Is it too early to switch from full-time to part-time?

[ARRR10]

By August 3rd, 2010, I will have my one-year experience working as a registered nurse. So, I just wanted to know if its too early to switch from full-time to part-time? I'm thinking about maybe going back to school to get another degree just as a backup, or maybe finding another nursing specialty. Another question, I want to get at least another year in working as a nurse (I work on Ortho), but I just wanted to know if changing my work-time status would affect my experience as a nurse (like 2 years working as a nurse on ortho)? Geez, as i'm typing up this thread, I still can't believe its been almost a year- just thinking about all the mistakes I made, the bad stuff I had to put up with, and all the stress... WOW....

[Jules A, MSN]

If your job will put you on part-time I'd go for it.

[Nurseinprocess]

I've only been working as a nurse for about 10 wks and I''m already ready to bail in the fulltime hours I'm working and ask for part time! I don't think you gain more experience working more hours, you just get the opportunity for more burnout, which is where I'm headed.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

op: personally i do not see why it would mean anything... i know a few nurses who work part-time in ers within my area. guess what? those same nurses put their pt experience on their resumes similar to how i write my ft experience and it works!!! they are still employable to other eds and icus in my area.

i know some who even brag to others that they are er nurses and they barely work 2-6 shifts a month in my ed or any other ed! and no, i am not talking about nurses who have any other ed experience. i am talking about nurse with no experience other then working in a nursery (and no, i do not mean a nicu) and/or other low acuity specialties within a hospital setting. in fact, the only organization i know of that will not accept pt equal to ft is the military.

the military counts hours as work experience. this way they can weed out those who bs work experience because they worked 1-2 shifts here and there. if you are not interested in the military, then i agree with the others to go pt. civilian jobs will probably give you credit for two years work experience even if you worked pt the second year. on the other hand, the best thing for you to do is to ask this question of a perspective employer or people who work in hr to make sure. good luck!

[LoveThisNurse]

I'd say go for it but just be careful. Make sure you have a position lined up. I'll have my 1 yr in nov and I'm thinking of doing the same thing =o)

[llg, PhD, RN]

1 year should be enough to make the switch from full time to part time. You are most likely sufficiently competent that your skills won't deteriorate significantly with fewer work hours.

That's the problem with going part time too soon. Without the frequent reinforcement of your skills in the early stages of your career, a lot of people fail to progress to full competence and have little hope of ever becoming profecient. However, once you reach a level of solid competence, you don't need that reinforcement of skills so frequently to retain them.

Assuming you had reasonable med/surg experience in school, you should be able to have reached the competent stage of practice in a year.