As I've said before, I'm just starting out and I hope to start nursing school this Spring 2005. My mom has been a nurse for most of her life, and before she retired in '98, all the shifts in this part of the country were the same as they have been for the last hundreds of years (OK, so I am exaggerating ).
When she left, it was basically 7AM-3PM, 3PM-11PM, 11PM-7AM. At that time, they were just starting 12 hours shifts, but mostly for those who wanted to work the weekend. They were like 7P-7A for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Now, I'm looking at the hospital shifts, and I don't see too many hospitals doing the 7-3pm, 3-11pm, and 11-7am shifts. I'm wondering if these types of shifts have become antiquated, replaced with 12 hour shifts.
How does that work usually? If you work three 12 hour shifts a week, is that considered full-time and you receive the same pay you would for a 40 hr. week? I just wondering how that works in other areas, or if the 12 hour shift is becoming more of the norm or if there still are any holdouts from the previous shifts that were so common in nursing.
BTW, I've found this board to be an invaluable asset. Sometimes I read it and think to myself "exactly what I am getting in to?" and other times I truly believe that this is the job for me, the job I've always wanted to do.
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