Weekend Only Nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello, I'm 19 and considering nursing as a career. Someone said you can make a living just doing all weekend shifts, day and night I'm guess is what she meant?

Is this possible? Can you really make a living doing that? Is that considered full or part time?

Thanks so much guys, I'm really learning alot today. One more question, what is direct entry/accelerated BSN or MSN programs?

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

We call it weekend cadre. I worked Sat,Sun,Mon all 12 hour shifts. I worked 36 hours but got paid for 40. I worked it on day and night shift.

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Very good topic. I am going for my ADN because I'm getting older. Lol!

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

The all-weekend option is known in many places as a Baylor Program.

It usually pays quite a bit more than straight-time. Good for some people that can make it work but I caution you that the rest of the world exists FOR the weekend.

Everything happens Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It's really hard to get a break for things like weddings, funerals, and social events.

In my opinion it's just not worth it. God bless the ones that can make it work...

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We do Saturday and Sunday 6A-6P and are paid for 40 hours.

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oops sorry I meant 6A-10P Saturday and Sunday. 2 years is an ADN degree for an RN. ( this is usually the nursing program itself)However, there are pre-reqs required and they differ in each college...usually adds a year or 2.

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Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

I have worked weekends for 7 years. I work Fri - Sat. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I worked 16-hour weekend double shifts (Saturday & Sunday from 6am to 10pm) at a nursing home for four years as an LVN. Although I was working 32 hours, my workplace paid me for 40 hours and the position was eligible for benefits such as health insurance and a 401k account. Since I had Monday through Friday off, I attended school during the week and earned my RN license last year. I am single with no kids, so I was able to live nicely off the money from working weekends only.

My first RN job was also a weekend-only position: every Saturday and Sunday night from 6pm to 6:30am. I eventually grew weary of working every single weekend, so I resigned from this job and now work three random 12-hour shifts per week elsewhere.

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Specializes in CVICU.

I did weekends too, nights. Loved it. Not only did I work 24 hours and get paid for 36, I got a $5 night differential on top of it. I was rolling in money! Was only allowed one weekend off every quarter, but it worked fine for me. Who misses a weekend when you have 5 days off? Not I, said the fly!

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

At my last job I was on the weekend option. It was great. I worked 36 hours and got paid for 54 hours. Like getting time and a half. Only two weekends a year allowed off and only one can be during the summer, but 4 days off every week. I was full time and recieved full time benifits. We also have a 24 hour weekend schedual. Work 24 and get paid for 36. Beinifts are based on the number of hours you are paid for, not the number worked so they are also full time for benifits.

For those without children in school it can be a great schedual. Once your kids are in school it gets old never being there on the weekend.

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So are those jobs hard to get? Can new grads get those jobs?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
So are those jobs hard to get? Can new grads get those jobs?
I can only speak for the area where I live. I am in a large metropolitan area.

Although I was hired into one of these weekend-only positions when I was a new grad five years ago, the facilities in this region have slashed the pay and benefits associated with these positions over the past couple of years as a cost-saving measure. Many of the same facilities that were offering extra pay and benefits for a weekend-only schedule have eliminated the incidentals. These places still offer the schedule, but they will not pay any extra money or offer health insurance, 401k plans, or other benefits. Nowadays, working the weekend-only schedule amounts to only straight time, which is not worth it anymore. If there's no monetary incentive to give up every single weekend, the idea of working every weekend becomes unattractive.

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