Part time Nursing shifts

naptimeRN · Mar 14, 2014

I worked 3 8 hour shifts at the hospital when I was part time. The shift FLIES by. But most shifts I was there about 9 hours due to report (we didn't overlap shifts for some reason so always overtime) and also because we would have 6-9 patients..and that is a lot of running around and charting to do in 8 hours (7.5 if you don't include the half hour lunch..that I never got...but they always surely deducted). I would rather have worked 2 12 hour shifts and got it over with in 2 days. I now work outpatient doing two 11.5 hour shifts and one 9 hour shift. I am so much more tired in the evening but making more money because of the extra 8 hours and still have the same amount of days off. Love 8's because they go by so fast and I'm not as tired after. But like the longer shifts for the reason I mentioned. Good luck finding what suits you best!:)

sbostonRN · Mar 14, 2014

I work med/surg and work four 8-hour shifts per week. Almost all our nurses are part time, either 24 or 32 hours with a mix of 12s and 8s. It's a nice schedule that allows a good work/life balance. I like being part time.

jrsmrs · Mar 14, 2014

I do part time 8s, but I imagine it would completely depend on your place of work. I don't do strictly 3 8s a week, though. My schedule is more sporadic, so I might work 4 or 5 shifts one week, and then have a week or so off. I normally do 11 days a month. I much prefer it to 12s or full time.

Neldavi · Mar 14, 2014

My organization is trying to move away from the "only 12 hour shift" mentality. This is being driven by our interest in retaining highly experienced older nurses who are physically stressed with longer shifts. They contribute so much to the clinical environment & we don't want to lose them.

On our small med-surg floor we work 8's and 12's. A lot of the newer nurses (including me) would prefer to work 3 12's but there are enough older, experienced nurses that only work 8's that it would be impossible to go to all 12's. Plus enough nurses that want 40 hours instead of 36.

Anyway, our floor does have 3 part-time positions that are 20-24 hours, usually 3 8's or a 12 and a 8. If a full-time person needs someone to work for them we are supposed to ask a part-time person first before a per diem person, so sometimes they end up working more than 24 hours if they want to.

As a side note - I hate 4 hour shifts, or patient assignments that only last 4 hours. For example, I worked 3-11 the other night and from 3-7 had a patient assignment that the 7-3 day shift nurse had had, then from 7-11 floated so the 7p night shift nurses coming in could have their assignments for the night. Makes sense, but having a patient assignment for only 4 hours barely gives me anytime do my patient care, get my charting done, and have enough time to know enough about my patients to give a good report to night shift.

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Mar 15, 2014

I am a 24/hr week eve/night RN. so I can be put on the schedule for two 12 hour nights, three 8 hour nights, three 8 hour evenings, a mixture of three hour nights and evenings or the dreaded one 12 hour night, an 8 hour night or evening and a 4 hour (7p-11p).

We self schedule so I usually put myself on for two 12s because its easier IMO. Sometimes I want a break from 12s or they have a need for evening shift and Ill do three 8s. They fly by so I dont mind them, but going into work 3 days a week when I know it could be over in 2 is kind of annoying.

PCnurse88 · Mar 15, 2014

I work 4 8-hr shifts a week (well, 8 1/2 hrs with report).

Amber307 · Mar 17, 2014

Thank you all so much for the great feedback! :)