Is this even possible?

Many graduates are getting plenty of time off as they are unable to find someone willing to hire them. Also, new grad positions start with a long orientation and I doubt a hospital would be willing to orient you and wait around while you took half the year off. You would lose your newly gained skills. If you need that time off, you might consider waiting to start the BSN program for a couple of years.

Since I just came from the healthcare reform debate section of allnurses, I'll ask:

What would you do about benefits for the other 6 months?

I think your best bet would be to work as a travel nurse, and pick up extra time where you are assigned, or go someplace where the healthcare needs are cyclical (think Florida and Arizona in the winter) and pitch the 6 months on, 6 months off idea. I know some hospitals in Florida do this, they call it an "in house travel" position. But I don't know about the 5-12's a week part. Of course for any of these positions, you would need a year or more of experience to get hired.

Thanks for the replies, so after I gain a years worth of experience, might this sort of schedule be possible? I hear so much about the flexibilty being a great perk about nursing but it seems like the shortage of nurses is more of myth based on alot of what I am reading. I feel like without a shortage it would become more difficult to pull those hours off. What about working a regular 36 in the hospital and then moonlighting at nursing home or something like that?

Only if you are per diem.

Otherwise, no......get experience and do travel nursing...don't know if they like the fact that you take 6 months off, though...3 months is okay....6 months? Not sure...maybe

...I think that'd be kind of difficult to swing. Especially as a new grad, or even for a few years - people right now are so tentative with their jobs that a lot have to be "extra" careful. You might want to reconsider taking the 6months off for no reason, though. I doubt any employer would let you take that much off for "no reason".

The 5 12s a week you would likely have to manage with two different jobs, much less see if your body can handle the strain of doing such a thing.

You could work what they call flex time, but you wouldn't have the medical benefits and you would have to get an individual policy which is expensive or if you are married you could be on your husbands policy. This way you could also work as much as you want if they have the hours. They might frown on overtime, but you could work like on another floor. Sometimes they say you have to work so much a month. It depends on the hospital.

I think if you think you can work 5 12hr shifts then do it. I live in indiana and there are available jobs in nusing homes and at home health. if I didn't need sleep (hehehe) I think I could work everyday ...some days for 12hrs at homehealth and somedays at a nursing home for 12hrs. some nursing homes are so low on staffing you could prob work ur 60hrs there and they would pay you overtime. I had a friend who worked at one and she had over 100hrs in a two week period.

Even if you work on another floor at the same hospital, they still have to pay you overtime for any hours over 40. You would have to split it up over at least 2 hospitals. No one is going to hire a new grad for a per diem position, they just won't, especially since they don't need to. As you have figured out, the nursing shortage is a myth. Rather, there is plenty of *need* for nurses, just not an employment *demand* for nurses, because the economy is so crappy and hospitals have to tighten the belt just like everyone else. You will be lucky to find one job out there, let alone two, at least as a new grad. You need to work for a year first, get a foundation and have a basis of experience that will give someone a reason to take a chance on you if you want to take on a second job. 5 12s in a week may be hard to do even at two facilities, and trying to schedule between 3 could be logistically impossible. You also have to consider that a 12 is a lot harder on you than you think it will be. You will be running around on your feet and stressed out that whole time. Even 3 12s in a week can feel like a lot, even for someone who is used to working hard. You might be able to do it for a few week, but for 6 months? You're underestimating how physically demanding it would be. Finally, the whole issue of benefits...no one is going to pay for your benefits if you're not working for them. The nurses that you hear about who have all the flexibility and change their schedules around at whim have spouses who provide their benefits. If you're looking for some sort of alternative experience, work for a year then try the travel nurse experience or join the Peace Corps or something (seriously - they have plenty of English majors who want to teach English, what they need more are professionals with job skills that can provide more direct care to underserved nations).

Good luck! You sound ambitious, you can go far in this field!

i think that is unlikely.

I think if you're wanting to work 5 12s in 1 place, probably isn't going to be happening anytime soon. Most places have nixed any OT unless it is absolutely necessary. And as a new grad, you won't get the 1st crack at it, those with seniority generally get asked 1st, if any left over, then newbies are asked. At least in the hospitals in the area where I am are like this. Can't speak for everyone, though.