Free time/vacation time while being a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all,

I am a new grad and have been working 3 12's on a med/surg unit for about a month now. I have to admit I am already feeling trapped and tied down to this job (2 year contract). I am young, 23 years old, no kids. I have always had dreams of travelling the world and thoroughly enjoying life while I was young without the responsibilities of a family. Though I knew weekends and holidays would be sacrificed when I started nursing school, the reality of that is only now hitting me, and it's hitting me hard. I get depressed whenever I think about sacrificing my dreams for work. Ultimately I know I have to keep this job for those lucrative 1-2 years of experience but in the meanwhile I would like to do what I can and make the most of whatever time I get off. How do you all fit in free time for yourselves and vacations while working full time? Is it possible to get time off during the holidays? How much time can you take off in a year? I was wanting to a few days off around Christmas/New Year's to travel but I'm thinking as a new grad it won't happen and I'm pretty down about it.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Being young with no kids I work as much as I can around the holidays for all the holiday pay. I usually use a vacation day for NYE though. My checks are always very nice. Plus Im the only one without a family its just my boyfriend and I. Given Im not really a new hire but no kids so I work my butt off and let everyone else enjoy their kids.

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My best year so far for adventures was 2011 when I worked weekend option. My bf worked 12 hour nights and I did my 2 shifts and had 5 off each week so it made it easier to get chunks of time off without taking too many days of vacation. That year we went to Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Ireland and Italy. We also worked every holiday. It helps that he has family in Europe so we could save cash for airfare and excursions and rather than spending too much on rooms. We have really roughed it at times with hostels and camping and usually began every trek extremely sleep deprived coming off of a string of night shifts. We live in a studio apartment and have low key animals (kitties) that our friends watch for us when we are away. We also share one vehicle, so I do feel like we trade significant aspects of 'comfort living' for the opportunities to travel and really experience the world.

Last year we toned it down and only made it to Bulgaria, France, England and the Bahamas. It was more difficult because at my current job I work 3 twelves and feel like its so much more than those good old weekend option days. Especially since door to door I'm gone for 13-15 hours each night I work. I feel like I might as well be working doubles.

This year we have been sticking to budget and only went home to see each of our families once. Well, we haven't yet visited his family but when we do we are making a pit stop for a 7 night European cruise out of Rome. Then back to budget. Well, actually then hopefully we will be moving back West. I miss Oregon.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

" Is it possible to get time off during the holidays? How much time can you take off in a year? I was wanting to a few days off around Christmas..."

These questions are specific to your facility. I'm surprised the holiday rotation schedule and vacation time weren't covered in your orientation.

Look in your employee handbook or on your employer's website to see how much vacation you have and when you are eligible to take it.

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Are you not able to couple your days so if you wanted to take a week or so you would only be technically taking off for 48-96 hours. Also, after your contract is up consider doing travel nursing. I have lots of friends with whom I graduated with that aren't married and don't have children and they love it.

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You should request days off and plan trips. Maybe not around every holiday...but you should have things to look forward to so you stay sane!

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Is this your first experience with full-time employment?

You already get 4 days off per week. How is it you cannot find 'time for you' since YOU are the only person you are responsible for?

I'm not trying to be snarky- but it sounds like nursing is not the problem here, adjusting to the world of full-time employment is.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Are you able to group your shifts together? At my facility we do self scheduling, and last week I had 7 days off in a row and in 2 more weeks I am getting another 6 days off in a row, without using any vacation time. We have to work every 3rd weekend and 1 Sunday in a 4 week time frame. You should know what holidays you are working, mine is scheduled out about 8, years, this year I am working Thanksgiving eve and day, so I have Christmas Eve and day off and new years eve and day off. I work Christmas next year, but won't work thanksgiving again for 3 more years, with how the rotation works

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Specializes in critical care.
Is this your first experience with full-time employment?

You already get 4 days off per week. How is it you cannot find 'time for you' since YOU are the only person you are responsible for?

I'm not trying to be snarky- but it sounds like nursing is not the problem here, adjusting to the world of full-time employment is.

I second this. Working full-time just plain sucks. It is nothing like full-time school and a part-time job. But, I personally love 12 hour shifts. Even if it takes me a full day to recuperate, that still leaves 3 days to do whatever I want. A 2 day weekend is just not enough.

My problem is night shift. Are you days or nights? Not that I have any advice for you if you work nights, but I can empathize. :)

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We do lots of little weekday or weekend trips, depending on what days we are off. Although, I do have a family so it's a bit different. For example, I am working Sun, Thurs, and Fri and we are going hiking one day this week(to a beautiful area with a waterfall) and also going to take our children to the museum another day. I like working holidays for holiday pay, I have 3 other nurses in my family so we are all used to not seeing each other on holidays and instead doing different days. It works. Here, holidays are done on a rotating schedule, such as, I work Christmas eve but off Christmas day. Of course, people can swap shifts too if someone would like it off and another is willing to work. The best way to go about it is to do short, 1-2 day trips if you live by anything nice, or one day when you only work 2 days, then request off for all the days you are off, and then put in for PTO for the days you are scheduled for, that way you get the entire chunk off. Also, we don't do vacations during prime vacation season.

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The reason I will never work full time again unless I am forced to, is that I prefer the freedom that goes along with a part time schedule. I work 24 hours/week, and my work is clustered so that I get every other week off. In order to get three weeks off, I only need to take 48 hours of PTO. I've traveled to Central America and Southeast Asia, and have plans to travel again this winter. As for holidays, our staff is so small that each nurse works one holiday per year, and I've already worked mine.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

You've been at your job for a month now ... ask your preceptor how scheduling/vacation/holidays work in your unit.

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