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Discussion

Hours/flexability in Ontario?

Hello!

I am hoping to become an RN in the not too distant future, my mom is an RN at Toronto General, but she works day OR shift so she hasn't worked the floor or shift work in many years. She found out one of the departments schedule as I am very curious to what my future possible hours would look like as an RN. She said the one floor's hours are :

1st week

Mon/Tues 7-7

Wed/Thus off

Fri-Sun 7-7

2nd week

Mon/Tues off

Wed/Thurs 7-7

Fri-Sun off

They also switch 2 weeks day/ 2 weeks nights.

I was curious if many schedules are designed this way or if many places have flexible schedules? the 1st week seems rather heavy. Also if any of you have worked the same shifts do you like it? Does it work for you?

I have been reading on this forum many nurses work 3 12hr per week but not sure if that only applies to the RN's in the states.

I have never worked 12 hrs or over nights so I really just want to know what to expect when I get out of school.

Thanks!

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    • Expert

    Every place will be different when it comes to schedules. The possibilities are endless.The floor I work on has a mixed schedule. 8 and 12 hour shifts.It isn't flexible as in you get pick your own hours.Our 12s go 0730-1930.About half of the people on my floor work 8s.It really depends on the person when it comes to preference. Some people love 12s, it gives them more days off.Some people like 8s better, they find 12s too exhausting.There is no cut and dried schedule that will be used in all places.

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    It depends on the collective agreement of the facility, and only if the nurses in your facility are under a union; it MIGHT look like the schedule you posted above. I know for SOME non-unionized facilities, they get to self-schedule. If you're interested in knowing more about scheduling and such, check Ontario Nurses Association to skim through different facilities collective agreements. My last placement has that type of scheduling and yes it is tough on the body especially if you're not use to it. I personally don't mind it once I got use to it, the worse part for me was the commute in the winter. So if you live near the hospital/facility you're doing your placement, the better.

    I know for some facilities they go by how many hours you work per 2 week period (i.e. ~60-70hrs per 2 weeks period), not really how many shifts per week (i.e., 3 shifts per week).

    The schedule you posted above is translated as: two days on, two days off, three days on, two days off, two days on, three days off. That's why it looks uneven if you look at it by weeks.

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    In our hospital (ONA), pretty much all of the full time staff (non specialty like OR/PACU/Endo/Day surg) work 2 days, 2 nights, 5 days off (12 hour shifts).

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    • Expert
    It depends on the collective agreement of the facility, and only if the nurses in your facility are under a union; it MIGHT look like the schedule you posted above. I know for SOME non-unionized facilities, they get to self-schedule. If you're interested in knowing more about scheduling and such, check Ontario Nurses Association to skim through different facilities collective agreements.

    Collective agreements don't stipulate shift rotations. They don't include schedules. They DO stipulate how many shifts in a row a member may work, minimum number of hours off between shifts, minimum number of weekends worked, minimum number of named holidays not worked, how many hours in a year constitutes full time, what constitutes overtime and other such details but the scheduling/master rotation is up to the facility or unit. The facility where I work (albeit not in Ontario) has units where everyone works 8's, others where there's a mix of 8's and 12's, others where ALL shifts are 12's with no exception (mine), some with staggered start times; some rotations have blocks of 2 and 3 shifts with days off in between, some are 2 days, 2 nights, 5 off and others are self-scheduled. But if you read the posts I've made about how that works, you'll see that it isn't all that wonderful. Because nursing is a 24/7/365 business, it's difficult to be very flexible with scheduling. There has to be a good staff mix - a balance of senior and junior staff so that all patients receive the level of care they need. It's complicated.

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    I'm on permanent nights by choice. Our schedules vary, and we all sometimes only have 2 or 3 days of rest in between. As long as they are in line with the collective agreement, your schedule could be any range of possibilities. Also, as a new nurse you have no seniority, so this will factor in to the shifts you work. You really have to be flexible.

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    • Author

    Thanks for all your information everyone! It's good to know there is some flexibility from place to place so I will eventually be able to find somewhere suitable for me. :)

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    Collective agreements don't stipulate shift rotations. They don't include schedules.

    Yes, I am aware of this. Thank you. That's why I mentioned that it MIGHT look like the schedule above. It's all relative. I apologize for not making that clearer.

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