How to Ask for a Reference From a Current Employer?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  • Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Dialysis, Hospice.

I currently work from home doing telephone triage nursing but find that I am bored and lonely at home and feel the need to work around people again, even just a few days a week.

I interviewed at a lovely hospice inpatient center today for a part-time night shift position which I think I would really love. The interview went very well and it sounds like they will offer me the job as soon as I send them the names of a few references to check.

The management at my current company loves my work and are very happy with me so I would like to ask a couple of them for a reference. I don't plan to quit that job, just cut back to per diem, which helps, but still...I don't know any way to approach them about wanting to take on this other job and needing a reference from them. I figure I'll just be honest and tell them that I am bored and lonely working from home and still want to stay on per diem, but we are always short staffed so I think they will still be upset with me. They've been very good to me in the past and this is hard but I feel like I need to do it.

How would you handle this? I need to send the references in the next day or so so that I know if I have the other job or not ASAP.

Sour Lemon

5,016 Posts

Just ask. Worst case scenario is that they won't have a good reaction, but with 26 years of experience, you can probably come up with someone else if need be. Good luck!

RNtoFNP20yrs

28 Posts

You can ask but most workplaces will not give personal references. I asked for references from coworkers, current and former. I was told by one manager that policy prohibited her from giving me a personal reference.

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