How does part time work>

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I'm a new-grad, about to start my first job. I'm having a bit of a freak out, I'm part time (72 hours a pay period), will I typically be given those three shifts a week, or since I'm part time will I not be the priority? Or, because I'll be new and in training, I'll always get those hours for consistency's sake? Sorry if this was rambly, I'm 22 and trying to learn how to be an adult but I'm afraid!

We can give you good logical assumptions but every hospital is different.

I assume at your hospital you are guaranteed to work 72 hours a pay period. If you are cancelled, called off, etc., due to low census you would be offered to use personal time off, (vacation and or sick leave), or take it off as unpaid.

Absolutely nothing wrong with making a list of questions and talking to the payroll or human resources dept.

Get your answers in writing or ask for a copy of the policy.

A great habit is to look at your pay stub every payday. Bring your first one to payroll and ask what the deductions and abbreviations mean.

If some numbers, deductions, don't add up or you don't understand them go back to payroll.

Feeling like your not an adult because you don't understand what hours you're guaranteed or what happens if your called off or all the gobbledygook on your pay stub, is like a payroll clerk feeling like they're not an adult because they don't understand the functions of the liver.

You're an RN, not an accountant.

4 Votes

Thank you for the nursing advice and thank you for the life advice!! That's what I needed to hear ❤️

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

72 hours/pay period (I.e. 36 hours/week) is typically considered full-time, for calculation of benefits. In most hospitals, where staff typically work 12-hour shifts, all full-time employees only work 36 hours/week.

3 Votes
5 hours ago, klone said:

72 hours/pay period (I.e. 36 hours/week) is typically considered full-time, for calculation of benefits. In most hospitals, where staff typically work 12-hour shifts, all full-time employees only work 36 hours/week.

Yeah, it seems dicey to me that a person who is classified as PRN or part-time would be guaranteed 3 12s a week.

OP, I'd imagine that while you're on orientation you'll be getting your full 72-hours per pay period.

After orientation, supplemental/PRN/part-time people are usually the first to be cancelled. They also generally aren't guaranteed any hours, since they fill in extra hours 'as needed.' If your unit is super-short, then sure, you may get your full 72 hours per pay period (and perhaps even extra OT shifts). However, if your unit goes through a dry spell, you may not get any hours at all.

Perhaps your arrangement with your manager means that you'll be guaranteed a certain number of hours per pay period. However, I doubt as part-timer you'd be guaranteed 3 shifts a week, because in that case, you'd simply be full-time. I can't imagine any reason they'd classify you as part-time and then guarantee you full-time hours, unless maybe they're trying to get out of paying you benefits (which again, seems dicey).

I would definitely clarify with your manager. That all sounds super sketchy, or as though there has been some misunderstanding.

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