In over a decade of travel I have had assignments where I did not want to leave and assignments where I was counting the minutes. In almost every circumstance, my mood was dependent upon the people with whom I was working.
You are dealing with personalities, pure and simple. How you fit into the mix is not necessarily dependent upon your skill as a nurse, rather your skill as a communicator. Whenever I mention interpersonal skills, I always think about Dale Carnegie's famous book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Truly, your interactions with your co-workers could always be defined as more of an art than a science.
You will run into the territorial nurses, the helpful nurses, the saboteurs, the knowledgeable nurses, and those who are just flying by the seat of their pants practicing in ways you have never seen. What this means to you as a traveler is that you need to develop the art of assimilation. Basically, YOU are the one charged with the task of "fitting in".
The best advice I can give is to try to be friendly and helpful to develop the trust and respect of your new co-workers. Be receptive to the way "they do things" and whatever your personality might be, take a more passive approach if confronted with a regular staff member on a power trip. I have actually been terminated from two assignments for what amounted to nothing more than a regular staff member who decided they didn't like me for one reason or another.
On a majority of your assignments, you will find a staff that welcomes your presence. However, knowing how to deal with different personalities will help you greatly on those assignments when the staff is somewhat less than receptive.
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Ask a Travel Nurse: How are traveler nurses are being received at hospitals?
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