Started new job - how do I bring up time off for vacation

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

No we only discussed swapping shifts and how it worked and that he (the manager tries to honor the requests the best he can) my interview was back in Oct - I didn't think of bringing it up - plus I really wanted the job and didn't want the manager to think she's already asking for time off. I don't want to make waves especially during my probation- I could push the trip back to April but I will have to pay rebooking fees X4. suggestions?

I didn't see this post b4 posting my other comment. I hate to tell you but if you have to pay rebooking fees, you have no-one to blame but yourself. I'm SO tired of nurses at work - especially young nurses - saying this and that is everybody elses problem, and I need time off because (you choose excuse) I've worked for 2 months so I deserve a break. Try working shiftwork and studying for 10 years with no break! They constantly whinge about all these other things they need to do - like we ALL don't have enough time to catch up with stuff in our lives too!

You should be mature enough as a nurse to figure this all out for yourself. And you always tell HR, or whoever sees you to employ you - it doesn't have to be a NM or a nurse.

If you ever get to be a NM or their assistant, and have to do rosters, you will realise what I'm talking about.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

Too late, this should have been mentioned at the time you accepted the job. You will now be at their mercy. Hope you make it.

kerussll · Jan 10, 2011

I didn't see this post b4 posting my other comment. I hate to tell you but if you have to pay rebooking fees, you have no-one to blame but yourself. I'm SO tired of nurses at work - especially young nurses - saying this and that is everybody elses problem, and I need time off because (you choose excuse) I've worked for 2 months so I deserve a break. Try working shiftwork and studying for 10 years with no break! They constantly whinge about all these other things they need to do - like we ALL don't have enough time to catch up with stuff in our lives too!
You should be mature enough as a nurse to figure this all out for yourself. And you always tell HR, or whoever sees you to employ you - it doesn't have to be a NM or a nurse.
If you ever get to be a NM or their assistant, and have to do rosters, you will realise what I'm talking about.

That seems a little harsh. She's not saying she deserves a break already. She scheduled this before she was even hired, so it's just unfortunate timing. I see no harm asking the NM for advice about what she should do. If it's not possible to take time off this soon, then oh well. But maybe it will be no big deal and work out fine.

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

I didn't say she couldn't ask anyone, and perhaps it may seem harsh. But when you do rosters it is highly irritating to try and ring 20 agencies to get staff to cover them, especially at 3 am. I do this many times as an angency RN as part of my job - there is no NM.

And I DO get tired of younger female nurses saying 'My boyfriend has a weekend off so I want one' and they basically tell everyone they deserve it, even though they have only worked for a few months or a year, and know in the first year they will not get first preferences for holidays etc. When I've started in hospitals in my first year, I was always told UP FRONT that I would not be able to choose my holidays at Xmas etc, though some other options were given.

If you come into nursing, you need to be prepared to do the shiftwork or not. And she did know about this beforehand. If I was her NM I would not be impressed at all.

Perhaps it is the fault of HR for not asking if she had any pre-booked holidays, but you always tell employers these things don't you, especially when u do shiftwork.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that just common sense and courtesy to give people enough notice to cover you?

Maybe I'm just old fashioned like that (not).

Can I ask if you have ever done rosters (doctors or nursing rosters) do you know what I am talking about?

johnny depp23 · Jan 10, 2011

Why are you on probation ? Anyway- I wouldn't ask for time off this early in the game, it doesn't look good on your part. Unless it's an absolute emergency, I would just wait.

Best of luck Pal, :cool:

kerussll · Jan 10, 2011

I didn't say she couldn't ask anyone, and perhaps it may seem harsh. But when you do rosters it is highly irritating to try and ring 20 agencies to get staff to cover them, especially at 3 am. I do this many times as an angency RN as part of my job - there is no NM.
And I DO get tired of younger female nurses saying 'My boyfriend has a weekend off so I want one' and they basically tell everyone they deserve it, even though they have only worked for a few months or a year, and know in the first year they will not get first preferences for holidays etc. When I've started in hospitals in my first year, I was always told UP FRONT that I would not be able to choose my holidays at Xmas etc, though some other options were given.
If you come into nursing, you need to be prepared to do the shiftwork or not. And she did know about this beforehand. If I was her NM I would not be impressed at all.
Perhaps it is the fault of HR for not asking if she had any pre-booked holidays, but you always tell employers these things don't you, especially when u do shiftwork.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that just common sense and courtesy to give people enough notice to cover you?
Maybe I'm just old fashioned like that (not).
Can I ask if you have ever done rosters (doctors or nursing rosters) do you know what I am talking about?

It's common sense and courtesy to ask with as much notice as possible, but she's new and she didn't think of it earlier so that can't be fixed now. So what is the big deal with just asking another nurse or the NM if it would be a problem to get the time off? She may be able to work it out herself by trading shifts with other nurses. And it might not work out. But she'll never know if she doesn't ask! Yeah, I get that you do get tired of younger nurses demanding time off, but that's really irrelevant here since that's not what she's doing. She's concerned enough about the situation to ask for advice on here, so I really doubt she's going to go in there with a rude and entitled attitude. As long as the nurse manager isn't a total b*tch, she won't hold a polite question against her.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

I agree with the posters who say this is too late to worry about it anymore. The time to mention this was in the interview. As you said, you didn't think of it during the interview and you were afraid of what they might think. Thats not their fault. It comes down to a decision about what matters to you most.........your career or your plans outside of work. There are many people who are in a position to keep their home life the #1 priority. If you are one of them, good for you, take advantage of it and let them know you need the days off. If not:

Approach the manager, tell them if it is not inconvenient for them, you would like this time off. If it turns out doing so hampers them in any way.........I'd forget it. There is a time to wear your career cap and there is a time to wear your "I am a person with a home life" cap. For me, I'd have my career cap on with this.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

OP, unfortunately, this should have been brought up during the interview/offer stage. Sometimes NMs will actually ask this question during the offer. It is water under the bridge now, however.

Would it be terribly expensive for you to rebook? I feel your pain...but I would not ask, because I would not want this to be the first impression I made on my NM.

mediatix8 · Jan 10, 2011

reschedule... and this time let them know right away

pinksugar · Jan 10, 2011

Sorry, you might be out of luck. Generally people mention a planned vacation during the interview process, whether to the manager or HR, before getting hired.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

I would still ask. You never know. Maybe you can swap w/ someone else? I don't think it would hurt to at least ask..

RNperdiem, RN · Jan 10, 2011

I would not ask.

A nurse just off orientation needs to make a good impression and not get labeled as a "high maintenence employee". A label like that can stick with you for long after your vacation is over.