I will be graduating nursing school next year, and I am trying to figure out what I want to do. I was wondering what kind of positions there are out there that I do not have to work every other weekend, and a holiday. I am a huge family person, and being with my family at night and holidays is very important to me! I do not want to make a lousy salary as well.
I do not care about working one weekend a month, but the every other is something I am not interested in. What kind of jobs do you guys have and the hours? Is the pay okay as well.
Have you ever worked 12s? Have you ever worked noc or weekend program? My advice is don't knock it till you try it...especially if you're looking for better than average pay.
Specializes in Management, Med/Surg, Clinical Trainer.
Have you ever worked 12s? Have you ever worked noc or weekend program? My advice is don't knock it till you try it...especially if you're looking for better than average pay.
Totally agree. I thought I wanted to work M-F until I did it, that is when I realized that If I needed to take my PTO to get to a doctor's appointment, or take a kid to one. I found out really quick working the occasional weekend frees up weekdays for these other items. Then I could save my PTO for vacations.
Your family will not fall apart because you are not there...in fact you may find that they will quickly adapt to your schedule and you will be rewarded with enhanced quality time.
Speaking from experience, I can say there is nothing like going to Sea World during the week when there are no crowds....there was no wait for the kids to get on the rides, and we sat where ever we wanted for the shows.
4) Try working with nursing agencies and see what they have
5) Maybe Home Health (not really certain about this one)
The only problem is the pay. If you want high pay, you're going to have to work in a hospital, SNF, LTC, or LTAC facility. There are positions that offer M-F, no weekends in hospitals, but they are promotion positions. Best of luck.
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Cardiac, Education.
I have been a nurse for 9 years. I have not worked a weekend or holiday in 5 years. I have also accumulated $100k in student loans to get my MSN Ed, missed my daughter's 1 year wellness check because of my M-F schedule, and took a $15k pay cut to save my physical health. And it took me 4 years of EOW to do it.
I suggest you go PRN until you figure out what you're willing to sacrifice.
When I was a CNA, at the facility I used to work at, we fought over working weekends and holidays. The differential for working weekends was $3 plus $1 for working 11-7 I was making almost $20 as a CNA., and triple time for holidays. We had a good union contract.I had the most seniority, so I got all the money shifts. Worked every weekend, lol.
4) Try working with nursing agencies and see what they have
5) Maybe Home Health (not really certain about this one)
The only problem is the pay. If you want high pay, you're going to have to work in a hospital, SNF, LTC, or LTAC facility. There are positions that offer M-F, no weekends in hospitals, but they are promotion positions. Best of luck.
No, no, no!!! These are not jobs for new grads. There's a reason why the vast majority of these types of jobs require experience.
Okay hopefully you are joking. If not, I hate to break it to you but you just wasted thousands of dollars on the wrong profession. You want top salary but don't want to experience any inconveniences to earn it? We are ALL about our families!! And guess what? Working those weekends gives you time off during the week so you can care for children, elderly parents, etc. I suggest you keep going to get your master's so you can do something else because we don't need people like this at the bedside, dragging down the rest of us who have been making sacrifices for a long time!
I think it depends on the hospital and unit. The hospital I work at now requires me to work every 3rd weekend and I work 3 holidays a year. The hospital I was just offered a job at requires me to work every 3rd weekend and 3 holidays a year as well. My pay is pretty competitive and I only have 1 year of experience.
Really, if you want to work in a hospital, you will have to do both. That is bedside nursing, so recognize that is the profession, as you get some experience you can have different options. In our PICU, new staff (new grads and just new staff) work 5 weekend shifts/6 week rotation, and the holidays are rotating, Christmas one year and Thanksgiving the next. You really do need to do your part, everyone has a family.
Tenebrae, BSN, RN
2,021 Posts
I went straight into a district nursing position which was Monday-Friday 8am-430pm with one weekend in four.
I'm told I was exceptionally lucky as normally district nursing positions go to those who have put their time in doing bed side nursing.
Its great you want to put your family first. Reality check, you are unlikely to get such a position straight out of college.