This is for all R.N. professional nurses out there, I would like to know if u get any days off? and also have vacation time once a year?. I'm a bit confused because all I hear is that Nurses are overworked, underpaid it seems you dont get a break at all. Please let me know about this because I'm considering nursing as a career option. Thank you :)

Put it like this...when you are there, your A** is theirs...otherwise it's great! Sure you get vacations and days off! Actually you can work as much as you can stand or as little as you can stand. You may have to work nites for a while if you do hospital work, but as you mature your options also increase. Hop on board, we'd love to have you!

Well, not sure of the "professional RN nurses", but this "professional LPN nurse" gets days off but could work as much OT as I could handle r/t a shortage of nurses at the LTC facility where I work. Wow Suzy K, reading this now it does sound sarcastic. That's what happens when I post after my bedtime. LOL No I wasn't trying to be sarcastic sorry if it seemed that way.

I am full time and only work x3 - 12's a week. I got low censed tonight so I've had 5 days off so far. I'm supposed to work Tues and Thur now and then have 5 more scheduled days off! We have too many RN's on our night shift so far. They hire them for fear of the shortage and we have no shortage at all!

I work three 12 hour shifts a week. Lately I've been for the past four weeks, I've been doing overtime. I could work every day if I wanted to due to the shortage. But four twelve hour shifts a week with three days off is all I can do.

I definately believe in vacations! I would be useless if I didn't take time off twice a year. I took three weeks off in March and just took four weeks off in September. (The benefits of working at a facility for 10 years, and not having to call in sick for the past year).

I left home health because it was not uncommon for me to only have 1 to 2 days off per month.

renerian

Lisa - the thing to remember is that in nursing you may not get the days off or vacation time you prefer (meaning weekends and/or major holidays). I've heard much p*ssing and moaning about this from new nurses.

I work three 12 hour shifts a week usually. During the colder months I'll usually work more....by choice. Never a shortage of hours available, but for the summer I stuck to my 3 days a week only and I took a total of three weeks off...two of them together. Bagladyrn is right, you may not always get your first choice of days off in the beginning, until you gain a little seniority, but there are SO many choices in nursing (office nurses, school nurses, only working per diem, industrial jobs, etc.) that I'm SURE you'd find an ideal job for yourself!! Hope you decide to go ahead into nursing!!

luvcat, I wanna work where you do!!!! I work a day shift and then they call at 9pm and ask if I want to work midnights, too. Once in a while I will. but I don't make a habit out of it.

Originally posted by Lisa24

This is for all R.N. professional nurses out there, I would like to know if u get any days off? and also have vacation time once a year?. I'm a bit confused because all I hear is that Nurses are overworked, underpaid it seems you dont get a break at all. Please let me know about this because I'm considering nursing as a career option.

we work 7 or 8 hours each day and have one or two days off in a week. come to china for working. But we get underpaid than you.

Yes we get days off and vacation. How this works differs from employer to employer.

If you work in a 24 hour facility such as a hospital or nursing home you cannot expect every week end nor every holliday off. It is a given, the nature of the beast so to speak, that you will be expected to work weekends and hollidays, ESPECIALLY when you are new at that facility. As time goes on you MAY, but not necessairly, be able to negotiate SOME hollidays and weekends, but never all of them.

The key to all this is finding an employer who does not mandate that you work overtime. They do exist. Finding one that respects your right to put your own welfare and that of your family as your first priority. Working perdeim allows you to choose the days you will work as does working agency. Not all nurses work in hospital, and have a more conventional schedule. For example clinics, schools etc.

Personally, I work three 12 hour shifts a week and get 144 hours paid time off (that will increase with longevity) annually. If I work any of 6 recognized hollidays I get time and a half. I have had little problem taking vactation. (Took 3 weeks off in a row this past year). Granted not every place is this good even in the same geographical area. Shop arround when you start looking for a job. Right now we are in demand and can afford to be choosy.

Many times when an employer asks a nurse to come in on her days off she feels obligated and guilty if she says no. Some times with a few employers there are consequences for saying no a lot. However, you do have the option to say no and do not have to feel guilty about it. I never aswer my phone if it rings before 8 a. m. Personally, if it were not for my husband's calls I would not answer it before 9 a. m.

Originally posted by BelindaLPN

Well, not sure of the "professional RN nurses", but this "professional LPN nurse"

Was this sarcastic? I hope not.

Anyway, Lisa, I get vacation in that it was part of the benefits, however at my last job vacation was often denied due to the shortage.

Whew, Brenda, thank god I asked first hey? Hee!