Revisiting the question of shift times:

[NewJA]

I posted this in the Cali forum also, in an attempt to get info about the situation there also, since that is probably where I would work after nursing school.

I am wondering what are the commonly available shifts for nurses in Arizona, and in the nation in general. This is crucial to me, because I am starting a bachelor's nursing program in January and I need to know if I can expect to work at hours that will be congruous with my own life. Of course, I am talking about hospitals primarily here, but other considerations are noteworthy also.

It seems that I have read (I think I have posted this question here before, last year) that the common shifts for hospitals (and maybe any other places, I do not know) are 7 pm to 7 am and 7 am to 7 pm. Neither of those shifts is even remotely acceptable to me. When I heard that, I just shrugged it off as unfeasible that the hospitals, etc... would limit their own pool of potential employees by only offering such terrible hours and I also could not believe that the nurses themselves would allow such a condition to occur. After all, nurses have enormous and unprecedented bargaining power right now... why would they accept such terrible hours as their only option? Long story short, none of the info I have on it has sounded very conclusive... and it has occurred to me that urgently I need to learn the truth of this matter.

I may need to be able to start sometime from 10 am or later, and quit sometime by approximately 2 am.

Is it true that most shifts in the nation would require me to work at those hours? What about alternative nursing positions.... home care, non hospital jobs, or anything else?

Thank you for your help,

J

[Quietstorm1234]

"I will not ever work between 2 am and 10 am"

Never say what you will not do, it might come back to bite you.

[NewJA]

The question has been clarified now.

I am a top advocate of "never say never", so that is merely an expression used for emphasis in this case. I can not know what I will be able or want to do in 2 or 3 years; I am merely trying to make a logical and educated preparation for my own future based on what I presently know about my life, rather than haphazardly trudging forward without panning or preparing for anything.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

Sure, there are some places that offer 11-11.

Perhaps even some places that offer 8hr shifts.

But the majority of hospital hours are 12hr shifts, which I and most nurses prefer and expect.

[Hoozdo, ADN]

Most PACU and ER shift hours are different. I used to work 11:30 AM to midnight and loved it. Now, I am a 19:00 - 7:30 AM:trout:

Never figure just 12 hours. Throw in a half hour for lunch that you rarely get to take, another 30 minutes for report and most shifts are 13 hours or more.

[RainDreamer, BSN, RN]

I also could not believe that the nurses themselves would allow such a condition to occur. After all, nurses have enormous and unprecedented bargaining power right now... why would they accept such terrible hours as their only option?

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I LOVE my 7p-7a shift. I wouldn't want to change it at all.

What works for one person might not work for another. But it obviously works ok at our hospital because we're pretty well staffed, so people must not be too desperate for a change. But like previous posters have said, it just depends on the unit .... you can find some 8 hour shifts and shifts at different times of the day. But for the majority of hospital jobs in the valley you'll find 12 hour shifts of 7-7.

[military spouse]

The hospital where I left worked the following:

MS 0600-1800

ICU 0700-1900

L+D 0400-1600

ER 0700-1900, with a few variations particularly on the weekends.

I currently work in corrections and the shifts are as follows:

0730-1600

1530-0000

2330-0800

Many people choose to work 16s to shorten their work week.

I think in nursing, one has to work with the shifts offered including weekends and holidays. I did work hospice and that was M-F 0800-1700 (except for occasional call).

[catmania]

I'm not a nurse but I do work on a med/surg unit and the nurses have both 12 hour shifts (7-7:30) and 8 hour shifts (7-3,3-11 - there might be 11-7 nurses but I'm out of there by then, so I'm not sure!).

[catlover314]

Jeff A: There are plenty of jobs with some flexibility...home based case management, etc. The problem is that many of those jobs require a couple years of solid clinical background. From a career perspective clinical time is a great investment, and will serve you well in a nursing career. "Back in the day" behavioral health units used to have alternate hours from staight med/surg but I'm talking 8a-4p 5 days a week. Not sure if that's still true. There are some places that have 10 hr shifts...not sure how those are staggered or what the exact hours are.