making a part time night schedule

[clemmm78, RN]

Hi, it's been a while since I posted but now I'm hoping for some opinions here.

For several years now, I've been working full time as a medical writer and editor, but I kept working one or two nights every other weekend in a palliative care residence.

Unfortunately, I was laid off from my writing job yesterday. Fortunately, the residence's full time night nurse is leaving in a week or two, and the director told me that if I wanted nights, I could have my pick of nights. In fact, when I go in tomorrow night for my regular scheduled night, the blank schedule will be there for me to fill out.

I figure I will work six shifts every two weeks because I want to get my freelancing going. This will give me enough pay to cover bills, and yet enough time to work as a writer.

Many years ago, I worked a lot of nights (11:30 to 7:30), we did rotation and then I chose permanent full time nights so that I knew what I was working when.

Now, I'm 45 and not as chipper as I was 25 years ago. I don't want to burn myself out and I would like to work out the best schedule possible. I had five options, ruled out two of them after some thought. One of those options was working all six nights in a row and then being off for 8. 20 years ago, I did 7 on and 7 off, and after 9 months, I was ill.

So, I'm asking for input. I must work every other weekend, which can be either Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun. These are the three schedules I came up with as the best options:

1 -

Work three nights at a time: Work Sat night, Sun and Mon. Off Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun, work Mon, Tues, Wed, off Thurs, Friday - and start the cycle over again.

2-

Work one stretch of 4 and one of 2: Work Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, off Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, work Mon, Tues, Off Wed, Thurs, start over again Friday.

3-

This is the least popular one I think. Work only two nights at a time: Work Mon, Tues, off Wed, Thurs, Fri, Work Sat, Sun, off Mon, Tues, work Wed, Thurs, off Friday, Sat, Sun, and start over again working Monday.

Opinions?

I am not bound by my decision. I can try one schedule and change it if I'm not comfortable. But I'd rather not because the director will have to find a nurse to fill in my off shifts and I don't want to be messing with her life and schedule if I can avoid it.

Thanks!

[oneLoneNurse]

Hi, it's been a while since I posted but now I'm hoping for some opinions here.

For several years now, I've been working full time as a medical writer and editor, but I kept working one or two nights every other weekend in a palliative care residence.

Unfortunately, I was laid off from my writing job yesterday. Fortunately, the residence's full time night nurse is leaving in a week or two, and the director told me that if I wanted nights, I could have my pick of nights. In fact, when I go in tomorrow night for my regular scheduled night, the blank schedule will be there for me to fill out.

I figure I will work six shifts every two weeks because I want to get my freelancing going. This will give me enough pay to cover bills, and yet enough time to work as a writer.

Many years ago, I worked a lot of nights (11:30 to 7:30), we did rotation and then I chose permanent full time nights so that I knew what I was working when.

Now, I'm 45 and not as chipper as I was 25 years ago. I don't want to burn myself out and I would like to work out the best schedule possible. I had five options, ruled out two of them after some thought. One of those options was working all six nights in a row and then being off for 8. 20 years ago, I did 7 on and 7 off, and after 9 months, I was ill.

So, I'm asking for input. I must work every other weekend, which can be either Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun. These are the three schedules I came up with as the best options:

1 -

Work three nights at a time: Work Sat night, Sun and Mon. Off Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sun, work Mon, Tues, Wed, off Thurs, Friday - and start the cycle over again.

2-

Work one stretch of 4 and one of 2: Work Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, off Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, work Mon, Tues, Off Wed, Thurs, start over again Friday.

3-

This is the least popular one I think. Work only two nights at a time: Work Mon, Tues, off Wed, Thurs, Fri, Work Sat, Sun, off Mon, Tues, work Wed, Thurs, off Friday, Sat, Sun, and start over again working Monday.

Opinions?

I am not bound by my decision. I can try one schedule and change it if I'm not comfortable. But I'd rather not because the director will have to find a nurse to fill in my off shifts and I don't want to be messing with her life and schedule if I can avoid it.

Thanks!

Hi,

I am presently working W-Th,S-S-M, then Th, 12s I have liked it. 7p to 7a.

Bye,

Kevin

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I did nights for the last 12 years and always did three 12's in a row - only way to go in my book when you work nights. I'm 48 btw.

[clemmm78, RN]

Thanks for the input. We don't have 12 hours - if we did, I wouldn't be there. :-) I'm just not a 12-hour person.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Oops sorry - I missed that in your post. Then, if 8 hours is the only option, I would still want to work them in a row in order to not be constantly changing your sleep schedule.