Nursing hours for like emergency nurses

[hellobye123]

Okay everyone I am new and also was curious about the nurses hours but specifically the emergency nurses...

So if you wanted to, could you work like everyday except Sunday for 12hours or is your hours and days picked for you?

Thanks people in advance

[ErraticThinker]

Um depends on the unit, the facility and the manager and their needs. One unit I worked on did self scheduling. it was great except when picking vacations because that ultimately came down to seniority, and being new, I was at the bottom.

where i work now, the manager schedules us, and you can put in requests, but ultimately its based on the needs of the unit. I work three nights a week for 36 hours and take on overtime as I want to. I like it. :)

[nottanightingale]

You will likely find yourself working on a weekend if you get a job in an ED. Some facilities require their employees to work either every other weekend or every third weekend. Your schedule will be dictated by facility policy and need. Sadly, there are no "holidays" or "weekends" when you work in healthcare - especially in the ED.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

You may, like, have some degree of control over your schedule, but particularly in the ED you can, like, plan to work a little of every shift.

[BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I work 3 12's, 7p-7a. We have a weekend option, so I don't work very many weekends if I don't want to. We self schedule, and usually get what we ask for.

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

If you are talking about working more than three days a week then you are getting into overtime which the facility would prefer that you not do. So they are not going to schedule you for that.

[hellobye123]

thank you everyone

however another question is... if you ever could work 6 days a week like 12 hours each?

thanks in advance

[ErraticThinker]

Managers try and cut overtime as much as possible because it costs the hospital more money. It's possible that there could be a need, but unlikely, and that's not even getting to the safety aspect of whether anyone should work that many hours as a nurse. Besides, why on earth would you ever want to work 72 hours in one week?

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

thank you everyone

however another question is... if you ever could work 6 days a week like 12 hours each?

thanks in advance

Why on earth would you want to? Don't burn yourself out before you've even left the gate.

Work your three days and have a life. Working every third weekend and every other holiday is limiting enough.

Blee

[hellobye123]

Don't worry! I never said anything about ME wanting to work 72 hours in a week! haha so how much hours do emergency nurses work the most and average? Do virtue hospitals pay less than other ones?

[Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN]

What is a "virtue" hospital? I am unfamiliar with that term.

If there are needs, no staffing office is going to say no to a nurse filling the hole. However, that's not what is always best for the unit.

Most people I work with who are full time work 3 12's per week. Some of the nurses who have a stay-at-home spouse with young children will pick up a fourth (and occasional 5th) day. But that 5th day is rare and when it has to get done, it is unpleasant for the worker and their family.

If you want a taste, start standing at 7am. Walk, very quickly, for three hours, stop only to wash your hands or use some hand sanitizer every 20 minutes or so. Put gloves on and lift a few 100lb. weights off the floor, slide the weights up a bed, transfer that weight from bed to chair to your toilet; then run for 45 minutes. Take 2.5 minutes and urinate. Return three phone calls while you have your TV on full blast and your alarm clock beeping. Give your dog a three step direction. Walk quickly for another 3 hours, remember to smile and carry blankets, crackers and some hot tea. Stop and eat your lunch and down a bottle of water. Call the IRS, navigate the phone tree and talk to a live person while reading a handwriting sample from a four year old (photocopied twice) and spoonfeeding applesauce to a stray cat.

By my reckoning, it's only 1pm. You still have six hours to go.

Blee (who really wouldn't do anything else - but I don't work past my three days unless there's some major incentive)

[Jaybird310]

I work either 3-12s or 2-12s and 2-8s. This usually includes at least one weekend shift a month. Trust me in ER you'll never want to work 6 straight 12s. Rarely are my 12s actually 12s they usually end up being more like 13-15s, unless I have class and have to get out of there on time then I'm lucky enough to have coworkers that'll pick up the slack.