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Travel therapists: How to dive in your free time So, you’ve settled into your new contract as a travel therapist. You’ve secured a place to stay, you’re getting into the rhythm of your new facility and you’re making great progress with your patients. Now it’s time to decide how you want to spend your free time. One of the best perks of being a travel therapist is getting opportunities to do things you couldn’t back at home. If you’ve taken a contract near the ocean or other large body of water, why not learn how to scuba dive? It’s fun, it’s a great form of exercise and it will make memories that will last a lifetime. Grab some of your new acquaintances and hit the water! It’s time to explore a whole new world. Get certified where you are The first step on your underwater adventure is to get certified.

Technology in the health care sector is often much more advanced than that on the consumer market. In fact, it was as far back as 2002 that a team of surgeons in New York used a pair of robotic appendages and an internet connection to operate on a patient in Strasbourg, some 8,700 miles away, according to a study found in the National Library of Medicine. As the health care industry uses more and more advanced technology, wearable tech might just be the next step. This is especially likely in the realm of physical therapy. Basic wearables Many people already use basic forms of wearable technology every day. The most common piece of wearable tech is probably the activity tracker – a watch-like device that records steps taken, calories burned and sometimes even sleeping patterns.

Like a shark, you need to move to survive. It’s in your DNA. You know the look – when you meet new patients and they look at you with a mixture of excitement, hope and a little anxiety. Perhaps they’ve had an extensive surgery and it hurts to move. Maybe they’re ready to work, but nervous about what’s required of them. Part of your job is to motive them through the anxiety and strain to get them back on their feet again or to help them accomplish a speech therapy goal. In order to do that, you’re constantly finding the right balance of empathy, determination and tough love. It is here, in your personality and in this pressure you’ve invited into your professional life that we find commonality between traveling therapists and the shark of our oceans. And, just like shark, we need you. You’re as integral to the healthcare industry

In terms of patients, the great white is one that seems almost too difficult to handle. In the realm of travel therapy, whether you practice physical therapy or occupational therapy, you will encounter all kinds of personalities. Some patients are easy going and can have a sense of humor about their situation. Others have been through a lot of trauma and as a result can seem standoffish and even aggressive. The way you deal with each type of personality will vary – sometimes you have to use a little tough love, other times you can use the power of laughter to heal. Now imagine that each of those personalities was a different breed of shark. There’s the sleek and cunning tiger shark, the gentle and docile nurse shark and the great white shark with its awesome power. Let’s pair up the sharks with their corresponding patient personalities.

By getting out and facing new trials, you’ll become a better therapist. While some might think of a career in health care as a job that requires stability of location, there are actually many opportunities for travel and adventure. In fact, travel therapists are like the gypsies of the health care world. If you’re interested in becoming a travel therapist, here are few things to know. You get to see the whole country Travel therapists can choose from thousands of opportunities around the country. Spend six weeks in a fast-paced metropolitan area on the east coast, then head south and spend a month in a beach community in Florida.