need feedback regarding shift choices for practicum...

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 4, 2010

What area are you hoping to be in. If it's something like ED or OR, I'd probably go with the bigger hospital, as you will probably see more varied and interesting cases.

If it's a general floor, I'd go with what's convenient.

I far prefer 3 12s, rather than 4 or 5 8s.

The long bus ride will offer you lots of time for reading, studying, napping, etc.

Shanlee79 · Oct 4, 2010

What area are you hoping to be in. If it's something like ED or OR, I'd probably go with the bigger hospital, as you will probably see more varied and interesting cases.
If it's a general floor, I'd go with what's convenient.
I far prefer 3 12s, rather than 4 or 5 8s.
The long bus ride will offer you lots of time for reading, studying, napping, etc.

Thanks for your reply! It is actually the NICU. The larger hospital is a level 3 and the closer one is a combined level 2 & 3. So there is that consideration on my mind as well. At first I liked the idea of less days/wk but then I figured out that I would be commuting 1.5 hr more/wk though.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Oct 4, 2010

Go where you will get the best nursing experience. I would think the larger teaching hospital. Good luck.

jjensen · Oct 4, 2010

I have a 35 minute drive to work and home... I work 3 12 hours shifts and love the 4 days off... I would do what you want to do, but I have found that the drive is actually nice. It makes me prepare for work and on the way home, I can relax before dealing with being a wife and mom again...

Good luck in whatever you decide...

Lizzie21 · Oct 5, 2010

It depends on what you want to do and who would offer you the better educational experience. Also, think about if there were any problems with the bus or missed it?

Shanlee79 · Oct 5, 2010

I am thinking about it more and was telling my husband yesterday that I am a grumpy bear who hates mornings...I cannot imagine getting up for 5-6 of them in a row. He says I would get used to it and I think 'uh-oh, he really doesn't know me at all'. :lol2:

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2010

The largest teaching hospital is only a level 3? Not a level 1 trauma center?

You will get the best learning experience at a larger hospital, no doubt. I have worked in both, and I will share my experience with you:

1. The smaller community hospital was not nearly as "cohesive" as I would have liked. The policies were adhered to only when the nurses felt like it, and there was not a whole lot of accountability because the budget was so tight that the managers did not have time to be on the floor/unit to ensure that policy was being followed. There seemed to be a lot of confusion, and no straight answers to questions. It seemed to be "pick and choose policy". I also noticed that at the smaller hospital, there seemed to be more "cliques" than in the larger one. That was what I experienced on the med/surg floor.

When I worked in the OR of the smaller hospital, it was actually MORE efficient because the various departments that had to work closely together (like central sterile and PACU) knew the routine, knew each other, and therefore ran better simply BECAUSE it was smaller. They knew the docs and knew the flow of things. It was an enigma of sorts.

2. The level 1 trauma center had hard and fast policies. If nurses did not adhere to them, they were written up with the policy violation stapled to the write up. No questions. No confusion. Although there are also cliques at the larger hospital, it was not as apparent, and many different disciplines seemed to get along well.

The learning that you will be exposed to at a level 1 hospital is really incomparable. If you can stand the commute, you may end up liking it. But I am saying that because I am a total geek and love to learn more than anything in the world. You have other things to consider, like the commute time and getting up extra early. When I had to commute by bus, I just brought a book with me. I had my book in one hand and a steaming thermos of coffee in the other. When I arrived to work, I was READY!

So you are deciding between 5 8 hour shifts and 3 12 hour shifts. I have also worked both of these schedules, and the 12s were the best for me. I looked forward to my days off, (can we say NO ALARM CLOCK???) I was COMPLETELY lazy and had absolutely no guilt about taking one day to be a lump, and on the other day when I knew that I had stuff to do, I would do business like banking, shopping, dr. appts. 8 hour shifts mean that you have to get up every day at the same time, BUT you get off early as well. You can still do business but must be a slave to the alarm clock (I hate this).

So there are my thoughts... for whatever it is worth! Good luck to you, and I must say that I admire the fact that you are seeking advice from nurses who have been through it and can offer you some differing opinions. You will no doubt be successful at whatever you decide.

Are you married? Have a SO? If so, have you discussed the options with them? This is also a big consideration. Do you have pets? There are so many things to consider, but I am MOST happy that you have two choices, and that either of them seem to be good ones.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2010

P.S. Sorry it was such a long post. I am rather wordy...

Coffee Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2010

The largest teaching hospital is only a level 3? Not a level 1 trauma center?

A level III NICU, the highest-acuity classification. (Well, except for those areas that call them level IVs).

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Oct 5, 2010

The largest teaching hospital is only a level 3? Not a level 1 trauma center?

NICU levels actually go in reverse when compared to ACS trauma designations for ER's. In NICU, level 3 is a higher level of care than level 2.

Shanlee79 · Oct 5, 2010

The largest teaching hospital is only a level 3? Not a level 1 trauma center?
You will get the best learning experience at a larger hospital, no doubt. I have worked in both, and I will share my experience with you:
1. The smaller community hospital was not nearly as "cohesive" as I would have liked. The policies were adhered to only when the nurses felt like it, and there was not a whole lot of accountability because the budget was so tight that the managers did not have time to be on the floor/unit to ensure that policy was being followed. There seemed to be a lot of confusion, and no straight answers to questions. It seemed to be "pick and choose policy". I also noticed that at the smaller hospital, there seemed to be more "cliques" than in the larger one. That was what I experienced on the med/surg floor.
When I worked in the OR of the smaller hospital, it was actually MORE efficient because the various departments that had to work closely together (like central sterile and PACU) knew the routine, knew each other, and therefore ran better simply BECAUSE it was smaller. They knew the docs and knew the flow of things. It was an enigma of sorts.
2. The level 1 trauma center had hard and fast policies. If nurses did not adhere to them, they were written up with the policy violation stapled to the write up. No questions. No confusion. Although there are also cliques at the larger hospital, it was not as apparent, and many different disciplines seemed to get along well.
The learning that you will be exposed to at a level 1 hospital is really incomparable. If you can stand the commute, you may end up liking it. But I am saying that because I am a total geek and love to learn more than anything in the world. You have other things to consider, like the commute time and getting up extra early. When I had to commute by bus, I just brought a book with me. I had my book in one hand and a steaming thermos of coffee in the other. When I arrived to work, I was READY!
So you are deciding between 5 8 hour shifts and 3 12 hour shifts. I have also worked both of these schedules, and the 12s were the best for me. I looked forward to my days off, (can we say NO ALARM CLOCK???) I was COMPLETELY lazy and had absolutely no guilt about taking one day to be a lump, and on the other day when I knew that I had stuff to do, I would do business like banking, shopping, dr. appts. 8 hour shifts mean that you have to get up every day at the same time, BUT you get off early as well. You can still do business but must be a slave to the alarm clock (I hate this).
So there are my thoughts... for whatever it is worth! Good luck to you, and I must say that I admire the fact that you are seeking advice from nurses who have been through it and can offer you some differing opinions. You will no doubt be successful at whatever you decide.
Are you married? Have a SO? If so, have you discussed the options with them? This is also a big consideration. Do you have pets? There are so many things to consider, but I am MOST happy that you have two choices, and that either of them seem to be good ones.

Thank-you for taking the time to reply! I love learning from others experiences and each person gives me food for thought. When you mentioned the cliques, I remembered a comment from the nurse I shadowed at the smaller hospital. She mentioned that unit was very cliquey too, but I must have forgotten that until now. Unfortunately, I think that nurse wasn't the best person to shadow as she was a new grad herself, fairly young and seemed more interested in listing all the negative aspects to the job. On the otherhand, maybe that was a secret blessing to warn me off?? I almost expected to me more intimidated while visiting the larger hospital, but I found that most nurses didn't mind answering my questions and even took time to point out things to me. Also, the province's neonatal transport team works out of here and the charge nurse advised me that some students have had the chance to tag along during a transport flight. I was amazed. And YES..the geek in me will be thankful for the extra educational opportunities in the long run.

My first thought was...'yuck, 14-hour day with commute' but even though the 8's give me more time in the evenings to be with my husband, with the 6 days in a row..I am not sure how much he would want to spend with cranky ol' me anyhow. :lol2: . You're right....I don't want to be a slave to my alarm clock! Plus if I choose the 12's, I will get 8 days off in a row every 6 weeks!! Who wouldn't love that:redbeathe ?? Thanks again for your time!