Requesting Time Off on a Travel Nurse Contract

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| posted by Charity Crawford

“Is it okay for me to request time off during my travel assignment?”

This is a very common question asked by travel nursing candidates, so I thought I’d put together a quick post and video about what to do if you know you’re going to need time off during your contract.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ3HwD8lsi0

As with any contract-related requests, it’s all about communicating – early and often. We want to make sure we are disclosing any time off requests upon submitting to a position, and that we are following up in our communication with facilities and during interviews to ensure there are no surprises after the fact.

And, most importantly, early communication and subsequent buy-in from the facility helps to ensure that we can put your request in writing on your contract to minimize any issues with getting your time off scheduled later on.

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As with any requests, it is ultimately at the facility’s discretion as to whether or not your time off request will be accepted. The decision to approve is typically dependent on the needs of the unit and facility, and whether they anticipate having adequate staff to accommodate any gaps in coverage. It also is often dependent on how much time off is needed. Requesting a few days off will have a much higher likelihood of being approved than two weeks.

As your recruiter, I’m always willing to request time off on your behalf and work with you to give you the best chance of it being it approved. If possible, a best practice is to offer to make up any missed time to help minimize the burden to the facility. Either by extending the contract by 1-2 weeks or picking up additional shifts during the contract, this show of good faith is received positively by the facility. It also shows a willingness to be flexible, which is always appreciated.

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