My Easy Tips for Planning a Vacation During Travel Nurse Assignments

One of the things I get asked all the time is, “How do you go on so many trips if you have a full-time job?” Planning a vacation during a travel nurse assignment is much easier than people think! My tips below are exactly what I do on a monthly basis to plan my trips and go on adventures despite my busy schedule. Here we go!

1. Put it in your CONTRACT.

You can only plan a trip if you have the dates off in your contract. Period. Sometimes we have friendly coworkers who will switch shifts at the last minute, but you should NOT count on that! Only put money down on a vacation if you are guaranteed the days off.

With that being said, how do you get the days off? I give my recruiter a detailed list of dates I plan to request in a travel nurse contract. She looks over the dates and gives me feedback on whether or not she thinks the hospital will accept them. I’m lucky to have a fantastic recruiter through Aya Healthcare whom I trust, so I appreciate her input! However, you can submit any dates you want, regardless of your recruiter’s approval.

(If you need a great recruiter, I always recommend Pari Constan! Click here for her link!)

Your days off should be explicitly listed in your written contract BEFORE you sign it! If the hospital gives you the runaround and promises to work it out with the scheduler later without having it in your contract, don’t trust them. That is a huge red flag.

2. Plan your trip from Wednesday through Wednesday.

Most inpatient hospital contracts are for three 12-hour shifts per week (3x12s). I’ve discovered that if I can still complete my contracted hours in a week, management is much more willing to work with me on vacation days!

I purposefully schedule my time off for Wednesday through Wednesday, 8 days total. This allows me to work Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before I leave for a trip. I work the night shift, so I plan to be back to work on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the following week!

I usually try to fly home on Wednesday night to adjust my sleep schedule before Thursday night, but I have also flown in last minute before a shift. Be careful doing that! Wednesdays are one of the cheapest travel days, so you may as well head home for cheap and not push it too close. 🙂

For example, I took time off in February 2023 to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans. In my current contract extension, I requested time off from Wednesday, February 15th – Wednesday, February 22nd. I will work Thursday night, February 23rd, and I didn’t lose a dime in wages! Since I didn’t miss any required shifts, management had no problem with my days off. I’ve done this at least 10 times with no issues! 

You can submit new vacation dates every time you start a new contract or extend an existing one.

Note: Some hospital contracts sign for four 12-hour shifts (4x12s). In that case, you would only be able to take off Thursday-Tuesday if you still plan to work your required shifts.

3. Be ready to jump back in!

This one is vital to making vacationing feasible during contracts. I once worked 5 nightshifts in a row and then flew out of state the morning after my last shift. The trip was fantastic, but I came in hot before my next shift to find….dirty scrubs. No food in my house. Missing sneakers and work badge. It was horrible! I didn’t set myself up for success, and I will never make that mistake again.

Since then, I always ensure that I have at least one pair of clean scrubs ready to go when I get home. I leave my name badge on my nightstand, NOT in my travel luggage, and I have backup frozen meals in my freezer for emergencies!

“Coming in hot,” or getting back into town the same day that I work a night shift, has actually become manageable when I do this. Prep yourself for success!

Following these simple tips has made planning a vacation during contracts easy for me. I love going on adventures and never want to give that up for a job!

If this topic sparks your interest, you might be interested in the following articles:

“Traveling Light: How I Vacation with a Carry-on” – All about how I pack light and make quick trips easier!

“Skip The Line: The Magic of TSA Precheck” – I confidently sleep after my shift/before flying out because my TSA Precheck reduces my security line wait time!

“Flying Cheap: The Hopper App and Spirit Airlines” – I’ll admit it, I am the queen of planning a vacation last-minute because these tools make it easy!