Self-Care Tips: How to Combat Burnout & Stay Energized on Assignment

Travel nursing offers freedom, adventure, and professional growth, but it can also take a toll. New cities, long shifts, and unfamiliar environments can be quite stressful for even the most resilient and adventurous clinician. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

According to the 2023 ‘Understanding and Prioritizing Nurses Mental Health and Well-being' survey conducted by the American Nurses Association (ANA), approximately 56% of nurses experience burnout. 

For travelers, that risk is compounded by the added pressures of change and isolation.

Caring for yourself isn’t optional; it’s essential.

What is nurse burnout and why does it happen?

Nurse burnout is a state of chronic workplace stress that leads to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced efficacy.

For travel nurses, this can manifest as:

• Constant fatigue

• Headaches

• Muscle pain

• Change in appetite

• Growing cynicism or detachment from patients

• Loss of motivation to start a new assignment

• Decreased career satisfaction

• Emotional withdrawal from coworkers or the work itself

Common culprits of nurse burnout: Long shifts, unpredictable hours, emotional stress, and, uniquely for travelers, the stress of constant change.

5 Self-care tips for travel nurses

⁠1. Create a routine, even when everything feels temporary

Being on assignment doesn’t mean being in limbo. Simple routines like morning walks, post-shift journaling, and Friday night takeout help to anchor you. All of these activities aid your body and mind in adjusting to unfamiliar cities.

💡 Pro Tip for new travel nurses: When you land in a new city, identify three local spots: a restaurant, a gym, and one fun place where you can let loose and relax. Familiarity is a powerful form of self-care.

2. Get moving, physically

Physical activity reduces stress, improves sleep, and boosts resilience. But let’s be real, after 12 hours on your feet, a 5K run probably isn't in the cards.

Try this instead:

• Stretch during shift breaks - try this 5-minute stretch routine even the busy clinician can handle

• Use walking apps to explore your new city - try GPSmyCity, an app for self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 cities.

• Join ClassPass or Anytime Fitness for easy access across locations nationwide

3. Fuel your body like you help your patients

You wouldn’t let a patient skip meals or chug soda all day, and the same goes for you.

Pack high-protein snacks, hydrate constantly, and prepare a few easy meals between shifts. Look for local grocery co-ops or farmers markets when settling into a new location. Small changes to your diet pay off in focus, energy, and immune resilience.

4. Sleep is non-negotiable (yes, even on night shift)

Working nights? Invest in blackout curtains and a white noise machine. Stick to consistent sleep/wake times and limit screen time before bed.

Burnout prevention starts with sleep. Prioritize it like you would a critical patient task.

💡 Pro Tip: The Calm app can travel with you and provides meditation exercises, sleep stories, songs, and white, brown, and pink noise options for travelers who need a little extra help with their sleep.

5. Mental health support is necessary

From moral injury to compassion fatigue, emotional challenges are part of the job. That’s why mental health support for travel nurses is critical.

Consider using tools like Operation Happy Nurse, journaling apps like Day One, or talk to your Nomad clinical excellence team for more resources or an introduction to a fellow Nomad traveler near or at your assignment facility. And don’t hesitate to seek professional help. Therapy is not a weakness; it’s a power move.

A proactive approach to preventing nurse burnout

Burnout doesn't always hit at once; it can creep up on you. For many clinicians, it builds slowly, manifesting in subtle emotional, mental, or even physical changes long before it becomes critical. That’s why prevention isn’t just about recovery, it's also about recognizing the early signs and making micro-adjustments before they snowball.

Travel nurses, in particular, benefit from building a proactive self-care routine that travels with them. This includes stress relief techniques, but also boundary-setting, consistent wellness rituals, and consistent, reliable support systems.

While every nurse's experience is different, common patterns tend to emerge. 

Support that respects your autonomy

At Nomad, we don’t believe in pushing you through a process; we guide when needed and step back when you’ve got it covered. That’s why our navigators are here to help when you hit a snag—no pressure, just support.

Whether it’s navigating an application or finding a better-fit assignment, we’re here to ensure your journey in travel healthcare is one that fuels you, not drains you.

Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s strategic

Take time to invest in yourself, your mind, and your body. The better you care for yourself, the better care you provide your patients. As we know, nurse burnout is associated with lower care quality, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. 

Healthcare is a calling, but even the most dedicated clinician can’t pour from an empty cup.

Additional resources to help you on your next assignment:

• Healthy nurse, healthy nation
• Self-love journal
• 3-step mindfulness worksheet
• Moodfit, mental health & resilience of nurses
• Headspace, a mental health app for every moment
• eMeals, healthy meal planning