A travel nurse acclimating to a new assignment may struggle to remember all of the new names she learns during the first week of a new assignment. Consequently, all of those details can get lost in the shuffle.
To compensate, here are a few tips to memorizing new names, compiled by Forbes. The strategies can assist in recalling the names, codes and phone numbers a travel nurse may need during her shift.
1. Repeat. The best way to try and remember someone's name or a code is to repeat it out loud. Instead of pronouns, use the person's name in the conversation as naturally as possible.
2. Name association. Many people find associating a name to a fact or conversation the best way to remember it later. It can act as a helpful trigger for the memory. Travel nurse Amy Ashbeck, RNC, finds this the best solution for her name recall.
"I try to associate people with something personal about them, like their children, to help me recall their names. It is funny, I tend to work with a lot of Kims and Kimberlys," Ashbeck told Healthcare Traveler.
3. Visualize. Image recall is one of the the most important memory trails to find quickly. Try to either associate a name with an image – maybe one related to the way you met or what they were wearing that was unique to them. If that doesn't work since many nurses wear generic scrub colors, try to imagine the image of the name spelled out.
4. Word play. Catchy word phrases, such as a song lyric or line or a poem can stick in the mind longer than average sentence structure. Create mnemonic phrases or little ditties to try and remember a name and something about the person.
5. Write it down. The act of writing a name down and when and where you met them will allow for greater recall by making it a physical act.
If these tips don't work, don't fret – speak up! Very often the person will not be the least bit put off if you have forgotten their name and request them to repeat is politely. A travel nurse may wish to try these tips to remember codes and names on her next assignment.