On site childcare for nursing staff

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi there,

In the UK several hospitals offer Day Nurseries on hospital sites that staff can apply to have their children looked after in - the problem with these is usually at best they run from 8am-6pm, not exactly useful considering most of us work 12.5 hr shifts or for those who struggle to get cover for nights.

What I'm wondering is if the situation in the US or any country is different - does any employer offer childcare at night? what different times are available and how flexible are they with regard to shift work ?

Also any job adverts or any evidence showing this would be really useful, we're looking into differences between the UK and other countries to see what can be done to make it better and may need to prove whats available!

Thanks in advance

Scott

Specializes in heading for NICU.

It's the same here. (US) Our local hospital has onsite childcare and it's open from like 6 or 7am until 6pm. Shifts are 7am to 7pm for day people in most cases, so that isn't much help. It used to be that you could work 7am-3pm, but it seems those shifts are far and few between in this area.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

We have onsite care for sick kids,, if our kids get sick we can take them to peds for a nominal charge daily for them to stay so we can work. How's that for decreasing callins!!! LOL

Dont have childcare,, but sickkids get lunch, monitoring of temps, etc by licensed staff.

Specializes in CCU (Coronary Care); Clinical Research.

We have childcare- I haven't looked into it much yet but will be soon. However, I know that it does open at 6am and closes at 715 or 730- one has to rush to get out early to pick up the kids but at least it is open until the shift is technically over. It is also a pretty good price compared to out of hosptial places.

We have onsite care for sick kids,, if our kids get sick we can take them to peds for a nominal charge daily for them to stay so we can work. How's that for decreasing callins!!! LOL

Dont have childcare,, but sickkids get lunch, monitoring of temps, etc by licensed staff.

What a great idea! Is it dayshift only or do they take your sick kids at night, too?

Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.
We have onsite care for sick kids,, if our kids get sick we can take them to peds for a nominal charge daily for them to stay so we can work. How's that for decreasing callins!!! LOL

Dont have childcare,, but sickkids get lunch, monitoring of temps, etc by licensed staff.

We have this too! Isn't it a great option? Luckily, my mom has always taken my kids when they have been sick, but since my parents like to travel, it is nice to know the option is there.

Our hospital offers childcare through a local daycare. There are something like 8 or 9 of this particular one in the community. My dh and I must have went to 10 or 11 places looking for something when we found out about this branch on campus at the local university. Our kids love it. It is less tha 7 minutes from my work. They are open at 6 am and stay open until 11pm. They have always taken my kids on short notice and never complain if my dh works over a bit. They are also one of the only DAYCAREs willing to charge by the hour and since I have to be at work by 3 and dh gets off by 5, it is senseless for us to pay for a 1/2 day every time they go in.

Our hospital offers this, it's actually quite nice. The sick child care is ran by LPN's. I have used it 3 or 4 times. They charge by the hour according to how much you make.

Apparently a hospital in Corpus Christi Texas has 24 hour on site childcare. Just saw it advertised today.

Specializes in LDRP; Education.
They charge by the hour according to how much you make.

That's kind of strange. Why do people get charged differently depending on their salary? I don't agree with that at all.

We have sick kid care here too, as well as an on-site childcare facility. I don't use it, I use a private daycare but it's hours are the typical hours, 0630-1730. I work dayshift M-F 8 hour days, as does my husband so the daycare hours work for us. But I can see how it couldn't work for a staff nurse. I was just thinking to myself how nearly unmanageable it would be for me to deal with my 5 month old twins, daycare, and working off-shifts and mandatory overtime, call, etc.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

Sarah,, im not sure, dont know that anyone has tried to use it on night shift. Usually people had someone who could be with kids during the night at home i guess. I'm thinking they are just open like 5AM to 9PM,, but i might be wrong.

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