FT job but travel nurse in summer?

MJB2010 · May 4, 2011

Highly doubtful. I can't imagine any job, other than teaching, that would allow you to have every summer off.

juliaann · May 4, 2011

I have a coworker who is a camp nurse every summer. She works in our ICU in fall, winter, and spring, and then every summer goes off to camp. I don't know how she's worked it out with her manager, but she seems to have a great working relationship with her manager and everyone else...so I guess it's possible on a case-by-case basis!

nurse.sandi · May 4, 2011

I took a leave to do a contract job. Needless to say..manager not happy. But I followed the guidelines. Call human resource or go find your policy book.

MoisesRN · May 5, 2011

It's almost impossible to have a summer of in my facility. As a matter of facts, when you take a leave of 2 weeks or more, you have to go through employee health for a physical just like any new hired.

Employers loose money every time the let an emplyee go for an extended periode of time because the still paying benefits when he/she is on leave.

It won't be a bad idea to have Nurses who choose to work only in the summer, allowing those who want to take summer off to do so. Just like "weekend options" Nurses, we could have "summer Nurses"...

Guest717236 · May 5, 2011

Yes, but not hospital nursing. School nursing offers that opportunity...

NursingBabyJ · May 8, 2011

thanks for the responses everyone!! Im just starting out to be a PICU nurse but I've always wanted to travel and do PICU in other states. I assumed managers would not like the fact that a nurse wanted time off to do other contracts but I just wanted to see if any nurse does this out there. I will check my hospitals policy guidlines :)

chicagotoots · May 25, 2011

Some nurses elect to go per diem at their home hospital in order to keep their foot in the door and try a travel contract.., but you then have to arrange to go back to your "home hospital" to work the minimum required shifts while you are on contract. It's a great way to test the waters but you have to be very organized and budget the expense of going back to your home hospital to keep your other job. Don't know if the travel companies would approve of it, but what you do on your days off is your business.