NICU Nurse?? working only weekends advice....

gipsonbee · Aug 18, 2009

I,ve never worked twelve hour weekends but, as an LPN I have worked 6am-10pm, Sat and Sun. The worst for me was that I commuted close to 30 miles to work and by the time I get off Sat night I had to drive home, take a shower; and since I was pregnant, get to sleep when the baby went to sleep or stopped moving. I then would get about two hours sleep in all then it was time to get up and do it again. Your shifts sound lovely though and with no kids, I see no room for complaints. I on the other had 3 kids and one on the way at this time. But, I loved having the rest of the week off.

ukstudent · Aug 18, 2009

The difficulty of working every weekend is that other poeple don't.

Family gatherings are normaly on the weekend because most jobs are Monday to Friday. Similary boyfriends like to go away for the weekend, or go to parties etc.

You will be free Monday to Thursday. Which is great for going back to school, making appointments (doctor, dentist etc.), however, the social life of America takes place Friday to Sunday while your working.

Being a new nurse is more physically and mentally exhausting than you can imagine at this time. The idea of going out and socializing after a shift when I had to come back the next day was beyond me for at least the first year. Even now, if I went out it would only be for an hour, such as a quick dinner.

Good luck with the job.

rollyp80 · Aug 18, 2009

I work saturdays now as a CNA....and omg I hate that the rest of the world does things on weekends and I am stuck at work....but I would have to admit that there is always stuff to do during the week and depending on where you live.....I live in Chicago....there is always stuff to do.......I do like that the weekends are a lot more laid back and I hear that nights are even more laid back, as well.....good luck...and stay focused!

Fiona59 · Aug 19, 2009

It's very rare to leave within 30 minutes of a shift ending.

By the end of a shift, your bagged, emotionally drained just like ukstudent said.

I love your enthusiasm.

ChristyRN2009 · Aug 19, 2009

I think its a great job for you and go into it believing its long term. Like other pp's have said, you work weekends but most people don't. Working a 12 hour shift you will very rarely want to do anything but go home and collapse. And you are working 3 days back to back, realize you will need that Monday to recover most of the time. Maybe you are a rare person who has a lot of energy and you don't have kids so it might be better for you. But I just want you to realize that you might (and others in the field will too) assume that because you are working weeknds that its a cake-walk for lots of money, but there's a reason why there's such a high pay for working those hours.

MedSurgeMess · Aug 19, 2009

I did it for 6 yrs (5 on nights, 1 on days) but only worked Sat and Sun, got paid for 40 hrs. The only reason I gave it up was because a coworker's husband is gravely ill and she needs to be off during the week to take him to MD appts. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Believe me, you will find plenty to do during the week, you'll be able to do so much. But I'm older, my sons are 18 and 19 and my husband works Fri, Sat, Sun.

AllSmiles225 · Aug 19, 2009

I work fri sat and sunday 3-11 and for the most part I hate it. The shift completely sucks..you miss every BBQ, wedding, movie night out, family get together, family beach day..it just sucks all around. But you have to do what you have to do and it sounds like you have a good position. Maybe after a year or so you'll want to go to Fri sat and sun one week and wed thur fri the other.

NewRNdreams · Aug 19, 2009

Just wanted to say thanks to all who took out time to give advice :heartbeat

I know that the biggest problem of working weekends is that everyone else is off. But I was given the option between weekends and nights. With nights everybody is sleep. I'm 23 and i feel my body will appreciate it more if I chose weekend eventhough my social life may suffer. I thought if I chose to work nights I will still have to work every other weekend and whats the chance of that wedding, bbq , family gathering occuring on my weekend to work eventhough I'll be off work during the day (because of working nights) I know my body will make me suffer long term.

I'm going to talk to mananger about time off for weekenders and see what its like.

much love to all :redbeathe:redbeathe

NM told me if weekends didnt work out I can go to nights. So I guess I'll have to wear the hat and see if it fits :nurse:

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2009

i've worked weekends for over 5 years and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

honestly, i couldnt tell you one bad thing about it. i work 40 hrs between fri-sun. i'm the weekend RN supervisor and work during the day. usually 10hrs on fri, 14 hrs on sat and then 16 on sunday.

last week i had to work all week because the state was in for our annual survey. OMG I HATED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!! give me back my weekends i say!

now granted, i am probably older than you so i dont go out on the weekends. i dont feel like i miss out on anything. my boss is good at giving me weekends off when i ask for them. i average about 2 weekends off a year. i've had less than 2 days calling in sick per year for all 5 yrs.

i love having the week free. love it love it love it.

i always say that i own my butt monday thru thursday and my job owns it fri-sun.

my husband works day shift as well but every other weekend off. that gives him the "me" time he needs and i get mine during the week. we have one day off together each week. we never plan anything on those days and it's a rule we dont volunteer to work those days either. thats "our" time.

i love being home and having his supper ready when he gets there.

it works well with the children too. im home with them during the week and either their mom or their dad is home with them on the weekends.

during the school year this leaves me free to go to school programs, field trips, anything that might require one of us being there.

i cant understand why everyone doesnt work weekends, lol

good luck to you!

southernbeegirl, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2009

I think its a great job for you and go into it believing its long term. Like other pp's have said, you work weekends but most people don't. Working a 12 hour shift you will very rarely want to do anything but go home and collapse. And you are working 3 days back to back, realize you will need that Monday to recover most of the time. Maybe you are a rare person who has a lot of energy and you don't have kids so it might be better for you. But I just want you to realize that you might (and others in the field will too) assume that because you are working weeknds that its a cake-walk for lots of money, but there's a reason why there's such a high pay for working those hours.

you brought up a good point.

mondays are my "dead day". i do nothing but rest, swim, relaxing stuff to let my body recover from the past 3 days.

and christy's right...weekends are no cake walk! i work much harder on sat/sun than i do on fridays.

i'll tell you what nurses used to tell me when i was younger. "you are young, you can handle it"

NewRNdreams · Aug 20, 2009

Sending MUCH love to everyone thanks for taking the time out to answer post:heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat

I think its awesome that we can share our experiences with one another on this site....:heartbeat

Wishing all nurses and nurses to be much love and happiness.

Someone told me on this site that happiness comes from within and it surley does. SO make a conscious chioce to be HAPPY in LIFE.. its all up to YOU:p:p