new facility, it's frankly a small price to pay. It simply pushes you to learn to adapt quickly.

The constant work-life changes when choosing new travel nurse contracts can easily disrupt the healthy lifestyle of even the most seasoned travel nurse.

This write-up provides practical tips for staying healthy and eating healthy as a new or experienced travel RN.

Create and organize a meal plan

One of the constants of being a travel nurse is change.

New people, cities, and hospitals. So having a written meal plan while on shift is one way to ensure that you eat healthy and nutritious meals no matter where you are. By planning ahead with your travel nurse schedule, you can ensure access to the best food choices while on the go.

Keep it wicked simple and chunk it into three simple "blocks." A protein, a veggie, and fat like peanut butter or almond butter.

And if it were me, I'd throw a healthy protein bar in my pocket because sometimes we don't have the luxury of taking an entire lunch break.

Stay Persistent In Your Diet

Ever had that shift where someone decides to order Door Dash, and you give in and get that slice of pizza and a full-on ice cold non Diet Coke?

Yeah, me too.

As a travel RN, a change in your schedule might put a break in your diet. So staying healthy requires consuming nutritious foods on an ongoing basis.

For instance, working the night shift in the ER might trigger late-night cravings. That's why it's crucial to have healthy and nutritious foods nearby, such as pre-portioned snacks and protein shakes.

And always remember to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This will help keep your energy levels up and make you feel healthy and strong while on shift.

Look out for a fitness buddy

As a travel RN, it's easy to maintain your diet plan and exercise regime when you have an accountability partner.

Plus, you might make some lifelong fitness friends along the way.

Whether you like to exercise before work, during your lunch break, or post-shift in your hotel room, finding a fitness buddy will help you stay on track and reach any goals you have set for yourself. That way, on those bad days or days when you feel unmotivated, you have someone to keep you in check and push you to succeed.

Overall, there are many ways that travel RNs can stay healthy and eat well despite the constant changes in their schedule. From planning meals ahead of time to finding a fitness buddy, your health is always within reach!

Take time off to destress yourself

Besides taking care of your physical and nutritional health, keeping your mental health in check is essential for staying healthy for every travel RN.

Moving to new assignments in new cities can be stressful. So taking a break from work by unwinding and relaxing can help rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit.

Whether it's a mini vacation to explore a new city or just some downtime in your hotel room to read a book or watch TV, make sure you take time for yourself each day to destress and recharge.

This will help you stay mentally and physically healthy while on shift as a travel nurse.

Maintaining stable mental health is essential for travel RNs to provide quality patient care while continuing to develop their nursing skills.

The final word

As a travel RN, it can be easy to let your health slip when you're constantly on the go.

But by following these simple tips, you can maintain a healthy diet and exercise regime while traveling. From planning ahead with your meal schedule to finding a fitness buddy, there are plenty of ways for you to stay healthy on the road.

And remember to take some time for yourself each day to relax and destress. This will help keep you feeling energized and focused while working long shifts as a nurse.

So keep up the hard work, travel RNs! Your patients and colleagues depend on you to be healthy and strong.

To learn more about the travel nursing opportunity and cities across the country, visit Bestica Healthcare and start planning your next assignment today.