wanting to travel but not quit where I'm at?

waterfall99 · Nov 26, 2006

don't tell them you're leaving to take a job. That won't work. Depending on the flexibility of the hospital and unit, you may be able to stay on as PRN while you're traveling and come back and work a few shifts to keep your status.

Otherwise, ask your boss if you do quit and come back in 6 mos, would you have to do hospital orientation all over again? I left one unit for 6 mos and when I came back, I didn't have to do orientation, BIG BONUS

I was just wondering if anyone has taken a leave of absence from their current job to take a travel assignment? I would love to take an assignment in the spring and then come back to cold Ohio for the winter months and keep my job at the trauma hospital. I'm just not sure if that is possible? Thought I would post here before asking my boss. lol

jenjenrn_2004 · Nov 28, 2006

thanks for you advice not having to do orientation would be great!!

pricklypear · Dec 4, 2006

Just a thought... most hospitals require so many hours per pay period, or month to be "PRN." Check into doing per diem instead. That only requires X shifts per YEAR. Either way, you won't get any benefits, but per diem pay is usually much higher.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Dec 4, 2006

Just a thought... most hospitals require so many hours per pay period, or month to be "PRN." Check into doing per diem instead. That only requires X shifts per YEAR. Either way, you won't get any benefits, but per diem pay is usually much higher.

Considering these terms get used interchanagably it may or may not work. Most places I have worked require a shift a per schedule period.

As far as the leave of absense goes I personally would use the pursuit of education as a reason. All one needs to do is take a class online and this would be a truthful statement.

For what its worth your going to have more travel options by traveling in the winter/spring vs other times of the year. The sunny states need the help more then than other times.

Rj

rn1233 · Dec 10, 2006

When I started traveling, I quit at first and then decided to come back but only supplemental (prn). So I would suggest just going prn so you won't have to repeat orientation. If you take of leave of absence you probably won't be able to do that again if you decide to travel again.

RN BSN 2009 · Dec 10, 2006

A quick unrelated question, do you get paid for going to orientation at most hospitals?

Memerson2000 · Dec 19, 2006

Yes, hospitals pay for orientation.

I took a travel job last winter, to Florida, while also maintaining my job in NY--it was crazy, but it worked and was worth it for me. I'm part-time in NY--I owed my facility 48 hrs. over each two week period--so I used some vacation time and some creative scheduling to work full time in FL, with two weeks off in the middle of a fourteen week assignment, while working part-time in New York, using four weeks of vacation during the same period. Once I flew back to NY and worked 8 twelve hr. shifts in a row. I was whipped by the end, but I made good money and I saw my family and escaped winter. I will never do another winter in NY if I can help it.

zipporah · Dec 21, 2006

I met a number of travelers who worked "the season " (nov-april) in florida and then returned to their northern homes and worked the rest of the year at their former places of employment. The key is to be a good employee I guess. I couldn't get a leave of absence from my hospital to travel but after a year, I came back and took a travel assignment with them and they were glad to have me , someone they new.

damarystx · Jan 1, 2007

One of the preceptors at my clinical site last semester was working zero hour /status D and traveling. She would have to put in a couple of shifts per month at the hospital. We are in IL and she was working in FL. She would just fly back for a weekend to do her shifts and then back to FL. which didn't seem like a bad deal to me.