hours??

zacarias, ASN, RN · Mar 24, 2004

Did you get to choose the hours (shift/days) that you REALLY wanted to work as a new grad or even later on I figured new grads get the yucky shifts, but wasn't sure if it was common to be able to pick the shift/days you prefer to work. Thanks for the info!

Hey there!!

I would say it really depends on the hospital or location. A lot of places have a type of "self scheduling" where you can more or less pick the days you want to work. Also while you may find night shift jobs being offered, day shifts are out there and available for the picking. The thing I would say though is that in the hospital it is very likely that you will have to work one or two weekends a month.

TinyNurse, RN · Mar 24, 2004

i am hired for a 3p to 3a shift and required to work every other weekend. It actually works out well for my son and I!!!!

xo Jen

suzanne4, RN · Mar 24, 2004

It basically depends on the unit that you will be working on and what is available when you get hired. With most hospitals you usually have to figure on every other or every third weekend. But you may be extra lucky and get to work a unit where there is a nurse who wishes to work every weekend becuase of baby sitter issues, etc. So you may have fewer to work.

Good luck with your schooling....................

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2004

I think more and more new grads are able to request certain hours. When I was a new grad I had no say so and got put on a day/evening rotation, there was no such thing as permanent day shift, everyone rotated. A year later when I started my current job I requested nights and got it right away.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Mar 24, 2004

I am of the opinion that you can get any kind of hours you want, but not always in your choice of settings. When I looked into moving I knew I wanted day shift. The only place with day shift hours was the medical psychiatric unit, because no one wanted work there :). I took it and found I actually really enjoyed the work.

You can also take less preferred hours in a more desirable setting, and hope for an opening on the shift you want.

I would be wary of a unit willing to bump a more senior employee for a new person to have her preferred hours. Doesn't show much for how you would be treated in the future when you are considered more expendable.

athomas91 · Mar 24, 2004

i always got the shift i wanted...i always specified it in the interview and would only take the position IF it was what i wanted...

i found wkend option to be ideal...3wkends/month - sat and sun 12 hr shifts...50 bucks/hr... my hubby worked mon-fri day shift...carried the benefits...great for those w/ kids...:)

good luck

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Mar 24, 2004

My expereince has been that if you look into positions at several places, you will find the hours you want at one or another of them. If you only have one hospital to work with, you may be more limited. It depends on the needs of that facility. You may get lucky. Generally, I believe most hospitals do use the rotating weekend schedule. You could request to be off the same weekend.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2004

a lot of our staff are married to other staff members. Many try to get the same shift, and manage to do so. Some prefer opposite shifts so as to cover child care, etc. It can be done, but one of you may have to be more flexible than the other, depending on the needs of your nursing unit.

nurseygrrl, LPN · Mar 24, 2004

I had no problem getting day shift at my facility. Most places are so short, they'll take you for any shift. I am required to work every other weekend and could not choose my days off during the week though.

nursemichelle · Mar 24, 2004

Thanks for all the help! My boys are all teenagers (2 in college 2 in high school) so I don't mind working nights and weekends after they graduate in 2 yrs...I just wanted to have a similar schedule to my husband's schedule, sounds like we might be able to work it out afterall...thanks again!

~Anne~ · Mar 24, 2004

It really all depends on where you work and how flexible your superviser is. When i first started working...oh lets just say many years ago... I was just told what my hours would be and I did my every other weekend and rotating holidays no questions asked... but i have noticed now that when new people come in they tend to get what they want (especially if the have kids)... I think its mostly due to the fact that we JUST need nurses so bad that my superviser tends to give them what they want...which sometimes causes problems among the "older" nurses(lol) ....I just say as long as they do there job well then hey its a plus for us! So you never know what you might be able request at this point in nursing....if you work in a place that is desperate for nurses then you pretty much can do what you want.... Just dont go to a place that has self scheduling...I heard thats tough when your new! Good luck to you and your husband! :)