FT or PT?

I'm currently working 64 per pay period, also EO weekend. On my unit there is only two out of fourteen nurses working 72 or more hours. Most of the RNs work less than 64 per pay period. I personally don't want any more hours, so really haven't looked a list of job openings recently to know what is being advertised.

I worked 72 hours/PP for my first year and went down to 40/PP June 1st and LOVE IT. I have four kids and my husband works 50+ hours a week. I had to wait until a part time position opened up though, I couldn't just say I want my hours cut back.

I don't get benefits through my job so that wasn't an issue. Plus, in this line of work, we are almost always short staffed, so I have no problems picking up shifts but when it's convenient for me. Also, now that everyone knows I'm part time, I always have people asking me to pick up for them if I can as about 75% ,I would say, work full time or very close to it.

I see a lot of job openings in greater Minnesota for PT (0.5, 0.6, etc) and am just wondering if there are that many nurses working PT, or if there aren't many FT positions offered in the first place out there, and if other nurses around work more than one job. Thanks!

Greater MN has lots of rural hospitals. They like part-timers because it limits benefits, but even more important, it gives staffing much more flexibility in scheduling. Census waxes and wanes, as it does in larger hospitals, but can be felt more acutely in small hospitals requiring more people on the roster to pitch in during high census. If most are full-time already, they can't give much more during increased need, but part-timers are usually willing to work more.