As you get ready for your first traveling health care assignment (or your 30th), it’s normal to wonder about the location. Will they have an awesome cafeteria with hummus? Or will they be serving you pop-tarts for lunch? Maybe they’ll have a great lounge room with the comfiest couch you’ve ever encountered! Or maybe not… One thing you can be certain of are the personalities within the facilities you’ll be meeting while on assignment. Check out these types you are bound to see while on the road!
Lazy Lexie
Okay, let’s just get this one out of the way first. There is always one person on the team that could put in just a bit more effort. We feel your pain. Chances are, though, Lexie’s behavior is habitually like this and there is not much anyone can do about it. While there’s no avoiding pulling a shift with Lexie, you can try enlisting her help with tasks that take two or befriending her in the hope she’ll help out… a little? Learning how to cope with lazy coworkers can be a pain; whether you can turn around Lexie’s lazy ways or not, make sure to always concentrate on your work and putting in 110%!
Carl the Complainer
We all have our complaints but there is always one person on the medical floor that can’t help but complain about every little thing that goes wrong. You know them. They want to tell you the sad story that is their life as well as how they totally spilled the whole gallon of milk this morning. We understand this can be very frustrating, especially if it’s been a tough day at work and all you’re trying to do is stay positive. This person may complain about the lead doctor’s handwriting, the charge nurse’s inability to learn the new computer system or…the new computer system.
Robin Kowa lski, PhD Professor in Psychology said, “When people complain, others tend to join or get irritated… When you join in, it becomes a one-upmanship.”
Instead of losing your cool and joining the complaint train, try to be empathetic (lest the latest complaint be YOU!) but stay as positive as possible when chatting Carl up. Also? If the complaints start about your supervisors or work environment, maybe choose to “get busy.”
Chatty Cathy
No matter what the situation, Cathy always has something to say whether it be relevant or just a random fact she thought you just ought to know. For these people, it may be difficult for them to focus on the task at hand without pouring out information. If this happens to contain gossip, it’s never a good idea to engage. Here are a couple suggestions if there is a Chatty Cathy on your team: Keep on with whatever you were doing, avoid making eye contact, and answer strictly with “Uh-huh”, remove yourself from the zone they happen to be in, or drop hints such as, “Are you already done with your charting?” Doing so will help get tasks moving and stop the chatter. If your Chatty Cathy just wants to gab, ask if she wants to do it over coffee, y’know…on your break!?
Nadia the Know-It-All
This person never stops correcting others or pointing out that “they already knew that!” While this can be helpful the first few nights in a new hospital or medical facility, it quickly gets old. We suggest taking a deep breath and nodding with a smile.
Career Coach, Nancy Collamer breaks down the generic know-it-all, “They tend to monopolize conversations, dismiss input from others and make decisions without first considering all the facts,” she says. “A ‘my way or the highway’ attitude often leads to unhappy coworkers, disgruntled clients, and an unhappy work environment.”
Don’t try to show this person up as they will NOT take the hint and pretty much everyone sees their behavior for what it is.Take the advice you can from them, do your best to avoid turning into a critical know-it-all yourself and just breathe.
Your Best Friend
Although these other types of personalities may make work a little difficult, there will more than likely be someone or even a group of people that you will completely click with making your traveling assignment so much more than just a job. Having a new friend when trying to adjust to a new gig is wonderful. Having someone there that already has a lay of the land and you share a similar personality with will help as you get into the groove of a new assignment and get to being the best you can be for the facility. You may just be work buddies but it’ll certainly make the adjustment easier. Of course, best friends are a matter of taste but this person will likely be similar to you and be helpful without being pushy and friendly without being too chatty.
Some of these personalities can be a little difficult when trying to work, or anytime, but use these tips and it will make getting your work done a breeze! Being a little timid when it comes meeting the new team is completely normal but getting past this will help you explore into new horizons and gain experience you never thought possible. What are some of the personalities you’ve encountered on assignment? Or have you possibly met your lifelong bestie? Let us know!