I recently came across a forum post over at HealthcareTravelbook.com about, “Things to do IN the car…” and at first glance I thought it would be about how to pass the time away when traveling great distances with children and whatnot. It was not, instead it was about what to do when you’re literally stuck in a car for hours, trapped on the road due to traffic/accidents/roadblocks or anything else out of our control. This traveler was stuck in her car for nearly 6.5 hours!!! That could seem like an eternity without some sort of entertainment, let alone some essentials for survival. Here’s an excerpt from her post, “Thank goodness I had an Ipod that I found out I could play a card game on and I happened to have a magazine in the car to read but otherwise….What do you do in a situation like that?? I also had two dogs in the car….which thankfully I had a gallon of water for all of us…But maybe we should all pack a “survival kit” for the car to keep as we travel….Any ideas??”

After reading this post, I felt it necessary to provide some useful tips on what exactly you can do to prepare yourself and your car for this or similar situations. Hopefully none of us will ever have to resort to these tactics and practices, but you just never know. Obviously before traveling any great distance in your car you’ll want to have it inspected by a professional mechanic and make sure everything on the car is tip-top. Next, you’ll want to equip your car with a “survival kit” that will help keep you warm and nourished if ever you were in a dire situation. Check out the blog, The Corporate Barbarian for his extensive list for an automobile survival kit. His list is pretty vast, and it seems he’s packed and ready for just about anything besides a nuclear attack.

Whether it's winter or summer, your car should always be packed with survival gear.

There are many items to consider and as always, it’s better to be safe than sorry! There are definitely some things you should strongly consider to have at your disposal should any road emergency arise. Always make sure your spare tire is fully inflated and there’s a tire iron, a car jack, and so on. Using common sense when traveling will take you far, but there may be some things you would never think to have available when you’re stuck. So before traveling near or far, always make sure your car is equipped for travel. I hate to put it this way, but it could be the difference between life or death. If you have any other tips you’d like to share regarding traveling by car, please share them in our comment section, especially anything about what to do about your bladder. That too is an all important topic!

There are two ways to handle being heard, and one of them will get you nowhere and will probably only happen once. It’s one thing to be forward in your approach and another to be more cordial about things. The latter will definitely lend itself to more situations where peers and doctors will take the time to listen to your statements and opinions regarding patient care or general issues within the facility.

If you want the respect of others, you first have to respect them. The best way to accomplish this is to be assertive, not domineering, and exude confidence in the way you carry yourself. So if a patient has a problem with their treatment or what have you, don’t back down, don’t yell at them and don’t just pass on the issue to another nurse or  doctor for them to handle it. No, instead you must show you’re confident in the way you’re handling the situation, look the patient in the eye (or anyone you speak with) and when listening, do the same.

Being assertive shows you have leadership qualities and you are leading the conversation, but you don’t want to use this as a way to be condescending to anyone. Try and get level with whomever you are speaking with, use words they can understand instead of just talking the talk like you know more than they do, especially when dealing with patients. Think ahead to what you want to accomplish with this conversation and you’ll be well on your way to smoothing things out without hurting peoples feelings or alienating yourself as rude or arrogant.

You may not have all the answers and that’s okay. If you’re unsure about anything when dealing with patients or hospital protocols, ask. It’s better to get the facts than just let your emotions rule. When dealing with other personalities, especially the strong ones, it’s best to just take a step back and remember first and foremost-it is all about the patients. However, when you find it time to speak up-speak clearly and stay on task. Don’t be long winded, don’t be accusatory, for the more you talk the less you’re probably heard. Be conversational, not confrontational.

On the other end of speaking up is listening. This can go a long way, especially when dealing with patients. There’s nothing more they love than to be heard, respected for their opinions. Before you reply, it’s best to start by rephrasing their last statements as acknowledgement that you’ve heard them and this may put them at ease and more open to your suggestions.

It’s more than okay to be assertive and speak your mind when the time calls for it. Being assertive is part of communicating and can help you have a voice wherever your travel nursing jobs may lead you. Respect is all you seek and by following these few tips, you’ll be a part of team as a opposed to being apart from a team.

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