Clinic nurses - how do you spend your time?

[TT_RN]

I have been a bedside nurse for 4 years and have only worked hospital 12 hr shifts, even as a nurse assistant. Now that I am transitioning to clinic, I'm a little anxious how I would get to doctor appointments and things that I need to go to? The clinic is 8AM-5PM, 5 days a week and commute is an hour. How do you get to places you need to be? How do you like working an 8AM-5PM?

[Aunt Slappy]

I recently left exactly that kind of job for one that has more flexibility even though it's still M-F. Example, I'm leaving an hour early tomorrow because of parent teacher conferences, and there is zero stress about it from my partner nurse and my boss. I worked longer days yesterday and today to flex the time so I'll still have 40 hours, and no use of PTO. It's a relief. At my last job if you didn't request time off at least 2 weeks in advance it would get denied, and even with 2 weeks or more notice, there was still no guarantee.

The short answer is that you have to use PTO for every little thing, and bosses get cranky about time off because they have to cover the clinic.

[cleback]

For appointments, you take PTO and get permission to take off for that appointment. Since your commute is an hour, you may need to find providers closer to mimimize the amount of vacation time you need to use.

For other things you'll get creative... or at least group them together to be efficient.

Honestly, how you'll like MF 8-5 work depends on your reasons for switching. I do like clinic work environments... less hectic, can build better relationships with patients and providers... so that may make up for the lack of scheduling flexibility.

[Wuzzie]

That commute is going to get old really fast and it certainly complicates things from a time-off point of view. I work in an enormous clinic and we generally just ask for it off but our manager is good about flexing our time if it's just an hour or two.

[DowntheRiver]

The commute might get to you. I did the clinic nurse gig for several years and the commute is what did me in. Wake up at 6 AM, out the door by 6:45 AM just in case with traffic, leave at 5:00 PM to get home at 6:15 PM to make dinner. Bed by 10 PM left little time to do much of anything Monday through Friday. It really depends on your personal situation, like if have someone to take care of dinner, kids, chores, etc. around the house.