Nursing Schedule

Moved to the Nursing in Canada forum

Full time as an inpatient unit hospital nurse (excluding OR, Dialysis, and many other specialty units etc) in BC is 12 hr shifts with 4 shifts in a row and 4 days off. You can get 5 days off occasionally and many times it is a predetermined stat day where you get paid 7.5 hrs for that day off. Anything less than that is part time, and no matter part or full time your shifts rotate. 2days 2nights, occasionally 3 d/1 n, 1d/3n etc... casuals are like on-call or per diems, they can get pre booked to work as a relief for vacation or leaves or they can choose to pick up immediate shifts (due to sick calls) that come available as a daily basis. Casuals make good money, can get pension and benefits (which you pay to get but can get 100% reimbursement if working more than 975 hrs a year). Regular full time, part time workers have other perks during maternity leave, benefits are free to enroll, and etc..

I work about 7 shifts (days and nights mixed) per 2 week pay period. So about 14-15 shifts a month depending on the schedule (sometimes I only have 3 days off between my rotations...)

Don't know much about non hospital/inpatient unit jobs but even in nursing homes you rotate 2 shifts, between 8 hr day, evening or night shifts. Hope that helps.

For casuals on my surgical unit, you get about 6-7 shifts pre-booked per month. The rest of shifts you get from short calls like staff calling in sick.

For full time, it's mostly 2 days, 2 nights and then 4-5 days off. That's the normal rotation for full time lines.