5 Ways to Ease Homesickness on the Road
By Katelynne Shepard, Contributor
Travel nursing can be an exciting way to get more experience in your career, but it can be difficult to spend so much time away from your friends and family and your own space. Being separated for so long can increase your risks of depression and make it harder to concentrate on the daily demands of your job. If you're battling homesickness or are trying to prepare in advance for your next travel assignment our tips will help.
5 ways to ease homesickness on the road
1. Bring the comforts of home
One of the best ways to combat homesickness is to make your temporary space as home-like as possible. If you can, get housing that has a full kitchen in it to be able to cook your favorite meals and maybe even a family cookie recipe for a special after-work treat that makes you feel like you're home. If cooking isn't your thing, focus on what makes you feel settled, happy and cared for.
Gail Trauco, RN and BSN-OCN with Front Porch Therapy, says, "As a patient advocate, I travel weekly to major cities across the United States. To ease homesickness, I bring portable comforts of home with me [such as] favorite pajamas, slippers and bath bombs."
2. Talk to friends and family
While travel nursing can involve a lot of long hours and odd shifts, it's important to make time to keep up communication with your friends and family back home. Trauco says, "I talk with each of my sons daily and use FaceTime so that I can even talk to my dogs!" Technology has made keeping in touch easier than ever, so take advantage of social media and video calling apps to help stay connected.
Talking to friends and family lets you stay updated on what's going on in your kids' lives or with your best friend's job when you can't be there physically, but it also has great benefits for you when you're feeling sad or homesick.
Dr. Sal Raichbach, PsyD, who works at the Ambrosia Treatment Center, explains, "Whether it's a friend, a therapist or a loved one back home, reaching out gives you a chance to process through emotions with the help of another person. They can act as the voice of reason when you're having a tough time. When you try to go it alone, you run the risk of making your symptoms worse and getting overwhelmed."
3. Form new relationships
It may seem like it's not worth it when you're only going to be at an assignment location for a short time, but the relationships you develop can be invaluable for career networking and building a make-shift support team wherever you are.
Focus on being the first to say "hi" during a shift, or build goodwill by bringing in coffee for the team one day. Anything that gives you an inroad to a conversation can be the first step to building a lasting relationship and can help you feel more connected where you are. Trauco practices this and says, "Talking with people while on the road is a great way to ease homesickness [whether that's] Uber drivers, hotel staff, patients [or] staff in the hospital where I am working."
4. Explore the area around you
One of the best things about travel nursing is the ability to see different cities and explore new cultures. Make the most of your assignment by hitting the tourist must-sees but also going a little deeper and living like a local. Check out the local coffee shops or participate in a yoga in the park event. If you aren't sure what's available, check online or ask a coworker who's a resident and then invite them to go with you.
Whether you're interested in spending your off-hours at the beach or have always wanted to see the Rocky Mountains, you can find open positions just about anywhere in the country on TravelNursing.com.
5. Give yourself permission to feel homesick
This may seem counter-intuitive, but it's important. Raichbach explains, "Homesickness is an uncomfortable feeling, but there is a silver lining. It means that you're invested in something and you've formed healthy bonds with people, places and things that are important to you."
So while it's important to use the above coping strategies and anything else that can help ease some of the sting of being away from your loved ones, it's also OK to recognize that feeling homesick under these circumstances is completely normal and not beat yourself up about it or see it as some personal failure.
Whether this is your first travel nursing assignment or you're a veteran when it comes to city-hopping across the country, homesickness is something everyone deals with at some point in this career. Be kind to yourself and remember that making sure you're taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your patients.
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