Can you work straights days?

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So here's the deal:

I started in a hospital straight out of nursing school. Left after a VERY short amount of time (like 4 weeks) because I couldn't deal with 12 hour shifts, weekends, etc. I then moved to working into a primary care office, where I've worked since (with normal M-F, 9-5 hours). I recently moved to a new area and have to find a new job, and I'm looking to go back into the hospital. For my future goals, I need the hands on experience of bedside nursing, and I just didn't really learn a ton in a primary care office. I haven't started an IV, managed patients, etc. since practically nursing school (about a year ago). So how do I get into the hospital?

I feel like I don't qualify as a "new grad" and can't apply for those sorts of positions due to my experience...yet I also don't have enough acute care experience to apply to anything else in a hospital! It's almost like I've fallen through the cracks! How can I get back in??

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I have another thread on here about trying to get back into the hospital setting, and this is sort of related. After nursing school, I quit my first hospital job after about 3 weeks because I couldn't deal with the scheduling. I absolutely felt like crap because shifts constantly switched: you'd work 3 straight day shifts, then 3 night shifts, then an evening shift, then 2 more night shifts, etc. It was INSANE! My brain simply cannot adjust to the constant switching in sleep schedule, especially with 12-14 hour shifts! I left for a 9-5 office job.

Now that I'm trying to go back into the hospital, I'm wondering if it was just my hospital that switches people up constantly? Are there hospitals that hire people as a straight shift position (ex: all day shift)? Is it hard to get that?

I just don't think I can go back if I have to go back to such a confusing scheduling - it ruined my sleep habits and I felt like a zombie. I do, however, really want to go back into a hospital setting to hone my skills before their lost..

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If I read your post correctly, you're about one year out of school. With your limited hospital experience, that may be "new grad" in terms of experience if not exactly time.

I wouldn't hesitate to apply for "new grad" jobs, making it plain the particular facts of your situation.

This question comes out a bit harsh, which is not my intent, but what in your life has changed to make you think that this time around in the hospital will be different as far as the things that made it untenable for you a year ago? Most hospitals still use 12 hours shifts and weekends are normal.

If I were in HR, that's the first thing I'd ask, and hopefully, you have a well-prepared answer ready.

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Well:

1. My previous hospital switched people from days to nights to evenings - all in the same week! I was a zombie, I can't switch that fast, and it was unsafe for me. I'm hoping in my new area, it won't be like that. I'm in a whole different state now.

2. I lived 1.5 hours from my previous hospital, and shifts were about 13 hours. That's 16 hours total. I now live within 15 minutes of two hospitals. If I get a job at one of these, the drive home won't be so bad. I felt extremely unsafe driving home 1.5 hours after I've been up for the last 17-18 hours on an overnight shift.

3. I still hate weekends..

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As I see it, your biggest problem is NOT that you've "never worked in a hospital", it's that you DID work in a hospital, but left after only a month, you were unhappy there. Or was it three weeks? You posted on another thread with a different amount of time...consistency? And then you went to another setting, completely different...but are unhappy there, and again seek to leave (after how many months?). So you are out of nursing school barely a year, and have gotten and become dissatisfied with two jobs, neither of which left you with enough experience to make you a competitive candidate for any hospital position.

That's just the reality of the situation you are now in. What to do? Well, figure out how you're going to wow the heck out of HR, or possibly the nurse manager your resume gets passed on to. Your resume might not even get you a callback, but if you're persistant, you might.

Beyond that, I don't know. You're still "kind of" a new grad in that you've been out of school a year, but your track record for employment is your enemy right now. Another hospital may not want to invest in your orientation/training if they are unsure of your motivation. Best of luck to you.

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I replied to your other thread, the one in which you explained why you left the hospital and then went to a private office and now are looking to get back to the hospital.

Just wanted to answer your question here that yes, it can be very difficult for a new grad to get a dayshift (MOST people want it, ones with experience AND good employment histories). You would not be first up for one, I can assure you. Second, you can expect if you DO get hired back into a hospital, rotating shifts are not unheard of. Mostly, new grads do get hired into nights, evenings, and odd-hour shifts that the nurses already there don't want. And weekends, and holidays. Reality.

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I left my first job due to the long commute with the hours...I didn't leave my second job due to dissatisfaction. I quite enjoyed working there, but I HAD to move. It was a relocation issue.

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As the first poster said, it is not unheard of for hospitals to schedule rotating shifts, but where I live it is very rare, most are straight nights or days. I would say put in some applications and see, it can't hurt to try.

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What's the job market like in your area? Your questions are all about how you can find a job that is the right fit for you, if the job market is saturated, your questions should be about how can you be the right fit for the job.

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Specializes in APRN, ACNP-BC, CNOR, RNFA.

What specialty do you like? Some specialties are day shift with call (i.e. cath lab, interventional radiology, GI, day surgery, ORs that aren't staffed around the clock). ICUs and ERs usually staff two shifts, 12 hours, but they usually stay consistent, unless you like swing shifts. The larger hospitals usually don't have so much trouble covering shifts, and if they do, they have float pools.

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I've always wondered why hospitals make people work rotating shifts. Does anyone know the reasoning to this?? It seems like most nurses would prefer to work straight one shift. So why don't they do that?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

duplicate threads merged

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