Don't get me wrong - I expected weekend and holiday work when I became a nurse. At my current job, I work every other weekend, Fri/Sat/Sun. The 3 shifts in a row are hard enough, let alone them being my entire weekend every other one. I'm usually there between 13-14 hours (again, I know that's often the case with a nursing job).
I'm just wondering how often others have to work over the weekends? I just found out 2 of my friends that work in hospitals and only have to work 2 weekend days per month.
I like my job but the schedule is difficult. Just looking to see if this is the norm or not. Thanks
As a nurse, it's every third weekend for me. But at the other hospital I was a tech at last year, they had weekend option RNs. All the non weekend option RNs only had to do 2 weekend shifts per month (Friday, Saturday or Sunday).
When I worked in the hospital it was every third weekend either Friday-Sunday or Saturday- Monday. Now I work in a walk in clinic we work every other weekend and the same Friday -Sunday or Saturday-Monday. I like the hours because I have 3 days after the weekend. I worked in a Monday-Friday job and hated it. I prefer to have the 3-4 days off at a time especially like being off during the week. I can go to appt, shop when everyone else is at work.
We pick up 4-5 weekend shifts in six weeks. How I pick those shifts up is up to me. When The Walking Dead is not on, I often schedule myself for Sunday/Monday/Tuesday to get rid of the "weekends" without giving up Fridays and Saturdays, which I like to have to myself.
We self schedule and are required to work 6 weekend days in a 6 week schedule. Weekends are considered Sat/Sun for day shift and Fri/Sat/Sun for night shift. I work nights and will either do Thurs/Fri/Sat or Sun/Mon/Tues, but not all in one week. One nurse used to work 6 in a row (Thurs-Tues) then he would be off for 8 days.
At the nursing home that I used to work at, it was every other Saturday and Sunday. I was a CNA, but the nurses had the same weekend schedules as the CNAs.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Our schedules are pretty set, working 3 on 1 off 3 on, 7 off. So I always work the same nights, every other week, which ends up being every other weekend. It's a lot in that week working but then having 7 straight days off is great. And if we work any concurrent weekends (so if I picked up on my weekend off) we get premium pay. I'm curious as to why 3 in a row is so difficult, no judgment, as you get your entire week done at once and then have the rest of the week free.
When you get older, you find it more difficult to be on your feet for 12 hours straight more than one or two days in a row. Plus, you can't really do anything except work, sleep and commute. It was fine when I was in my twenties, thirties and even forties . . . but now that I'm 60 it's definitely more difficult.
When you get older, you find it more difficult to be on your feet for 12 hours straight more than one or two days in a row. Plus, you can't really do anything except work, sleep and commute. It was fine when I was in my twenties, thirties and even forties . . . but now that I'm 60 it's definitely more difficult.
I have a nurse I used to work with who works 6 in a row at the place I used to work and then, she might take a night or two off and then works about the same at another facility...she's 62. I know she's able to do it because her husband is amazing support.
NurseIndependa
113 Posts
As a nurse, it's every third weekend for me. But at the other hospital I was a tech at last year, they had weekend option RNs. All the non weekend option RNs only had to do 2 weekend shifts per month (Friday, Saturday or Sunday).