Do you have a set schedule?

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Do you only work 7-3, 7-7, 3-11, 11-7? Or do you have to bounce back and forth between all these shifts? Do you have a weekly schedule with chosen days off? Do you get it in advance? Do you get scheduled for whatever they want (maybe even all of these in one or two weeks) and you just have to take it and be happy you have a job?

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My base schedule is 7-1730 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Two of those four days I typically work 0900-1930. About twice a month I take on-call over the weekend.

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Specializes in Pulmonary, Transplant, Travel RN.

I do have a set schedule, but that is extremely rare in the hospital setting.

I have it because I am in school and like my days to land a certain way. I go to school on Mondays, and I work night shift. So, I work Thurs-Fri-Sat night shift every week (12s). That gives me the day before, day of and two days after my school day off.

Mind you, I don't get this schedule simply because it is convenient for me. I get it because it is convenient to my unit manager. Those three days, night shift, are hard to cover. I'm filling in a need for them. Its not as if, say.....if I went to school in Fridays I could ask for T-F-S-S off every week. Just wouldn't be granted.

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I have set schedules that comes out once a month so I know a head of time what days I work or off.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

I generally work a two week rotating schedule. I have either Monday or Friday off, depending on which weekend day is included in my rotating schedule. I do work all day shift though (7 to 3) and I'm VERY grateful that I don't have to rotate to nights or evenings. My facility suprisingly doesn't have a problem recruiting for those shifts...must be the great differentials!

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

I work 7p-7a three nights a week. Thats about as routine as my schedule gets. The schedule comes out a month in advance so I can plan around my schedule :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I work 0630 to 1500, every other weekend, every toher monday, and everyother friday off. Been on that schedule for years. LOVE IT!! Easy to plan vacations. I would hate not knowing what my days off were going to be "until the schedule comes out"!!!

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Specializes in Cath Lab & Interventional Radiology.

My schedule is definitely not set. I work either 3P-11P or 11P-7A. The only thing that is set is my weekend, which is either PM or NOC shift Friday-Sunday every other week. Pretty much everyone rotates. The 8 hr people are AM-PM or PM-NOC. Usually the 8 hr people work a week or 2 weeks at a time on one shift. (no double backing) 12 rotating people rotate a month at a time. The schedule is done at least a month in advance, especially these coming months that include holidays. This makes it easy to plan ahead or trade with a coworker.

After working Tuesday-Friday 3pm-1am for 8 years in a non-healthcare job, I actually enjoy rotating. I like having different days off, because I can participate in different things. There are concerts and such that happen during the week that I was never able to attend in the past.

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Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

Set schedule. Mon-Fri 8am to 3:30pm. No weekends, no holidays, summers off and still have paycheck. = School Nurse. :)

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

I have just taken over the roster portfolio on my ward. Some people are part time because they want to or they have other jobs some FT. We are all supposed to rotate between 3 shifts AM 7-3.30 PM 1.00-9.30 and ND 9.00-7.30.

I usually allocate 2 weeks of nights at a time. But the other weeks you can have a mix of earlies and lates.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I work 11p-7a four nights a week, and I generally always know which nights I will

be working.

When I first started this job, I had a 7a-3:30p, M-F, no weekends, type of

schedule. I was thrilled, until I actually started working day shift on this LTC

unit. It was beyond horrible and I begged to be placed back on night shift, which

I had originally been hired for.

So, my schedule's not so bad; I do sleep an awful lot, but my husband is

practically a stay at home dad; only works a few hours a week. So it works out.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Cardiovascular and thoracic,.

I'm working in a major hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and have quite possibly found the worst rostering (scheduling) ever. And it is bad. I'm working on a medical ward and here is what I am working the next two weeks: Saturday - 1PM to 9:30PM. Sunday - 7AM to 3:30PM, Monday -1PM to 9:30PM, Tuesday- 7AM to 3:30PM then off Wednesday and Thursday. Friday is 1PM to 9:30PM, Saturday is 7AM to 3:30PM, Sunday 1PM to 9:30PM, Monday 1pm-3:30PM, Tuesday 1:30PM to 9:30PM, Wednesday 7AM to 3:30PM, Thursday 7AM to 3:30PM. I am a new employee and I don't like to complain, but whenever the charge nurse gets back from vacation, I intend to have a serious conversation about this. I am working here on a business visa, sponsored by the hospital, but I have no intention of sacrificing my health for the place. I'm 56 years old and have had some crappy work schedules in my life but having looked over the entire schedule, this appears to be the "normal" type schedule for everyone! I guess I should be happy that the Fair works act or whatever it is, prevents being scheduled more than 10 days in a row! (Note I have 8 days in a row on my schedule!) I've never encountered anything so horrendoue (not to mention dangerous) in all my years as a nurse. If a scheduling package is being used, then something is majorly wrong with it. Needless to say, I've applied elsewhere for a job and hoping to be out of there as soon as possible (which seems to be what happens on this ward.)

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