Average Work Week For a Nurse

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What are the work weeks like for a Registered Nurse? How many hours a day and week? How many days do you work a week?

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Okay, sorry I didn't know the difference. My profile does not say I'm a nurse, it says CNA in training/student.

The title of nurse is legally protected in most states. As you move forward in your education you will learn this and other vital information. One step at a time.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
And your point is? I'm still a nursing student.

Unless I misread, you're a high school student in a "pre-CNA" course. That's not the same as a nursing student. I believe it is against the TOS to identify one's self in a user name as a nurse if that is not true. You could be "FaeriexNurse2Be" or something like that, but you're neither a nurse nor a nursing student.

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Ugh, it's complicated to explain. I'll just stop talking.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Ugh, it's complicated to explain. I'll just stop talking.

It's really not that complicated, and you don't need to stop talking. Just be mindful that the title nursemay not/should not be used until you're a nurse.

​What's so complicated?

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No, no! not the username thing, I meant how my school works. It's very complicated.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
No, no! not the username thing, I meant how my school works. It's very complicated.

Not really the county vocational schools in my area accept juniors into a pre-health careers program. In the second year the complete nursing assistant training & clinical and are eligible, at the age of 18 in my state (some states permit CNAs to be 26 or 17), to take the written and practical state exams to become a CNA. Many of these students take concurrent college prep classes in the HS. Upon graduation they have their CNA and most are accepted into associates or bachelors nursing programs. The first year they are pre-health students. Second year they are student nursing assistants. Upon graduation most are pre-nursing students. The other program is allied health and students work their junior & senior year towards medical assistant certification or physical or occupational therapy assistant students (the pre- PTA/OTA students are guaranteed with successful completion of the votech program admission to the formal PTA/OTA program in the county college. )

Your program is not that unique or complicated. You are learning though that the titles nurse, CNA, RN, LPN and others have legal protection. Even the title of student nurse/student practical nurse is protected in some states.

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Specializes in Oncology.

7-8 3 days a week. May need to stay until 11 if next shift has a call in. Usually do 8-13 hours OT at least once a month.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Ugh, it's complicated to explain. I'll just stop talking.
HI! Welcome to AN!

You are going to learn that nurses are very particular to details. We have to be...a person's life depends on it. Occupational hazard. You are technically not a nursing student....even though you are interested in nursing. Nursing students are already accepted into a nursing program

You have already explained your program at school

This is a high school vocational program for pre-nurse's aide class (Two years of general health and nursing) that we will take before our Senior year (Actual CNA course, we will get physicals.)
MANY Voc Tech programs have these CNA programs. My concern for you is...are you still getting college prep courses....like Chemistry, Biology, 3 years of a foreign language, algebra, calculus or physics, anatomy and physiology (A&P), college prep course work?

If not you will have some additional course work at the college level. There are nursing program in my area that allow student to take nursing courses like A&P at the college and gain AP status which gives them a leg up on admissions.

The average work week for nurses is far from average. Remember nurses(and CNA's) work 24/7 7 days a week, birthday's, holiday's and weekends included. You will clean up patients if the go to the bathroom in the bed and you will be giving baths....even as a RN

You will be responsible for everything and have very little control. You will work hard and be expected to be perfect.

Being a Nurse Means...

You will never be bored.

You will always be frustrated.

You will be surrounded by challenges.

So much to do and so little time.

You will carry immense responsibility

and very little authority.

You will step into people’s lives

and you will make a difference.

Some will bless you.

Some will curse you.

You will see people at their worst--

and at their best.

You will never cease to be amazed

at people’s capacity for

love, courage, and endurance.

You will see life begin—and end.

You will experience resounding triumphs

and devastating failures.

You will cry a lot.

You will laugh a lot.

You will know what it is to be human

and to be humane.

- Melodie Chenevert

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Specializes in Education.

My average work week...actually can't really be described, since I'm in an ER. Three 12-hour shifts a week for whoever comes through the doors. Some nights it might be a bunch of psychiatric patients, other nights it may be the night of the drunks and druggies getting hooked up to our monitors and sleeping it off, another night might be a night where we have no patients at all, or we might be slammed with sick people. If I don't have any patients, then I'll see if the other nurses need help with theirs.

In my downtime I make sure that the rooms are clean and fully stocked, especially for the oncoming shift, the IV trays are all stocked, and that my area of the unit isn't a total mess. And use my break time to take a nap, since I work nights.

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There is no answer to an "average" work week . That's the beauty of nursing.

Nothing is average about it!

If it helps you at all, I work three 12 hour shifts, straight weekends, from home.

Best of luck with your future career!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
There is no answer to an "average" work week . That's the beauty of nursing.

Nothing is average about it!

THIS.

I have worked 4-10s, 2-16s, 3-12s, two-four days/week, one day a week, seven days and then off seven.

Right now I staff myself when I want to work-LOVE my schedule! :up:

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

I do private duty Peds home care. I work 9 hour night shifts 3 nights a week.

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