I want Sundays and Mondays off.

tewdles, RN · Dec 26, 2009

Sounds like you need to do a bit of research about home care.

Blackcat99 · Dec 26, 2009

So it sounds like I am being unreasonable? Perhaps it would be better to ask for every Wed and Thur off instead? Or will I need to accept the fact that I will need to do rotating shifts, rotating days off and drive all over Florida if I want to get hired? :crying2:

ArwenEvenstar · Dec 27, 2009

After I get back from vacation, I would like to apply for a home care job as an LPN. I would like to get a full-time job working night shift with every Sunday and Monday night off. I only want to work in Gainesville which has a population of I quess 115,000. I don't want rotating shifts and rotating nights off. I don't want to drive all over the state of Florida. Do you think I will be hired if I am honest and upfront about what I want? Or am I a dreamer who needs a "reality check"? Thanks.:loveya:

You are not necessarily being unrealistic. It just depends. In theory, private duty nursing is suppose to be very flexible!! But agencies and families can be demanding and push you hard. You need to be firm at times about your availability and the hours you want. It also just depends on the number of private duty cases available in your area and at the particular agency you apply too (assuming you are going to go through an agency). The agency I used to work for would have a list of the current cases and hours available - the list was always changing as new cases came in, or a nurse would leave a case and the hours would then open up, etc. So...I don't think you are dreaming, but it may take time for a case that fits your needs to be available. Yes, my personal opinion is be upfront from the beginning with what you want. As my personal experience is that if you are not firm, they will try to talk you into all kinds of things!

Blackcat99 · Dec 27, 2009

Thanks ArwenEvenstar:redpinkhe. I think I am going to go ahead and ask for Sundays and Mondays off. :yeah: I am old and I am thinking that the younger nurses would prefer to have Friday and Saturday nights off(I hope.) I have heard that the thing to do is to sign up for more than 1 agency. That way, if one agency is slow, maybe the other agency will have something available. Yes, I have heard that the families and agencies can be very demanding. The last thing I want is for the agency to be calling me for different shifts and wanting me to drive 100 miles away from my home. I do want to be upfront and honest at the beginning. If they don't have enough work available, I can sign up with another agency.

tewdles, RN · Dec 28, 2009

I don't know any home care nurses who work "night shift". Perhaps you are thinking private duty in the home?

Blackcat99 · Dec 28, 2009

Yes, I will be looking for private duty in the home. It seems that the job ads here are looking for nurses to take care of children with tube feedings and trach.

allnurses Guide · Dec 28, 2009

Working weekends would probably be the easiest thing to accomplish-- I get Mondays and Thursdays off. As far as reasonable vs unreasonable- lots of nurses are very specific about the hours they can work. Many have school. Some have other cases they are on.

Generally, I've never seen rotating shifts unless you choose to do that. It depends on how many hours you need to work in a given week. A straight one-person full-time hours case may take some time to find- but sometimes things fall in your lap, too.

A city of 15,000 is kind of a small base to work from- I don't know how tough the competition is there to know how that would affect their caseload, though. If you were able to take adult patients as well as kids that would expand your options- or figure out your absolute maximum radius around Gainesville you would travel.

One of the fun things about the job is the variety of patients, families, homes, and distances that come into play. You might be willing to drive a little farther out for a great case, or steady predictable hours. It's a cost-benefit-analysis you will be able to make when you find out what's available. Good luck!

Blackcat99 · Dec 28, 2009

Thanks nursel56. I am hoping to eventually find a straight one person full time hours case. Actually, I might prefer an adult as I don't have any recent peds experience. I know I'm going to need a good peds orientation. I took care of a kid 19 years ago who just needed tube feedings. It was a great job. I put him in a stroller and off to the beach we would go for our daily strolls.

caliotter3 · Jan 3, 2010

If you want to do home health on night shift with Sundays and Mondays off, all you have to do is to make your needs known to the staffing coordinator when you are hired. If they can accommodate you they will. If they can't, then you will have to come up with a compromise. The best time to get this type of schedule is to come in right when they are opening up a new case and they give you what you want (and you work out ok for the client). Otherwise, you might have to get that type of a schedule after a certain amount of time working around here and there until just the right combination come open. If you are flexible for the company, they will be more willing to help you out with the days and hours you want when it becomes possible.

Blackcat99 · Jan 3, 2010

Thanks caliotter3. Good ideas. Yes, I think I will be very flexible at the beginning. Hopefully, I can then get Sundays and Mondays off when an opening becomes available.