Can new grads get a 7a-3p shift?

SharonH, RN · Feb 21, 2005

Yes, it is absolutely possible to get a job working days as a new nurse.

subee, MSN, CRNA · Feb 21, 2005

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

Kris is absolutely right. As a former DON I'm feeling the Princess Alert. If she has to ask these questions nursing is not the right profession. Life can't be planned - period.

carrot_thief · Feb 21, 2005

First off, I admit I'm not a nurse. I am starting pre nursing classes in the next few months. However, the above post by subee just seems totally rude and unnecessary. "Princess alert"? Why would this woman be a "princess" for wanting to research all aspects of nursing before throwing down thousands of dollars for the required education? None of us know her. She very well could have kids, or other reasons for needing to work day shift. Many nurses on here admit they like the day shift, so why should she be criticized and told nursing isn't right for her if she is just asking about opportunities for working the shift that appeals to her?

To akissbytheseine....I hope you go on to nursing school if, after some research and experience, that's what you feel is right. Don't listen to all the naysayers...if you think you can be an awesome nurse even though you *gasp* want to work the day shift after graduation..go do it!!!!

curleysue · Feb 22, 2005

GEEZ... Some of y'all take these posts way too seriously. HELLO?! We all know it is possible to get a day shift SOMEWHERE as a nurse!! I mean come on. A simple question just takes a simple awnser. YES, you probably can find a day shift job okay. I mean if you had your heart set on a career your whole life and found out when your ready to start that career path that its only graveyard, would you back off of your dream career? Really...

Anyways, I am almost scared to post anything anymore cause everyone gets so upset. Oh well. :redlight: :argue:

Anyways on a lighter note, how are y'all doing today? Good day? :Melody:

smk1, LPN · Feb 22, 2005

First off, I admit I'm not a nurse. I am starting pre nursing classes in the next few months. However, the above post by subee just seems totally rude and unnecessary. "Princess alert"? Why would this woman be a "princess" for wanting to research all aspects of nursing before throwing down thousands of dollars for the required education? None of us know her. She very well could have kids, or other reasons for needing to work day shift. Many nurses on here admit they like the day shift, so why should she be criticized and told nursing isn't right for her if she is just asking about opportunities for working the shift that appeals to her?
To akissbytheseine....I hope you go on to nursing school if, after some research and experience, that's what you feel is right. Don't listen to all the naysayers...if you think you can be an awesome nurse even though you *gasp* want to work the day shift after graduation..go do it!!!!

i agree with carrot thief (cute name by the way!) i think people find this site and see it as a way to get a real insiders opinion on nursing and what it realistically entails. Lord knows colleges are biased as are hospital recruiters, so unless you know a few nurses this seems like a great place to ask questions. Remember there are no dumb questions. Get all the info you can before you start! :)

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Feb 22, 2005

Also, most hospitals here require you to rotate, one week days, one evenings, or one week days, one week nights.

This is not only insane, but completely unhealthy. I NEVER do it.

:yeahthat:

Just say NO to crazy schedules like this!

The only way hospitals get away with it is by finding nurses who will give in to it. If no one will do it, they have to do regular scheduling (pick a shift and stick with it.) However, as long as they find people who are willing to put up with their crap, they will keep shoveling it.

Sorry, a bit off topic.

Continue :)

xmaxiex · Feb 22, 2005

Yes you can find a day shift straight out of school . But it IS a madhouse , but also you will learn a lot ! It is true however that you will be hard pressed to find a hospital position of eight hours . And also at least in CT you can expect to make more per hour in LTC then in a hospital . Good Luck to you and the great thing about nursing is you can find a job that meets your needs!

KrisRNwannabe · Feb 22, 2005

I don't think anyone is being rude in here. I think the general consensus (sp?) is that it is very difficult to find day positions as a new grad. and in some areas they are unheard of. I agree that sometimes these threads get a little out of hand but this is not one of them. Believe me I go to school with some girls (princess alert) that i think have watched one to many episodes of of general hospital. at least if they are watching ER it is a little more realistic. one of them has a patient who is totally out of it (like sits and stares at the wall all day out of it) mumbles about having to go to the bathroom, I am in the room across the hall with 2 patients ( she is just managing 1) all of a sudden i hear screaming (like being chased by a ax murder screaming) i go running in there. the screamer is the student. the patient is on the floor with liquid diarrhea going everywhere. by this time another student has come in. she and i get the lady up on the toliet ( the screamer is in the hallway dry heaving) housekeeping comes to clean the floor. after we get the lady up cleaned off and back into bed. we go out into the hallway just in time to hear the instructor say what the hell is going on???!!! the screamer indicates that just as she got patient in to doorway of the bathroom liquid diarrhea starting shooting out (her words, not mine) it went all over her leg so she screams and drops the patient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i could not believe her. she complains all the time because clinicals start at 6:30 am thats too early. i told her that i have to get up at 3:30 to get ready and drive to clinicals and she just kept saying that i don't want to work this early in the morning. but she also doesn't like the fact that we don't get out until 4:30 because that is to late in the day. so what exactly would be a good shift???? with the nurse shortage we need warm bodies who know their stuff and want to work. I don't think you are a bad nurse if you want to work just days, we just are trying to point out that you might not get days right away. I just thought the OP needs some exposure to the nursing world because of a previous thread about how long nurses are on their feet. just saying get some exposure before making a decision.

Kris

LilRedRN1973 · Feb 23, 2005

You could easily get a 7am to 3pm shift....the prisons here offer many different schedules and that is one of the shifts the supervisor offered to me. My husband has worked there for the past 4 years and has mentioned the job of Correctional Nurse to me many times. The pay is more than the hospitals, they offer a real retirement (pension), no overtime, almost complete autonomy, and a variety of shifts to choose from. You don't risk being sued by a patient quite as much as in the "free world". Inmates grieve you quite a bit, but most of the time, those grievances don't have much merit and go nowhere.

I admit...I've toured the facilities, which are quite nice and spoken with the nurse in charge. But right out of school, I want more experience and would like to work in a hospital for a few years first. If my husband and I decide to have children of our own (he has two from a previous marriage that we have custody of), I may think about it because of all the perks, benefits, and day shifts that would enable me to be home by the end of the school day.

I can tell you in the hospital I work at, they offer those kind of shifts on the Oncology floor and in the OR. Everywhere else, it's all 12's.

Melanie

BETSRN · Feb 23, 2005

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

I would suggest that you shadow a nurse a bit and get the feel for what nursing is REALLY like, It is NOT like what they show on television. It is hard, demanding (but very rewarding) work. New grads rarely get days. When there are day positions that much, the unit is usually an awful place to work so beware........personally, my favorite is eveings and always has been.

Take some time to see what the field is really like. This is my second career and personally, I ahve far more flexibility in nursing than I ever did in teaching.

Good luck.

BETSRN · Feb 23, 2005

I was one of those who thought "I'll just do my nights then when a day position comes open I'm gonna try to jump it" You couldn't PAY me to work days on the unit I work on now. Maybe some day. just 7a is too early in the morning for me...

You know, many people think days is a "plum job." I used to think that after my kids were grown and gone that I would want days. However, now that I do an occasional day (as opposed to my usual evening hours) I know for a fact that I will NEVER want to work straight days. The tone of days is not nearly as nice as the off shifts (and these co-workers are all my dear friends), but give me the off shifts anytime!!

maire, ASN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

In my area I haven't seen many 7a - 3p shifts, other than office jobs, and I don't think any of them were hiring new grads. It is NOT unrealistic to want to work days, as not ALL new grads are "stuck" with the night shift. Some people, for whatever reason, cannot (or will not) work nights. Period. Yes, that makes it a bit more difficult to find a job fresh out of school, but if you are patient and thorough you WILL find something that appeals to you, and works with your schedule.