Question for experienced nurses....

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Specializes in infection control, peds, home infusion.

i am a new grad, currently waiting to take the ncelx. i have interviewed for several hospital positions, but because i have small children and my availability is limited (weekends), i suspect that i am not looked upon very favorably job wise. right now, i am working as a lpn in homecare until i pass the nclex rn, and i think i may honestly stay there. my question is, are there any nurses at your facility who just work weekends? and have you ever heard of new grads getting weekend positions?

thanks,

jenn gn:balloons:

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I think anyone would be nuts to pass over someone who wants to work weekends!!

If you could only work weekdays that would be entirely different, but most people don't want the weekends. Thus someone who does should be pretty desireable.

The only issue might be in orientation. If the facility has a new grad program that requires full-time days for a while, they may not take you if you couldn't do that.

Best of luck in finding something!

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I've never heard of a new grad hired for a weekend only position. You would at least need to work during the week for orientation and maybe a bit beyond -- if you are lucky enough to get such a position at all. If you are at all interested in inpatient, hospital nursing, I suggest you start looking for child care options for at least a few months until you get some experience under your belt.

But nothing is 100% certain. You could always get lucky.

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Specializes in infection control, peds, home infusion.

orientation is not a problem, working for an extended period of time during the weekdays is. i have three children, the oldest being three and a half, and day care really isn't an option i would like to explore. i guess i will stay where i am for now.

thank you for your responses.

jenn gn:balloons:

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

There are several nurses on my unit who work the weekend program. However, they all have a minimum of 5 years experience as RNs. As for new GNs, I know they are not allowed to work part-time, let alone just weekends, while on orientation because of the amount of time it requires. And I'm 99.9% sure that they still can't work it after orientation until they have a certain amount of experience behind them.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

New grads can work only weekends where I work, but they are part time workers, usually per diem.

The "weekend option" where the nurses get the premium big bucks for working every weekend is only available to charge capable RNs, so new grads are shut out of that option.

Good luck in finding something that fits. It never hurts to apply and ask for what you need, because the worst that can happen is they say no. New grads have been asking for and getting many things in today's market.

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Specializes in LTC Pharmacy.

In the facilities I visit, they're always happy to get somebody who wants a Baylor shift.

But you need to be prepared to go through orientation; generally on the weekends it always seems you're operating with reduced staff, and you can be out there with your tail in the wind in no time. I wouldn't advise it for a new grad. You mentioned you'd applied for hospital jobs; have you thought about LTC?

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