As a nurse, (and a new nurse at that), I suffered from severe nurse burnout. Although I was only scheduled to work three shifts a week, I was constantly pressured to pick up extra shifts, stay longer hours, and flat out overworked with my patient load. I had only been a nurse for two years when I realized if something doesn’t change – I’m going to need a new career. Fast forward to now, I have learned how to balance work and play, no longer feel burned out, and look forward to going to the hospital each shift.
Now, I am a travel nurse who works six months per year, traveling the rest of the year. I’ve figured out how to best save money so that I can take extended vacations each year. But guess what! You don’t need to be a travel nurse to travel. You only need to be a nurse. Here’s how…
The secret to traveling more as a nurse? The “8-day vacay”…
The not-so-secret secret to traveling more as a nurse is to take advantage of your time off of the hospital! Bundle your shifts together so that you can take eight days off in a row, without needing to take PTO. You do this by working the first three shifts of week one (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday), and the last three shifts of week two (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). If you schedule your shifts this way, you’ll have eight days off of work in between work weeks.
And there are tons of places to explore with eight days off work…
Are you looking to take an “8 Day Vacay”? Here are some guides to inspire your travels!
Barcelona + Madrid + Southern Spain
Boston + Provincetown + Newport
Why the “8 Day Vacay”?
I created the “8 Day Vacay” to encourage nurses to take advantage of their time off from the hospital. I realized that if I was feeling burned out, there’s no chance that I was alone. I discovered that by traveling, I felt ready to come back to the hospital and take on another shift. I didn’t just feel ready for it, I looked forward to it. After being told time and time again by my friends who work 9-5 office jobs that they wish they had my schedule so that they could travel more, I realized why aren’t we, as a profession, taking more advantage of this incredible work schedule?
So, this series is aimed at you – my hardworking co-workers. We all deserve a vacation, a mental break from the hospital. I want to encourage and inspire you to take advantage of your time off to go and see the world! Travel near, or travel far. See the world, explore new places. Go alone, or go with friends! Whatever it takes for you to unwind and destress. Nike said it best, “Just Do It”.
Planning on taking an “8 Day Vacay”? Read more: How to Make the Most Out of Your “8 Day Vacay”
Are there any “8 Day Vacay’s” you’d like to see on the blog? Leave a comment and let me know!
Don’t have eight days off work? I’m a big fan of day trips too! Check out this section on my blog to best guide your day trips.
Pin Me!
Kylee is a Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) nurse passionate about making travel affordable and accessible to nurses. Inspiring nurses to travel both near and far, Kylee began Passports and Preemies in 2017 while volunteering in Skopje, North Macedonia as a way to reach nurses and advocate for the prevention of nurse burnout by traveling. Kylee is the original creator of the “8 Day Vacay” – a vacation geared towards nurses who aim to take advantage of the potentially 8 days off between work weeks with no need to use PTO.
I love this idea!!
Author
Thanks Jennifer!
I just found your blog and I’m obsessed! I’m a ER nurse with almost 1 year experience and debating if I’m ready to start traveling or if it’s too early… You are living the lifestyle that I’ve been dreaming of living myself (work 6 months, travel 6 months). Thanks for sharing all this great info!
Author
Awe so happy you found my blog! I would advise waiting until you’ve hit your 2 year mark and then GO FOR IT! 🙂