How Nurses Are Honored Around the World
February packs a double whammy: Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month. With that in mind, we wanted to take a closer look at the mind/body/spiritual benefits of love. Can travel nurses find love on assignment? You bet--and we’ve got the tips to help. And being in love can even decrease stress and improve heart health.
The Love/Health Connection
We know that hugs produce happy hormones, and studies have shown that an increase in serotonin levels may help fight off heart disease. If you’re in love, you know that the “high” of romance is palpable, reducing your heart rate and increase strength. Just do your happy dance.
- Hugs lower blood pressure: Doctors at the University of North Carolina have found that hugging may dramatically lower blood pressure and boost blood levels of oxytocin, a relaxing hormone.
- Love can protect your heart: A University of Pittsburgh study found that women in good marriages have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those in high-stress relationships.
- Marriage can lead to a longer life: The National Longitudinal Mortality Study, which has been tracking more than a million subjects since 1979, shows that married people live longer. Plus, they have fewer heart attacks and lower cancer rates and even get pneumonia less frequently than singles.
- Love connections may help fight cancer: University of Iowa researchers found that ovarian cancer patients with a strong sense of connection to others and satisfying relationships had more vigorous "natural killer" white cell activity at the site of the tumor than those who didn't have those social ties.
10 Tips to Find Love in All the Right Places
As a travel nurse, you’re in a new town, and may be there for just a few weeks. But finding love is possible. So here are a few tips to help you meet that special someone:
1. Be True to Yourself
Single travel nurses don’t need to be defined by their old relationships; you’re free to be you and to start fresh. When you’re true to your inner Goddess (or Man-bear), you’re more likely to find the person of your dreams.
2. Ditch the Crowd
Travel nurses often hang out together, which is a great way to meet people at the beginning of your assignment. But a large group of friends could slow you down if you are hoping to make a romantic connection; men/women usually feel that a posse of pals is unapproachable.
3. Do What You Like
Pursue your passions and favorite pastimes during your time off. Meeting people who like to do what YOU like to do can make it easier to build a new relationship on common ground.
4. Show Your Best, at Work and Play
On your new nursing assignment, you can attract attention from other singles by being the best you: friendly, open, warm, intelligent and willing to jump in when needed. Who doesn’t love a team player?
5. Seek Someone Who Understands You
Nurses often want to find partners who share their values and worldview, so meeting someone in healthcare that gets what you do, gets how you feel and gets your stress and commitment can be a win-win.
6. Get Introduced
Ask your nurse colleagues to be introduced to their single friends, especially those who share your interests and sense of humor (and hopefully your shift). And if you happen to hit it off with a fellow RN, you can tour the country on travel nursing assignments together.
7. Go Online
Check sites like Meetup to meet fellow hikers, photographers, softball players, or others One tip for travel nurses to find love is to look beyond the bar scene enthusiasts, and search out local events like wine-tastings, cooking classes or DIY demos where you can meet like-minded individuals.
8. Update Your Dating Profile
If you’re already on a dating service (E-Harmony, Match, Tinder), don’t forget to change your location and build on your existing profile.
9. Improve Your Odds
Ladies, this is for you: check out travel nursing assignments in Alaska, where there are 5 men for every 1 woman in the state.
10. Look Beyond the Bar Scene
Coffeehouses and bookstores can be great meeting places; break the ice by asking someone how they like their book or what coffee drink they prefer. And volunteering for special events or nonprofit/church programs can be another way to meet just the right person.
Use your imagination and your common sense, then let your passion be your guide to finding romance on your travel nurse assignments. Best of luck!
Find out what other travel nurses like about travel nursing assignments.
