Air Force Nursing, what's the day to day schedule? Same as civvie?

[ksk33]

Hi,

I'm wondering what the normal, day to day schedule is for a RN in the Air Force. Is it similar to my civvie job of 3 12 hour shifts per week? Is it more like clinic hours, M-F 8-5? My wife is thinking about dental hygiene school to work part time, but we need to know what to expect from the AF nursing schedule (not deployment, just the normal schedule). She stays at home, homeschooling 4 kids, so we need to work around that. If my AF schedule would be unpredictable, we'll probably do the dental hygiene later. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

If you work in a clinic, you work (usually) 0730 - 1630 (7:30 am to 4:30 pm). That's the military's usual "business hours", which we call duty hours.

Hospital schedules seem to vary. I'm at Wilford Hall at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. We work seven twelve hour shifts every two weeks. Another friend of mine on another floor here works what I used to know as a Panama schedule. You still work the same number of shifts, but her schedule is more regular. She works 3 days on, 2 off, then 2 days on, and 3 off, with every other weekend a three day weekend. (I used to love a Panama when I was an Air Force cop!) Scheduling can depend on manning (a Panama is usually used to cover using fewer people), census - a lot of things, since it seems everyone I talk to at Big Willie is on a different schedule.

Where you get placed depends on your chief nurse; you don't really get a say in it, unfortunately - so you won't really know your schedule until you get to your base and the unit you'll be working on.

[CISCOPATRICK06]

Hi,

I work at Travis AFB and we do have a Panama schedule with 3 day weekend off, usually every other weekend. We do have some admin and holiday days off that fit into our schedule as well. Expect staff meetings and commander calls on some of your days off as well. Each base varies as well as each unit in the hospital.

S

[HNELLA]

Do nurses rotate shifts? Switch back and forth between days and nights?? How often do you come in on off days?

[wtbcrna, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

Do nurses rotate shifts? Switch back and forth between days and nights?? How often do you come in on off days?

Most places I've worked you rotated evevry 3 months.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Our unit doesn't rotate (I don't know how I managed such a place, because I don't really want to work nights any more if I don't have to). But we're not the exception, we're just rare, as most units here at Big Willie do the three month rotation thing.

Also, we're not expected to come in on days off for Commander's Call here unless the commander specifically says we have to - and then they'll usually have multiple sessions of whatever it is he's requiring (if he can) so you DON'T have to come in on your day off.