It’s important to have a strong relationship with your recruiter; if you communicate well, understand each other, and trust each other, the candidate-recruiter relationship will be much more effective.
Foundation of Trust
Trust is a two-way street, and it’s important that you can trust each other from the beginning. To that end, always be honest with your recruiter. Misrepresenting your intentions, background, experience, or qualifications will always come back to haunt you eventually. It’s never a good idea to be less than honest, especially when it comes to jobs.
Recruiters know this, too. Whether it’s a regular assignment or a time of urgent need, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, the best healthcare recruiters know the industry is focused around relationship building. You know your recruiter, and your recruiter knows you; that relationship is key to finding the right assignment for you at the right time.
Concerned for Your Safety
COVID-19 is highly contagious, and healthcare workers need to take every possible precaution. When we connect candidates with healthcare facilities, it’s important to us that those facilities make safety a top priority. For example, does the facility follow the CDC guidelines to assess and triage patients with acute respiratory symptoms and risk factors for COVID-19 to minimize the chances of exposure? These guidelines are in place for a reason, and it’s important to follow them, for everyone’s sake.
It doesn’t end with patients. Visitors and even other staff members may carry the virus, even if they’re asymptomatic. In the time of COVID-19, many hospitals limit the number of entrances that will be open, and they screen everyone as they enter. This enables hospitals and other healthcare facilities to ensure that the health and safety of patients, visitors, employees, and the community are the facility’s top priority.
Looking Out for You
Any healthcare environment can be intense, stressful, and fast-paced. The same is true if you’re caring for patients with COVID-19. It’s important to take care of yourself, even when you barely have a minute to breathe. Even 10 minutes outside can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol; don’t forget to practice gratitude because that can make a big difference, too. Finally, don’t overlook the benefit of a big, deep breath. It can help immensely.
What about after the fact? When COVID-19 is behind us, you may find that you’re having a hard time feeling like yourself again. If stress persists for longer than two to three weeks and interferes with functioning, health care workers should consider participating in formal mental health treatment. It’s a global pandemic, and it’s affecting the world in many negative ways; it may be hard to move past it in some cases.
Dealing with the Realities of COVID-19
At 365 Healthcare Staffing Services, we specialize in the recruitment and placement of healthcare professionals in per diem, travel, and permanent assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. COVID-19 is a serious health issue, and healthcare workers are on the front lines. We’re here to help you, and we’ll be here when life returns to a semblance of normalcy. If you’re seeking a new assignment now and/or then, we’ll be here for you. We’re at 310.436.3650, and we’re ready to help.
