During your travel nursing career, you'll encounter a wide variety of patients, all with their own unique needs and desires. For example, young children will need their immunizations and sports physicals while seniors might deal with arthritis or Type 2 diabetes.
Young adults differ in their own way, both in terms of their well-being and how they communicate. Here is how you can adjust your approach to care for this population in your travel nurse assignments:
Focus on self care
For the first time, young adults enter a stage in their life where they are able to make decisions without parental guidance. Depending on their lifestyles, these patients may have little experience with adjusting their behaviors and diet to protect their well-being.
As a travel nurse, this is where patient education is crucial. Even basics like the importance of exercise, eating a well-balanced diet and hygiene are important points to hit during appointments. Check if the medical facility has any pamphlets or other resources for this purpose. Your patients may want to do research on their own before asking questions.
Be ready for adults even as a pediatric nurse
Just because you're working in the pediatric unit on your travel nursing assignment does not mean you'll only encounter kids. According to The Center for Advancing Health, instances of young adults using pediatric services is especially apparent among patients with chronic conditions.
The transition from pediatric to primary care can be challenging for individuals who have developed good rapport with their physicians, and those with ongoing issues likely see their doctors more often than usual. As such, their pediatricians know more about their well-being than anyone else. Because of this, young adults with conditions like diabetes or asthma may be more inclined to stick around with their childhood providers.
Of course, this isn't always the best practice, considering those above the age of 18 may have adult – not adolescent – health problems. As Dr. Angela Diaz explained to The Center for Advancing Health, young adults may engage in behaviors like drinking and being sexually active. They also need education on preventing conditions that typically affect the older populations, like heart disease. Certain screenings aren't offered by pediatricians, so these patients could be missing out on important preventative measures.
As a nurse, you can explain this to your patients while encouraging the transition to a more age-appropriate doctor. Keep in mind that switching physicians can cause a bit of anxiety for folks, especially when they have to start developing a bond with doctors all over again. Talk about the topic with an understanding but informed approach.
Consider mental health
According to a report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, young adults between the ages of 18 to 25 years old are especially prone to mental health issues. Use of drugs also peaks during this portion of life, making education all the more important.
While much of this information may be covered in high school health classes, it never hurts to supplement that education, especially since you're a healthcare professional. During your conversation, the patient may mentioned the stress of looking for a job or managing a studying workload. Use this opportunity to touch on the importance of stress management and the signs of mental health problems.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, patients should report feelings of hopelessness, inability to sleep, hearing voices, experiences of bodily pain for no apparent reason, and avoidance of friends with their providers. Let your patients know about these symptoms and why it's important they continually monitor their own mental health.
Discuss patient rights
The hospital should have resources for patients to learn about their rights, but often young adults don't understand this information or are unsure of where to find it. This aspect of health communication can go a long way in keeping this age group satisfied with their care.
A study published in BMC Family Practice found that this population needs to know more about the healthcare system as opposed to just their own well-being. For example, for what symptoms should they go to the emergency room? Who has access to their health information? Ask your patients directly whether they understand their rights, and they may have a few questions of their own.
By focusing on these aspects of care in your travel nursing assignments, you can help keep your young adult patients healthy and safe.