Do 3, 12 hr shifts for weekdays only exist?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello all! I'm new to nursing and my family and I were discussing the flexibility in nursing schedules (usually for experienced nurses,, we discovered). We're curious about all nursing schedules available out there, especially as I make the transition into a working nurse and think about my future jobs.

I haven't really come across any work schedules in which you can work 3 12 hr shifts M-F? For example, working MWF, or TRF, or any combination of weekdays with no weekend requirements. So, I was wondering if those even exist? Or would you say M-F nursing jobs are typically 9-5 with weekends off?

I understand if those schedules do exist, it will most likely be for nurses that have experience and not a new grad nurse like me. I'm just trying to think ahead of what a possible schedule can be for when I get married (next year) and plan to have a little family of my own soon after that.

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Yes, that would be unusual. PRN work would probably be your best bet (after gaining some experience). Even then, many/most PRN jobs require some weekends/holidays.

When I worked full time, I preferred working weekends. Since my unit was super tiny, another nurse I worked with got almost every weekend off. You might get lucky enough to work with someone like me, even if you're full time ...just don't count on it.

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It really depends on what area/environment that you work in. At the hospitals, I've met some nurses who work 3 12's on weekdays and have an extended weekend. Others opt for Fri, Sat, Sun so they can be at home with their kids during the week and save money on child care after school. Their spouses can work a normal Mon-Fri workweek and stay home with the kids on the weekend while the RNs are working. Honestly, it really depends on if your employer allows self-scheduling or if you are assigned shifts instead.

In other places like long term care, primary care, outpatient clinics and home health, the nurses work 8 hour shifts for 5 days or even 10 hours for 4 days. I have been told by several nurses that once they got into the swing of 12's that it was harder to work 8's and 10's, but it depends on what you enjoy.

Personally, I prefer having 3 days on, 4 days off rather than splitting up days like MWF. Having 1 day on/1 day off schedule sort of drags it out for me.

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Specializes in ICU and Dialysis.

My hospital does this. We have weekday people, who work three out of four days Mon-Thurs, and a "weekend crew" who work every friday, Saturday and sunday. The weekend option comes with its own shift diff, contingent on having fewer than a certain number of call-outs per year.

I maybe work two or three non-holiday weekend shifts per year. There's not much shortage on people wanting to work the weekend, either for the extra money or for family time during the week.

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I have a friend who works PACU. works 2 12s and one 8 during the week. I do think he has weekend call on a rotation though.

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Specializes in Pedi.

As a new employee, you will most likely have a weekend requirement. When I worked in the hospital, the only nurses who didn't have to work every 3rd weekend were permanent charge nurses. Everyone else did, regardless of seniority.

My weekday jobs have all been Mon-Fri with 9-5ish hours.

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Thanks to a generous weekend differential I do not work weekends. I only work weekdays... 12 hour shifts, Monday, Thursday and Friday.

We have some people who still work every other weekend, but a solid group of weekend-only people who work every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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Thanks to a generous weekend differential I do not work weekends. I only work weekdays... 12 hour shifts, Monday, Thursday and Friday.

We have some people who still work every other weekend, but a solid group of weekend-only people who work every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Can I ask how much is the differential? Just wondering how high the incentive would have to be to make that work.

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Specializes in Pedi.
Can I ask how much is the differential? Just wondering how high the incentive would have to be to make that work.

When I worked in the hospital, the weekend differential for people on the weekend incentive program was $10/hr. So someone who worked weekend nights Fri, Sat, Sun brought home an extra $360/week or $18,720 a year before taxes.

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Can I ask how much is the differential? Just wondering how high the incentive would have to be to make that work.

$12

That's on top of evening and night differential

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Specializes in Women’s Health.

I worked at a dialysis clinic where there was a MWF 12 hour shift schedule. Not so sure about acute care...

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Depends on where you work and what part of the country you're in. Some places still have Baylor programs where people work weekends only, and some just choose to work weekends. You can always switch shifts with others if you have a dire need for a day off. However, you also have to be one of those people who's willing to switch to help others as well. If you're always the person who declines word will get out and they'll refuse to do the same for you.

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