Coughing. Sneezing. Chills. Fever.
For a travel nurse, these are what nightmares are made of.
Viruses have a knack for attacking at the worst possible time, and although no one ever plans to get sick, getting sick on a travel nurse assignment might seem like a huge inconvenience.
Do travel nurses get sick days?
Travel nurse assignments typically last for many weeks, and having to abandon your team for illness is certainly not ideal.
What do you do if you get sick on an assignment? We’ve gathered some tips to help you prepare for sick days, steps to take if you do get sick, and considerations to make before missing your shift.
Table of Contents
- Do Travel Nurses Get Sick Days?
- 4 Steps To Take If You Get Sick on a Travel Nurse Assignment
- 3 Things To Consider Before Calling In Sick as a Travel Nurse
- Preparing for Sick Days as a Travel Nurse
- Tips for Staying Healthy as a Travel Nurse
- Trusted Nurse Staffing: Providing Our Travel Nurses Support Through Every Assignment
Do Travel Nurses Get Sick Days?
Yes, travel nurses are afforded sick days, but the amount of days they receive depends on where they’re working and the contract they signed for a specific assignment.
The U.S. Department of Labor notes fifteen states and the District of Columbia have passed laws requiring sick leave for employees — including travel nurses — who meet specific requirements, including:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
Before beginning an assignment, we recommend checking your contract to see if it has specific procedures for calling in sick, how many shifts you’re allowed to miss, and how your pay might be affected. State-specific requirements and employee eligibility vary from state to state.
If things seem unclear or unfair, your recruiter at Trusted Nurse Staffing can help. We’ll help you review your contract, negotiate any changes, and make sure it looks good before you sign.
4 Steps To Take if You Get Sick on a Travel Nurse Assignment
At some point in their careers, most nurses have to deal with illness. Even though hygienic practices are in place, it’s still quite easy to catch a cold.
As a travel nurse, this means missing contracted shifts.
If you get sick and miss a shift, you can usually make it up in the following weeks depending on your availability. If you’re having trouble making up a missed shift, your travel nurse recruiter can help arrange something with your facility or add extra days to your contract.
Trusted Nurse Staffing can help you find your next travel nurse assignment and support you every step of the way. Are you worried about missing a shift due to illness? You have 24/7 access to your recruiter to help you along the way and ensure everything runs smoothly during your assignment.
#1: Contact Your Travel Nurse Agency
Every travel nurse agency should have call-off procedures you can follow if you’re sick and need to miss a shift. Typically, this includes contacting your recruiter as soon as possible.
Not only can your recruiter help you through the details of your signed contract and what happens when you miss a shift, but they can also help fill the open shift with another nurse who is on contract or PRN at the same facility.
#2: Contact Your Assigned Facility
Maintaining courtesy and professionalism is essential on every assignment by practicing appropriate call-off conduct. It’s a good idea to contact your facility yourself (even though your recruiter is probably doing so, too) to let them know you’ll be missing a shift due to illness.
When you make this call, provide as much information about your illness as possible so your facility can gauge how long you might be out. Provide updates as your illness progresses and provide gratitude for their understanding and flexibility.
Depending on your illness, your facility might have to implement infectious disease protocols for vulnerable patients, so contacting your supervisor immediately is crucial.
#3: Determine Scheduling and Pay Adjustments
Keeping in close contact with your travel nurse agency can help ensure everything regarding your missed shift(s) is covered. They can help find another PRN or contracted nurse in the same facility to pick up your missed shifts, add extra shifts on days off, or possibly extend your contact to realign your hours.
#4: Follow Up With Any Necessary Documentation or Requirements Stated in Your Contract
This could vary from facility to facility, so be sure to ask what is required to return to work, cover missed shifts, or receive appropriate pay. For example, you might need a doctor’s note or to complete paperwork with your travel nurse agency to be fully covered.
3 Things To Consider Before Calling In Sick as a Travel Nurse
When faced with the choice to call in sick or miss a shift for most jobs, everything you need to consider is clearly written in your job policies and contracts.
Do you have time off to take personal days or sick days? Will you be taking the time off as paid or unpaid? Does someone need to cover your work or do you just make it up when you return? Will the ship sink without you there?
Unfortunately, as a travel nurse on assignment, you don’t always have straight and clear answers to these questions. And sometimes, the ship may sink without you there.
Before calling in sick as a travel nurse, consider these factors to help make your decision.
How Do You Really Feel?
There’s a difference between being genuinely sick and not wanting to go to work. Remember, your contract and reputation are at stake, so if you’re not truly sick, are those worth taking a day off?
Whether you’re suffering from mental health issues or physical illness, keep these tips in mind to help you stay healthy and avoid nurse burnout to minimize the days you need to call out sick:
- Find a hobby: Finding something you enjoy doing in your downtime or on days off will help you recharge and keep your stress levels down.
- Be proactive: As soon as you notice signs of nurse burnout, take appropriate actions to stop it.
- Prioritize your health: Drink enough water and move your body daily to help stay in good health.
- Get quality sleep: Sleep is important for your overall health and also provides a great mental break.
Ultimately, calling in sick is part of being a responsible and conscientious travel nurse, so don’t be afraid to take time off if you really need it.
Will This Have Financial Ramifications?
Many agency-provided services — like housing and travel expenses — are dependent on working all of your contracted hours.
When presented with your contract, all of your financial calculations are included in the hours you’re planning to work. Before you sign, ask your agency how sick days are handled and what the financial penalties are for missing a shift.
Aside from your contracted salary, missing hours might affect your bonus. A bonus minimum is set at the total number of hours for each contract, so even missing one hour of your contract could affect receiving your bonus.
How Will This Affect Your Relationship With Your Facility and Your Travel Nurse Agency?
Most travel nurse assignments last about three months, so taking off a handful of days can affect your attendance record. Unfortunately, although they may be the only days of work you’ve missed in years, to that facility, it might make you look unreliable.
An unsatisfactory attendance record with a facility can negatively impact any references you receive for future contracts.
Working with a trusted agency and reliable team of recruiters can help you navigate these potential troubles with taking time off. At Trusted Nurse Staffing, our nurses come before patients, staffing needs, and facility preferences. As a top priority to our organization, our team is always looking out for the best interests of our nurses. Contact us today to get started.
Preparing for Sick Days as a Travel Nurse
Know the Terms of Your Contract
Although your agency recruiter is there for you along the way, it’s on you as the travel nurse to read and re-read your contract before signing.
Here are some things to look for while reviewing your contract:
- Does it specify any procedures for calling off?
- How does the agency fare?
- How many shifts can you miss without penalty?
- What are the penalties for missing shifts?
Communicate with your recruiter and your facility to clarify any misunderstandings with contractual obligations before signing and beginning your contracted assignment.
Understand Your Rights
We mentioned that some states require sick leave for employees. However, they may require sick time to be based on a specified number of hours of work. Other states may not have statewide sick leave policies, but certain cities within a state do.
You are responsible for knowing the requirements for the state you’ll be working in to set yourself up for success if you need to call out sick during an assignment.
Have a Plan in Place
It’s common for nurses to travel alone to their assignments. Although we’re sure you’ll make great friends, recognizing that you’ll likely be caring for yourself when you’re sick is essential.
Familiarize yourself with the area and know where to go for medical help or medicine. Additionally, create a list of emergency contacts in the event of a serious illness or accident while on assignment.
You should also have easy access to emails and phone numbers for your supervisor, floor manager, recruiter, and recruiter admin.
While you’re receiving medical attention, remember to obtain documentation to increase credibility and maximize your chances for a good recommendation once you leave.
Tips for Staying Healthy as a Travel Nurse
We get it, germs are everywhere. And as a nurse, you’re exposed to illness after illness day after day.
Getting sick is inevitable.
As a travel nurse, help reduce your risk of getting sick and avoid needing to take time off of work by implementing tips to maintain good health and minimize exposure to germs:
- Frequently wash hands and practice good hygiene.
- Get vaccinated against common conditions and diseases.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Get enough rest.
- Exercise regularly.
- Manage stress by practicing self-care.
- Avoid prolonged close contact with people who are sick.
- Wear personal protective equipment when appropriate.
When you’re healthy and don’t have to miss days of work, not only are you able to fulfill your contract, but you can provide the best possible care for your patients. Additionally, you set a good example by promoting health and wellness around your facility.
Trusted Nurse Staffing: Providing Our Travel Nurses Support Through Every Assignment
Dealing with unexpected circumstances during a travel nurse assignment can be stressful, especially if it’s an illness.
At Trusted Nurse Staffing, our team of recruiters is equipped with knowledge and skills to help our nurses navigate difficult situations like calling out of work while following correct protocols.
Our recruiters are here to help, from start to finish and everything in between.
Use Pronto to search for jobs that fit your needs and your recruiter will jump right in to help get the ball rolling. We’ll negotiate contracts, help set up travel and housing, navigate any issues that arise on assignment, extend contracts if needed, and more.
Count on Trusted Nurse Staffing to help you find the best travel nurse assignments and ensure everything runs smoothly. Get started today.