We’ve compiled a list of a few great recipes we keep in our back pocket for when we’re feeling uninspired or just too busy to play chef that week. Hopefully it will provide you with some good tricks for staying healthy even when you feel like you don’t have the time.

Wraps

Nothing is easier than throwing together a wrap. It’s got all the ease of a sandwich with a little less bread and more possibilities to stuff it with. Keep some pita bread or other flatbread on hand so that you can whip together a quick wrap out of what you might already have in your fridge. Here are some of our favorite wrap recipes:

GRANOLA CRUNCH APPLE-PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH WRAP

Perfect for when you’re craving something salty AND sweet, this wrap is easy to put together and even easier to adapt to your needs. It’s a bit of a step up from your standard peanut butter and jelly, and we think you’ll just love this simple, nutritious, on-the-go meal for a quick lunch break! Find the recipe here.

RAINBOW HUMMUS WRAP

We could all use a few more fresh veggies in our diets, and this pretty looking wrap makes it easy and tasty, too. Stick to the recipe or substitute in your favorite vegetables for a wrap that has the nutrients and the protein you need to power through your day. Find the recipe here.

Salads

Salads are a great way to get variety in your diet without having to prepare a complicated meal. Salads are endlessly customizable, and even if you don’t really care for the standard leafy greens, there are options for you too! Check out these recipes.

TACO SALAD LUNCH BOWLS

Taco salad is easy and tasty, and makes for a great lunch option. The ingredients of this dish are also quite versatile, so you could easily use your leftovers in other applications. Now that’s a food prep win! Find the recipe here.

APPLE CRANBERRY WALNUT SALAD

This sweet tasting salad is perfect for the fall season. While the homemade dressing is delicious and simple enough to prepare, you could easily swap it out for some store bought poppy seed dressing as the author suggests! Find the recipe here.

HEALTHY AVOCADO EGG SALAD

While not a salad in the traditional sense, an egg salad is easy to throw together and can be served as-is or in a tasty sandwich. This version is mayo-free, making it a health food powerhouse with its protein rich eggs and nutritious avocados. Find the recipe here.

Have some of your own ideas? Leave your lunch time go-to in the comments, and share this article with a hungry nurse that you love!

Temporary Wall Decor

If you’re in an apartment that doesn’t allow you to damage the walls, consider some of the safe options for hanging your posters, pictures, and other wall decor. Wall putty is available that leaves no trace behind once you remove it. 3M Command strips and hooks are also a great option, and give you strong hold and flexibility.

Some decor is meant to be temporary. Stick on wall decals can be used and removed at the end of your assignment. This can be a great way to add some accents to your walls or to display a meaningful quote. You can find them pre made, or some companies will design them for you.

If you have a couple of wall decoration items that you really like, you can bring them from home. Alternatively, finding some pretty pictures at a thrift store, craft store, or home decor store can be a great way to just warm up the feel of your home for the period of time that you’re living there. If you don’t feel like traveling with them, you can donate them or pass them along before you leave.  

Figure Out the Best Way to Use Your Space

Once you arrive, make sure you take some time to figure out where everything you have goes. If you leave some items without a place to go, you’ll find that it’s harder to keep your new place clean. A clean home is a more inviting place!

Bring Your Favorite Bedding

The place you lay your head is your sanctuary, and a good bedding set can make your nights all the more comfortable and relaxing. Bring your favorite pillow, blanket, and bed sheets with you to create a place where you can go to relax at the end of a hard day.

Bring the Inside Outside

If you enjoy flowers (and aren’t allergic to them), bringing a little bit of mother nature into your home can brighten any room up. Find plants or blooms in colors that make you happy and place them on the table, countertop, or next to your bed for an instant mood boost.

Buy a Candle or Other Home Fragrance

Smell has a powerful effect on our emotions, and the right smells can take us right back home. Whether it’s a festive smell around the holidays or just a nice floral scent, engulfing yourself in a pleasant scent can make your home feel more inviting. Purchase a candle, room spray, or other home fragrance product and use them up before you leave to save on packing room.

Sentimental Items

If you can, bring a few small sentimental items with you on assignment. These can be pictures of your friends or family, souvenirs from your travels, or anything else that is meaningful to you. A few well placed objects can remind you of home and make you feel more comfortable in your new place.

We have heard so many inspiring stories throughout the week of people who went above and beyond to make sure the needs of those affected were met, to make sure as many as possible were rescued from the deadly flooding, and to make people’s lives more comfortable in any way they could. The same boundless compassion and desire to heal those who stand in need that made so many nurses choose their careers has also moved them to want to do something for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. If you’re wanting to reach out to those affected, here are a few things you can do.

Donate Money

Perhaps the easiest way you can help Hurricane Harvey victims is by donating money to one of the many charities that are involved in sending help, food, supplies, and financial support to victims.

There are many different organizations that are helping rebuild the lives of those in Houston. CNN has compiled a list of verified charities that you can feel good contributing too. To view this list, click here. You can split your donation among the charities by donating to CNN, or you can get more information on a specific charity and pick one to donate to. Mayor Sylvester Turner has started a relief fund as well which you can find here.

Many pets and other animals have been displaced by the hurricane as well, and they need help. If you’re an animal lover, consider donating to an organization that has volunteered to help rescue these animals in the wake of the disaster. Click here for a helpful article that names some of these organizations.

Donate Blood

During and following any disaster, blood will be needed in large quantities. If you have the time, a trip to a local blood donation location can help save many lives. O positive and O negative blood types are of course the most sought after, but they’ll need blood types of all kinds. Find a donation center near you here.

Donate Supplies

Do you have extra diapers? Want to send food? People in Houston need a wide variety of items right now, so if you can give supplies, you’ll be a big help. Texas organizations like the Texas Diaper Bank and Feeding Texas will take food and supplies for victims of the hurricane.

Donate Your Time

There are many ways that you can donate your time to relief efforts. There will be plenty of need for clean up crews in the time following this disaster. But as a nurse, there may be more specialized help you can provide for those suffering.

The Board of Nursing is expediting Texas Nursing licenses during this time, so if you have the time and ability to help, you can serve the vast numbers of people who will need medical attention as they deal with the effects of this disaster. If you’re interested in donating your time as a medical professional, you can start here.

Offer Your Home

If you own a home somewhere close to Houston, volunteering part of it (or all of it, if you’re away on assignment!) can go a long way in helping those that have been displaced by the flood. Airbnb has temporarily waived fees for those affected by the storm in order to enable people to volunteer their homes. Learn more about this program here.

1. Know What You’re Getting Into.

Renting out a property comes with its own challenges. You’ll need to advertise your rental, speak with applicants directly, deal with tenant complaints and apartment maintenance, and potentially, evict bad tenants. This can be a lot for someone whose hands are already full with a career as a travel nurse. There are services that can make this much easier, such as Airbnb, online property management tools, and property management companies. We recommend looking into these services, getting an idea of the costs and what each of them can do for you, and determining what method would work best for you.

2. If You’re Renting, Read Your Lease.

Not all rental properties allow you to sublease or rent your property to someone else. Check your lease to see what your property’s policy is, and make sure you talk to your landlord before you get the ball rolling. If they do allow you to rent your property out to others, be sure to keep them updated on when the property will be occupied by a different tenant.

3. Make Sure You Understand the Laws in Your City.

In some places, there are laws surrounding how a landlord is able to run their business and charge for their property. For example, there may be a cap on the amount you’re allowed to charge as a security deposit, or how many tenants can occupy a given space.  Make sure that before you start listing your home for rent that you fully understand the laws that affect your particular city and state.  

4. How Will You Advertise the Rental?

There are a lot of great ways to get your property in front of the right people. Online advertising sites like Craigslist or local platforms like it are a great way to get a lot of eyes on your listing. Print resources like newspaper classifieds are still useful for targeting people that are looking for properties like yours. And perhaps one of the easiest ways to get people’s attention is a “For Rent” sign in your front yard with your contact info!

5. Ask a Tax Professional How It Will Affect Your Tax-Home Status.

Taxes are complicated, to say the least, and they can be particularly complicated for people that travel for work. If you’re going to be renting out your property while you’re away, you should talk to a tax professional about how it will affect your tax status.

6. Vet Your Tenants or Have a Service Do It For You.

A bad tenant can be a real headache. Before leasing your home out to someone, make sure that you’re checking on things like their credit history, their employment status and income amount, and rental references. If you’re using a service like a rental management company, they’ll often do this for you.

7. Consider Renting to Other Traveling Healthcare Professionals.

Wouldn’t the ideal tenant be another travel nurse or other traveling healthcare professional? Reach out to your recruiter and your travel nursing agency to ask about getting the word out to other travel nurses looking for a place to rent. You can also visit sites like FurnishedFinder.com to list your property with their service. They charge a $99 fee to list your property which includes vetting services for both renters and tenants, a valuable resource that will protect you both.  

This is by no means an exhaustive list of considerations you should take before renting your home, but it’s a great place to start. Renting out your home can be a great way to make extra money while you’re away, but you should be sure that you’re ready to take on the responsibilities and costs that may come with it. Do you have experience renting your home as a travel nurse? Leave your helpful tips in the comments.  

1. Write Letters

It’s pretty easy to send someone a quick text during the day (and you totally should) but there’s something really special about a handwritten letter that you can’t quite get from any other form of communication. Record your thoughts and experiences each week and put them into a thoughtfully letter for those you’re closest to. You can send it to just one person or make copies for everyone you know, depending on what you’re comfortable with.

You can send more than just words, too. Take pictures to include in your letters or find other tidbits or souvenirs from your travels to send off. Your friends and family will enjoy keeping up with how you’re doing and receiving special notes from you while you’re gone.

If you don’t have the time for letters of if you just don’t think you can stay on top of it, an email newsletter is also a great option. Whatever you do, don’t forget to gather addresses or email addresses from everyone you’re going to send letters to before you leave, and keep it in a good place like your phone so that you’ll have access to them whenever you’re ready to hit send.

2. Video Calls

You should never miss an opportunity to have a nice chat on the phone with your spouse, sibling, or parent, but a video call is a lot more fun because you actually get to see their faces! Most laptops, tablets, and phones have cameras now that you can use with programs like Skype or Facetime to call your loved ones and have a conversation face-to-face. Make it a habit to set up these phone calls as often as you have time. Having a schedule for speaking to loved ones that works with your current assignment will help ensure that these calls actually happen.

Plus, you can use this video call to show them around your living space or you can even bring them along for a quick view of the tourist sites!

3. Bring Something Back

Your friends and family love to know where you’ve been, and bringing back little souvenirs for them lets them know you were thinking about them while on assignment. This could be anything from a postcard to a special item that represents the city you traveled to. Or something most people like is a fun snack or candy that can only be found in that city. It can make for a fun tradition for those closest to you to look forward to!

4. Keep Your Social Media Accounts Updated

Posting your travel photos to Facebook and/or Instagram is an easy way to keep your friends updated on where you are, what you’re doing, and how you’re doing. On Facebook, you could create a special album for your travels that your friends and family can follow so they can receive updates.

5. Exchange Books and Movies with Far Away Friends

Sharing the media you love is a great way to bond with friends that you don’t get to see as often. When you’ve found a good book or movie that you enjoy, pass it along to a friend. You’ll have something to talk about the next time you chat, and each of you will be able to discover hand picked favorites from people you enjoy talking to.

“Traveling — it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battut

“Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel’s immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way.” – Ralph Crawshaw

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveller is unaware.” – Martin Buber

“Experience, travel – these are as education in themselves.” – Euripides

“Travelling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station’.” – Lisa St. Aubin de Teran

“The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.” – St. Augustine

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd

“And if travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.” – Pico Iyer

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”  – Anonymous

“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustav Flaubert

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Anonymous

“The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah

“Once in awhile it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.” – Alan Keightley

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

“Conventional wisdom tells us… we take our baggage with us. I’m not so sure. Travel, at its best, transforms us in ways that aren’t always apparent until we’re back home. Sometimes we do leave our baggage behind, or, even better, it’s misrouted to Cleveland and is never heard from again.” – Eric Weiner

What quotes inspire you? Leave them in the comments so we can all enjoy a midweek pick me up.

Do Your Research

Before you even apply for a new travel nursing position, you should thoroughly understand what the employer is looking for. Your recruiter should have all of this information for you, so make sure you utilize them by asking a lot of questions before you get to the interview.

Get all of the information you can! Not only about the qualifications required, but also about the workplace and the reason why they need a new employee. These details can help you understand what needs you’re filling and how you can best demonstrate that you are a good fit for the position. Take well organized notes to ensure that you don’t forget any of these details, and keep these on hand during your interview.

Find a Good Place to Field the Interview

Most travel nurse interviews are held over the phone, since it’s typically not convenient for you to appear in person. This means you have control of your environment during the interview. Ideally, you should find a quiet place that you feel comfortable in where there aren’t many distractions. Make sure that you have a good phone connection and that you have more than enough of a charge to make it through the interview.

Alternatively, you may be asked to give a video interview. If this is the case, ensure that your setup is functioning properly by testing it before the interview. You’re looking for issues with lighting, sound, and internet connection, and making sure that your background is not distracting or unprofessional. You should dress professionally and let anyone that you’re living with know not to disturb you during this time.

Prepare for Questions

It’s easier to prepare for an interview if you have time to think about the questions before you’re put on the spot. Here are some examples of commonly asked questions.

• How do your qualifications make you a good fit for this position?
• What did you like about your last assignment? What did you dislike?
• What’s your biggest strength? What’s your biggest weakness?
• What do you do to stay current with changes in nursing?
• Describe a scenario where you overcame a difficult patient/situation.
• How do you manage stress?
• How do you deal with situations where you disagree with coworkers?
• What do you consider your greatest accomplishment? Why?  
• Why do you want this position?
• What makes you the best candidate for this position?

Ask Your Own Questions

Remember, you’re not the only one on trial here. The job interview is just as much an opportunity for you to find out if the job is a good fit for you. Not only that, it shows you are interested and paying attention. So when the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” don’t hesitate to ask important questions. Here are a few ideas.

• What is your nurse-to-patient ratio?
• Will I be floating between different units?
• Is overtime available? Is it mandatory or on a volunteer basis?
• What is the scheduling process like? Will scheduling be consistent week to week, or will it change? How far ahead of time will I know my schedule?
• Do you currently have any other travel nurses working in your facility?
• Do you have any questions or concerns about my application?
• How will orientation be handled?

If you are able to write while you listen, you may consider writing down additional questions as you think of them so that you don’t forget them by the end of the interview.

Don’t ask about your salary, as the person interviewing you does not determine that.

Relax!

You’re going to do great! Just make sure you prepare for your interview and you’ll have nothing to worry about.

Nurses enjoy a career that can be both emotionally fulfilling and financially lucrative, and some specialties see bigger payouts than others. We’ve put together a list of some of the highest paying nursing specialties, as well as a brief overview of what is generally required to achieve them.

1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

This career tops many top 10 lists of highest paying nurse specialties and for good reason. CRNAs are highly skilled nurses that are in charge of determining what anesthetic to use for each patient and administering the anesthetic before surgeries. They remain with the patient through the surgery and after in order to maintain the patient dosage and oversee their recovery.

The path to becoming a CRNA generally involves earning a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) and becoming a Registered Nurse (RN), completing a year or two of acute care, and then applying for a CRNA Master’s Degree program that can take between two and four years. CRNAs need to take a certification test and retest every two years. CRNAs make an average of about $135,000 a year.

2. Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners come in many varieties, and are advanced practice nurses who are able to do things like diagnose conditions, perform certain procedures, and refer patients to specialists. Psychiatric nurse practitioners do much of the same work that psychiatrists do, including diagnosing mental illness, prescribing medication, and providing therapy to patients. Becoming a psychiatric nurse practitioner generally requires a BSN, RN, a few years of work experience, an MSN with a focus on psychiatry, and a certification that needs to be renewed every five years. Psychiatric nurse practitioners make an average of $95,000 a year.

3. Certified Nurse Midwife

Certified nurse midwives care for pregnant women and deliver babies who are considered low-risk. They also provide primary care for women, which includes gynecological care, family planning, and postnatal care and counselling. They have a more holistic approach to childbirth, and may work in a hospital or clinic or in a private practice.

To become a certified nurse midwife, students will need a BSN and to become an RN. They’ll then need to work two to four years in a midwife-related field. They’ll then have the option of entering a nurse midwife program or a direct-entry program. Afterwards, certification is necessary to begin practicing. Certified nurse midwives make an average of $84,000 a year.

4. Critical Care Nurse

Critical care nurses work in the ICU and intervene during crucial moments of patient care. They work in a high energy environment and need to think on their feet to stay on top of patient care. To become a critical care nurse, students will need to earn a BSN and a MSN, to become an RN, and to obtain at least two years of critical care experience. Certification is necessary before a nurse can work as a critical care nurse. Critical care nurses make an average of $80,000 a year.  

5. Gerontological Nurse Practitioner

A gerontological nurse practitioner works with the elderly to help address their acute and chronic conditions, and they will often be involved in hospice and end of life care. A gerontological nurse practitioner may work in a nursing home or run their own practice.

Nurses who are interested in becoming gerontological nurse practitioners will need to get a BSN, become an RN, earn their MSN, and then become certified before they begin practicing. Gerontological nurse practitioners make an average of $75,000 a year.

We got our salary numbers from NurseLink. We got education information from the Johnson and Johnson Campaign for Nursing.

Make a CD or Playlist of Your Favorite Music

When you’re on the road you may not always have access to the radio, so if you want to make sure you’re never without your favorite jams, burn a CD and keep it in your car. Or if you have a mobile phone or MP3 player you can create a playlist. Even better, reserve said playlist or CD just for road trips. It will make it feel special and give you something to look forward to every time you prepare for a road trip.

Record a Podcast or Audiobook

How often do you get the time to sit down with a good book or learn something new and unrelated to your day to day responsibilities? When you go on a road trip, you likely have hours of uninterrupted alone time that limits the number of things you can do. But you know what you can do? Expand your mind with informative, interesting, or otherwise invigorating audiobooks or podcasts.

You can finally get around to listening to some classic literature you’ve always wanted to read. You can download a series of podcasts on an interesting subject you always wanted to know more about. Or you could listen to something that teaches you how to invest or do your own taxes. The possibilities are endless!

Stop to Smell the Roses

Before heading out on your next adventure, do some research on what noteworthy things and places you’ll pass along the way. Take advantage of the time you’ll spend traveling to see the sights and experience things you might not have otherwise had access to. Even better, bring along a camera and document your adventures so that you can remember the exciting people and places you got to see and things you got to do throughout your career.

Bring Some Tasty Treats

Treat yourself to some of your favorite snacks while on the road. While you’ll be able to stop for food along the way if you want to, you may not feel like making frequent pit stops, your options may be limited, and it may be more costly than it would be to pick your food up at the local grocery store before leaving. If you want something a little more fresh, bring along a cooler to keep your fruits and veggies crisp, juicy, and tasty. Don’t forget water to keep you hydrated!

What do you do to keep your cool while you’re traveling? Do you have anything you look forward to when you hit the road? Share your recommendations with our community by leaving them in the comments.

Start Off on the Right Foot

Your car is gonna go through a lot during your next road trip, so take it in for a tune up before you leave to ensure that everything is in good shape. After all, the middle of the Arizona desert is NOT a good place to have a tire blow out!

Your car is not the only thing that needs to be in good condition for the road. Make sure that you get a good night’s sleep before setting off in the morning, and that you take appropriate breaks when needed throughout your trip. Charge your phone before you leave and bring a car charger. Planning your stops before you leave is a great way to save time and ensure that you’ll make it to the next gas station without any trouble!

Pack Your Belongings Safely

When you’re packing a large number of personal items in the back of your car, you need to make sure you’re packing them safely. Ideally, everything would go in the trunk, but this is not always possible. If you will be packing items in the cabin of your vehicle, make sure that they are properly secured so that they won’t move around during driving. As well, if you’re traveling with valuables make sure that they are hidden or stored in the trunk.

Avoid Distractions

Distracted driving is still dangerous on those long stretches where you appear to be the only car in sight. Don’t do it! It’s not worth risking your safety and the safety of others to check your phone or eat while you drive. Most phones have functions on their GPS that allow for hands-free voice directions so that you don’t have to constantly check where you are.

Keep an Emergency Kit on Hand

Every travel nurse should have an emergency kit in their car! What should it have in it? Here are some items you should have in your kit. You may want additional items if you’re traveling with other people or pets.

Water
Non-perishable foods. Peanut butter and canned goods are great options. Bring a manual can opener if you bring canned goods.
First Aid Kit (include personal medications)
Jumper cables
Flashlights and extra batteries
A basic toolkit
Cat litter and a shovel (for snow)
Ice scraper
A change of clothes
Blankets or sleeping bags
A car phone charger

Do as Your Driving Instructor Told You

When we’ve been driving for many, many years, it’s easy to get over confident and forget the things our driving instructor or parent taught us when we were younger. These things bear repeating though, as they are good advice for staying safe on the road.

Drive defensively.
Look further down the road when you drive.
Wear your seat belt and sit up straight in your seat.
Slow down when the road is wet or icy, and be wary when crossing bridges.
Leave at least three car lengths between you and the car in front of you.