[akissbytheseine]

Hi guys!

I was thinking about nursing school, but I am also concerned about those night shifts. As a new nurse, would I realistically be able to get a 7a- to 3p shift so I could be home at night?


Alternatively, isn't there a shift where I could just work weekends and still be paid the same as if I'd worked all week?


Thanks

[butterflynurse]

Originally Posted by akissbytheseine

Hi guys!

I was thinking about nursing school, but I am also concerned about those night shifts. As a new nurse, would I realistically be able to get a 7a- to 3p shift so I could be home at night?


Alternatively, isn't there a shift where I could just work weekends and still be paid the same as if I'd worked all week?


Thanks

My advice as a new grad is to start on the night shift. There is more time to get the hang of the paperwork and get a routine. I started on nights and when I switched to days it was not as stressful.

As far as the weekend thing goes, it depends on the company.

[BittyBabyGrower]

Some places offer a weekend program. Most new grads start on eves or nights or rotating 50%.

[RN4NICU]

The weekend program you speak of is commonly called the Baylor program. Some places have it, others don't.

Even if you do wind up getting day shift as a new grad, 8-hour shifts are getting rather scarce (in the hospital). You would be more likely to find a 7a-7p than a 7a-3p, as a new grad.

I will answer your other post here to save time. Yes, if you are a nurse in a hospital, you will be on your feet A LOT.

Day shift desk jobs are out there for nurses, but new grads do not usually get those. Almost all of them require 3-5 years of experience.

The nursing school experience will be in the hospital, day shift, and you will be on your feet most of the time on your clinical days.

[KrisRNwannabe]

Not to be harsh but, first the post about being on your feet and now the day shift thing? nursing is a 24 hour, 365 day a year job. people don't need nurses just 7a to 3p. I would advise you to shadow a nurse and find out if you are going to like it before you make any decisions. Nursing is a hard job. I am still in school and work as a tech to get used to the working atmosphere. In the hospital i do clinicals at, no new grads work day shift. only nights. and so far the oncology floor is the last one to have 8's everyone else is on 12's. i think there are also some left in cardiac cath lab but very few. I personally want 12 nights. makes it easier for me to have babies ( if hubby ever changes his mind!). nursing is alot different than being a lawyer. it would be benifical for you to meet some nurses and follow them around for several shifts.
good luck!!
Kris

[Fiona59]

Do you personally know any nurses or have you just watched a lot of TV shows about nurses and heard about the nursing shortage?

We don't know where you live, but in Canada the hospitals are unionized. It can take years to get a full time day shift position. Also, most hospitals here require you to rotate, one week days, one evenings, or one week days, one week nights.

The only dayshift jobs I've encountered were in offices and even they want a couple of years experience.

Why are you really considering nursing??

[DutchgirlRN]

Day shifts are now 7A-7P. You may be hard pressed to find one that is 7-3 unless it's a nursing home which would pay poorly for an RN. Day shift is hard work no matter where you end up. Your feet hurt, your head hurts, your body hurts. I've done night for 12 years and it screws up your whole life and you're so sleep deprived most of the time. You have to love being a nurse to enjoy all the "perks".

[RealNurseWitch]

To play devil's advocate

Yes, you can get a job working 7a-3p, as a new grad, if you look hard enough. The hospital that I work at still offers eight hour shifts on a couple of the units, including the one that I work on. And, we've been known to even hire new grads to those hours.

I would NEVER work day shift on my unit, though!!!! You are more likely to have the doctors breathing down your neck about stuff because there are there doing rounds during the day; plus day shift generally pays less. Day shift just tends to be a MADHOUSE. Everyone is there; the docs, the physical therapists, the case managers, the visitors.... on a med surge unit, give me nights any day!

[curleysue]

Good luck getting a day shift. Really, though, if you really want to be a nurse why are you worrying about that now? I am sure you could find somewhere that you could at least start out evening shift and than advance to days. But really though, people who work days deserve what they work cause a lot have worked many years of nights and evenings just so they can have senority to get the day shifts that everyone wants. So, a brand new grad getting a day shift, I would feel bad if I were that person unless you know for sure no one is working nights just so they can one day get that position. You know what I mean?


I guess its not like that everywhere. But that is just how I see it.
Take care. Curleysue

[Fun2Care]

I can't believe what some of y'all are saying. What is wrong with wanting to be a nurse, but wanting day shifts?

It may not happen, but there is nothing wrong with wanting it.

Some of you are making it sound like you should like the thought of working nights to be a good nurse. IMO!

Trying not to step on toes here, but this is just how some of these posts are coming across to me.

For myself, 7p - 7a would be ok. I may not get to sleep with hubby at night, but at least I'd be home when my kiddos get home from school. Hubby sets his own hours, because he owns his own business. We can have a date day, or sleep day for that matter. LOL

At any rate, back to the original poster's question: It may not be easy, but there are day shifts out there. Even if it is 12 hour shifts, at least you don't work M-F.