Prospective new job- need advice

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 22, 2018

TL;DR: Is a 4 or 5 day work week worth it to you? Why or why not?

I have worked in jobs with 3 day, 4 days, and 5 day work weeks. Both have ups and downs. The ups to 3 days is that you then have 4 days off each week. The down side is that 12 hours is a long time, and on days you work you may not be able to nor have the energy to do something after work--especially if you have to come back less than 12 hours later.

With a 5 days week, each day is more manageable being "only" 8 hours, and it is easier to do stuff after work and not feel you have to get home to jump into bed (this is from a day shift perspective, of course). The down side, of course, is fewer days off.

If I had to make a choice, I would probably go with the 5 day week, but that is just me talking...however, it depends on what is best for you, and I can't answer that. To me, if you feel isolated from others and have health issues, I think 4 or 5 day weeks are worth it just to get off nights.

EKTheRN · May 22, 2018

If I had to make a choice, I would probably go with the 5 day week, but that is just me talking...however, it depends on what is best for you, and I can't answer that. To me, if you feel isolated from others and have health issues, I think 4 or 5 day weeks are worth it just to get off nights.

Thank you! I guess I've known nothing else aside from 3 12-hour shifts, so I'm scared I won't have time for anything else aside from work. It's really a fear of the unknown I think.

Wuzzie · May 22, 2018

Currently on 10's but going back to 8's ASAP. 10's exhaust me to the point I'm a zombie on my week day off and get nothing done and it feels like I didn't have a day off. With 8's I'm home by 4:30 with energy to spare.

Ruby Vee, BSN · May 22, 2018

Hi all!
As per usual, I am coming to Allnurses with my newest "dilemma." I am currently working 12hr nights, but I recently completed my first phone interview with a hospital offering me a new position. This job is a 36hr work week, split up into two 8hr days and two 10hr days. The recruiter says the day starts between 0530-0630; I have no problem waking up early so that's good. I will have to take call every 5th weekend, and apparently four week days a month.
So basically I want to know what you guys have to think about these hours. Night shift has made me tired, a little isolated from family and friends, and I think I'm experiencing some health issues because of it. I have been searching for a day shift position, so that definitely fits the bill, but I'm not used to the whole 4 or 5 day work week thing. I'm 23 with no family/spouse so the improved work hours are beneficial to me solely because it'll (hopefully) fix my sleep schedule. That said, is it worth working 4 days a week for the sake of my sanity? At my current position, we do self-scheduling so I can be off work for 6 or 7 day stretches if I want. Obviously that won't be happening in this new position.
TL;DR: Is a 4 or 5 day work week worth it to you? Why or why not?

It definitely would not be worth it to me. I accepted a temporary position teaching -- Monday through Thursday, 8-10 hour days. I was excited about the teaching opportunity and about being on a "normal" schedule after years of nights and rotating shifts. Although I absolutely loved the teaching, the hours nearly killed me. I couldn't WAIT to go back to my three 12-hour night shifts!

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 22, 2018

Thank you! I guess I've known nothing else aside from 3 12-hour shifts, so I'm scared I won't have time for anything else aside from work. It's really a fear of the unknown I think.

The way I figured it, on those 12 hour days there was, usually, going to be nothing else besides work. Either I got out of work too late to do something, or I was to tired to do anything productive. As Wuzzie said, I still have the energy (and time) to do something after I get out of work.