How many of us nurses working hard to take care of patients every day need a vacation from nursing? I imagine most of you reading out there would be raising your hands along with me. OK, second question. How many nursing leaders actually enjoy their vacation time? Do you see the virtual hands slowly dropping?

Why is it that nursing leadership finds it so difficult to take- and then actually enjoy- a vacation from their work?

[Tweet “Factors that make it hard for nurses to take vacation time”]:

• Hospitals push for quick, efficient and high patient throughput. We want those patients in and out as fast as we can manage. So most hospital units are running at close to or totally full capacity on a daily basis.
• Nursing leadership is accountable for much more than we used to be. These days we support, staff and oversee many of the ancillary departments as well as our own nursing teams. Nurse leaders can potentially manage staff in the numbers of hundreds of people.
• If it’s not the emails it’s the meetings, daily updates, mass alerts and constant notifications. Many nurse leaders I know receive their emails, alarms and texts from work right to their personal cell phones. In the age of ‘on’ we find it harder and harder to shut down and unplug from work.

So it comes as no surprise that [Tweet “Nursing Leadership, do they ever get a break?”]. 

To be honest, from the nursing leaders I know I have heard or seen the following:

• Nurse leaders responding to and sending emails from their vacation destination;
• Nursing leadership stating in a group forum that while on vacation their staff can still access them (and admitting that they set it up that way);
• Nurses reporting that they do check email while off from work (because they do not want it to over pile while they are away, leaving them to come back to thousands of emails in the inbox);
• A nurse literally stating she was responding to a staff call out while on line at an amusement park with family.

OK. I think you get the picture. It is very hard for nursing to take a break from work. Let alone an entire vacation. So what can we do about it?

[Tweet “3 Tips to Enjoying Vacation as a Nurse”]:

1. Do like I do, take one more vacation day. So let’s say you get back from the trip on a Sunday. Take that Monday to still be ‘off’ from work. And then, while at home, (since we all do it anyway) check those email in-boxes and catch up on what you missed. It will be a lot more relaxing if you can let go of email while on vacation.
2. Travel light. When you get back to work, that very first day, clear your calendar. Only attend those meetings that you absolutely have to. Take time to ease back in by visiting with staff on the unit. Listen to what has happened while you were gone and share your stories of your travels with them. Lay low that first day back and take it easy so that you can catch up on everything.
3. Let it go. Guess what? You are one human being amongst thousands that staff an organization. If you are not there, the shop doesn’t close. What if you died? (Morbid, I know- but also a reality). They would figure it out and fill in the gaps. Same with while you are on vacation. You cannot give your all while you are away so let someone else do the work. Hand off the leadership role to a trusted and competent colleague. Take that much-needed break. Actually relish the vacation so that you can come back, more rested and ready to do your job. Nursing is an ATC (around the clock) operation. Nurses will keep nursing while you are away.

Let this all settle in. I know it is a lot to digest. It’s also a difficult thing to shift if you have been bringing work with you wherever you go. Change one habit at a time. Take things slow and eventually you will find it easier and easier to work less while off from work.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to share a question, comment or reaction below. If you enjoyed the post, by all means share it using the social share buttons. Thank you for reading and enjoy the day.

Join us this National Nurse’s Week for the special Art of Nursing event. Allow yourself to indulge in you and your joy of nursing. Enjoy the nursing spirit once again; register here.