Scheduling flexibility

well... the unit I work in uses the 'self schedule' concept. Kind of a pain for the scheduler, but she's awesome and works really hard at it. About 4 weeks before the next schedule comes out there's a blank schedule that we put our wishes on. Most people work the same days each week, other's don't care what days they work. If there are days you can't work, we submit a request. Day people work days, night people work nights. I'm a weekend nights person, but I can pick up day shifts if I want.... Weekends rotate, but there's usually people who want to work weekends.... We don't have call shifts.

by 24's do you mean 2 shifts per week? most hospitals don't schedule floor nurses for 24 hour shifts. I used to work for the flight program and we worked 24's but that's not going to get you into CRNA school.... (neither will out patient surgery) For the most part nursing schedules are flexible.... but each unit has a core number of nurses that they have to fill per shift, regardless of peoples wishes....

Good luck!

If circumstances in my life make working Fri, Sat, Sun, necessary, I only have to go to my manager and request those days. At the start of the new schedule

those will be my scheduled days. If I request two days a week, my manager will comply if at all possible. It's harder to switch shifts, as I would have to wait til there is an opening on the shift I want. We are allowed to trade shifts anytime as long as no OT is involved. I work med/surg, I think ICU, OR, ER.....are different matters and scheduling is much tighter.

In short, with my manager no request is out of bounds. I usually only have to ask. I have asked for and received all the special scheduling requests above.

This is all incredibly variable. It all depends on what part of the country you work in, who your employer is, etc, whether they run 8 or 12 hour shifts, etc.

That said, I think in most hospital setting the easiest way to get flexible hours is to work in the float pool. Usually there are quite a few float nurses in the pool and you can (mostly) pick your hours. Probably some weekends, even E/O will be required, but you could probably work every weekend too if that worked for you. You can either be an appointment to the float pool (like .5, .8, whatever) or truly supplemental at an 0.0. Usually no appointment supplementals you can absolutely get whatever you want but you are also the first to get cancelled. You can also get whatever you want by working a staffing agency, but again, the cancel rate can be high depending on the market. Some nurses I work with are having trouble getting supplemental agency work right now after the economy tanked.

If you want anesthesia, you are going to want to be a critical care float. Usually, you need at least a year of FT experience in critical care to get a job floating as an ICU nurse. You are probably going to have to work FT in critical care for a year (or longer as a part-timer) if anesthesia is your goal no matter what.

Hope that helps you.

Misha, the vast majority of posters who got "berated" were responded to in that manner because of the outlandish expectations they had with scheduling. The "I'm about to graduate but I don't want to work any nights, weekends, holidays, call, when the weather is nice, when the weather is bad" sort. In addition the "paying your dues" idea isn't so much that as it is most places go by seniority. As a new employee you won't have much in the way of seniority so you likely won't have first dibs at the schedule. If you work in the hospital setting you will definitely be working weekends, half the holidays and likely, but not always, night shift. It's just the way it works out. I'm not sure what you mean by "take 24s" but the only staff position I know of that do 24's are flight nurses and even those shifts are going by the wayside. There is some, but not much flexibility in the standard floor nurses schedule and again as a newbie you will probably have last pick. Usually the weekend assignment is every other or every third if you're lucky. Holidays are often the same way although some places do it by lottery. You mentioned out-patient surgery centers. I have to tell you those are plum positions that are unlikely to go to a new grad. The same with clinics. I admire you for knowing what you want to do (CRNA) but I'm not sure you realize that CRNA schools require 3-5 years of full-time ICU/CVCU or other critical care nursing just to get in the door. Most managers don't give a flying fig what is convenient for you. Their priority is attempting to make sure there is adequate staffing so they will plug you in where it is convenient for them. I'm not trying to throw a wet blanket on your enthusiasm but this is the reality of nursing and it's really important that you know it beforeyou decide to go into nursing school.

Thank you all very much for your replies.

I meant to be asking about flexibility while working specifically as a CRNA, not as an RN in the time preceding schooling for a CRNA. That is how I got the idea of CRNAs doing 24 hour shifts... not staff nurses ! Sorry for any confusion.

I understand all the experience necessary to get to school, getting the experience is not a problem (fingers crossed), I have worked in an ICU the past summer and am externing there this summer, hoping to get a job offer after graduation next year! It is a MICU, I do understand it may benefit me more to get experience in a CTICU. I have no problem working nights/weekends/ whatever in my time as an RN, but I do thank you for trying to make me aware of all situations!

I just wanted to check on the flexibility of shifts of my end goal of CRNA.... I am basically getting the jist that it varies depending on where you are - that's life, huh?

Thank you!!

Misha, the vast majority of posters who got "berated" were responded to in that manner because of the outlandish expectations they had with scheduling. The "I'm about to graduate but I don't want to work any nights, weekends, holidays, call, when the weather is nice, when the weather is bad" sort. In addition the "paying your dues" idea isn't so much that as it is most places go by seniority. As a new employee you won't have much in the way of seniority so you likely won't have first dibs at the schedule. If you work in the hospital setting you will definitely be working weekends, half the holidays and likely, but not always, night shift. It's just the way it works out. I'm not sure what you mean by "take 24s" but the only staff position I know of that do 24's are flight nurses and even those shifts are going by the wayside. There is some, but not much flexibility in the standard floor nurses schedule and again as a newbie you will probably have last pick. Usually the weekend assignment is every other or every third if you're lucky. Holidays are often the same way although some places do it by lottery. You mentioned out-patient surgery centers. I have to tell you those are plum positions that are unlikely to go to a new grad. The same with clinics. I admire you for knowing what you want to do (CRNA) but I'm not sure you realize that CRNA schools require 3-5 years of full-time ICU/CVCU or other critical care nursing just to get in the door. Most managers don't give a flying fig what is convenient for you. Their priority is attempting to make sure there is adequate staffing so they will plug you in where it is convenient for them. I'm not trying to throw a wet blanket on your enthusiasm but this is the reality of nursing and it's really important that you know it beforeyou decide to go into nursing school.

I agree with everything in this post with one exception. While some CRNA schools may require 3-5 years experience in critical care--and in fact that is about the average for those accepted--all of the schools that I have looked at (all in Michigan) only REQUIRE 1 year in critical care.

I'm pretty sure the OP was asking about anesthesia shifts. Yes, most hospitals do have 24-hr shifts for CRNAs. The options really depend on where you work. And even if CRNAs have to work a certain number of night/weekend shifts per pay period, there is usually someone willing to trade for them, pick up call, etc.

Hmmm... I think the posters above did not realize that you posted this in the CRNA section and they seemed to misread your question. From what I got, you are asking about flexibility as a CRNA, not as an RN. Unfortunately, I can't answer your question either, because I'm pre-CRNA as well... but I hope someone can. I'd imagine that your schedule would be most flexible if you worked for a large hospital or large private practice with lots of CRNAs.

Also... to the poster that said you need 3-5 years of ICU experience to get into CRNA school... that is not true. Many schools only require 1 year, and others are 2 years. Some people or schools may recommend more than 1 or 2 years, but it is not a requirement. Some people have even gotten into CRNA school with less than a year experience at application time, due to the fact that they would have a year's experience when they began school, since you apply 6 months to a year beforehand.

Anyway, good luck misha, and I hope someone answers your question lol.

haha @ RN 543, thanks, and good luck with your own career!!

srna: thank you, i'm getting the idea if you work in a hospital you can pretty much work any time of day/week? that's very nice!

Wtbcrna, as you can see, I posted about CNM in January. That was a fleeting thought after my OB rotation and I have since decided it is not for me. I have been interested in anesthesia since I was a sophomore in high school. I see no harm in asking about all options for my career, because if I decide anesthesia does not hold the flexibility I desire, I want to see what other advanced practice options hold; I just want a good balance in my life, and if I think I can find happiness in being a FNP in a critical care setting I see no reason why not to inquire about that. All I want to do is further my education to the highest level possible so that I have autonomy in what I choose to do.

Congratulations on picking up on all the posts though ... and thank you for the information in the last line.