How many hours do you work?

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just curious, I've heard that 3 12 hour shifts per week is the norm.

call me lazy, but the idea of a 5 day weekend *every week* sounds amazing to me. am I crazy for wondering if two 12 hour night/weekend shifts could support a single adult without any expensive habits?

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

5 day weekend = VERY BORED. I work 3 12's a week (not too often 4..) and trrrryy not to do 3 in a row because I require way more sleep than that allows and feel like a zombie by the third night. However I seem to like to schedule longer weekends so I usually just suck it up.

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I don't think it's lazy. There are some benefits to working eight hour shifts but for me, they are far outweighed by having more days off! When I worked eights, I always felt like I was spending more time at work than I was at home. I work to live, I don't live to work. If I could manage financially working just two 12s a week, I happily would!

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5 day weekend = VERY BORED. I work 3 12's a week (not too often 4..) and trrrryy not to do 3 in a row because I require way more sleep than that allows and feel like a zombie by the third night. However I seem to like to schedule longer weekends so I usually just suck it up.
yeah, I'm possessive about my sleep too. (...of course I'm also posting this at 5am when I have to wake up for class in 4 hours...) - but you can turn off your alarm for weekends!
I work to live, I don't live to work. If I could manage financially working just two 12s a week, I happily would!
haha, exactly! I have a long list of hobbies that I don't ever get the time to do, and a longer one of things I want to take up. I could finally learn to make my own clothes, cook more food from scratch, do organic garden, take music lessons, take yoga lessons...hell, I could be a part time college student taking only the fun classes forever. o_O 4 days in a row without an alarm clock? 3 day camping trips? I could volunteer on a regular basis...go to massage school, make candles, learn carpentry...seriously, it would be fantastic.

my parents raised two kids, paid off two cars and most of a pretty nice house on only 2/3 of the median national nursing salary. I'm single, I've already shared a studio apartment with 3 other people, have never owned a car...one of each all to myself would be luxurious!

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Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

give it a try... iwork >45 hours a week and get soo bummed that i dont have much time for anything. oh how i miss shopping in the middle of the week; or going out to lunch...or spending a rainy day in my sewing room or a sunny one in my garden!

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

I usually do 3-4 12's a week. I am on nights & always tired.....all I want to do is sleep. I love all the people I work with but something has to give.....I want to sleep at night, work days & feel like a human again! :yawn:

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Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

3 12's = 36 hours = full time job.

It does give you time to go after other activities. (like another job)

I think what sucks is when they make me work M/T and then Sat/Sun because Sunday is the start of the new payweek. Then it feels like I worked 4 days that week because MY week starts on Monday. ^_^

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Specializes in cardiac, ortho, med surg, oncology.

I think it just depends on what your budget allows. How expensive is the area you live in? How expensive are your hobbies? What standard of living are you willing to settle for?

I work PRN/casual/registry and it works out well for me. I manage to have a lot of time to be with my kids and pursue my hobbies and still have a reasonable standard of living.

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Specializes in SICU, Peds CVICU.

I hate to break it to you... but all of your hobbies cost money! :chuckle

Seriously though, am I the only one that thought I would feel rich and have tons of time off.... and I feel like I have way more debt (cuz I do) and spend all my free time catching up on sleep?

When you're done with school and have a job, you'll figure out what works for you. Several people I work with work 2 days/week and pick up 2 more days of overtime

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, CVRU, little peds.

I work an avg of 48 hrs a week bring home 105k to 110k per year as a little oh bed side RN

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

I work three 16's a week, 'have weekends off and my work and off days alternate so I never work two days in a row. This is the perfect combination for me for making money and still having plenty of time to spend it :D.

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Specializes in Emergency.

The Baylor gig at my hospital has you working every weekend with 1 weekend off per quarter. You work 2 12's (Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun depending on your shift) and get paid for 36 hours. If you have hobbies that are best enjoyed during the week, like skiing & whitewater kayaking, then this could be a good fit. Plus it allows you to easily pick up per-diem slots as needed.

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