Schedules: Help!!

[pediatricnurse13]

Hey all!

Recently, our hospital organization has pulled self-scheduling. We are now going to a master rotation of "our choice"...either two days, two night, five off (DDNN, five off) OR continental (2 weeks of days, 2 weeks of nights).

I NEED HELP! I would like your opinions on what works better with kids, family, etc. DDNN works better for time off...but we end up working 6/8 partial weekends. Continental you work 5 days in 1 week week, then 2 days in the next week...you feel like your always at work, BUT you get every other weekend off.

DDNN would look like:

Monday: Days

Tuesday: Days

Wednesday: Nights

Thursday: Nights

Friday: Off

Saturday: Off

Sunday: Off

Monday: Off

Tuesday: Off

Continental would look like:

Monday: Days

Tuesday: Days

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Off

Friday: Days

Saturday: Days

Sunday: Days

PLEASE HELP!

[peabozzle]

ugh, says the nurse that works 4 10-hour shifts, days, no weekends, minimal holidays & some call. This is so dependent on what works for each individual. There is no right (or wrong) answer. That being said, right now in my life I would pick continental. I know I personally would not function working both days & nights....no can do!

[GM2RN]

ugh, says the nurse that works 4 10-hour shifts, days, no weekends, minimal holidays & some call. This is so dependent on what works for each individual. There is no right (or wrong) answer. That being said, right now in my life I would pick continental. I know I personally would not function working both days & nights....no can do!

I totally agree that it's very individual. My hospital only requires nurses to work every third weekend but I volunteered to work every other so that I could work six in a row and have eight days off. The only time my schedule varies is if it's my turn to work a holiday that falls outside of my normal schedule. You have to decide what works best for you at this point in your life and go with that. Personally, I wouldn't like either schedule.