unusual schedule

westieluv · Apr 28, 2012

Our hospice has two RNs who do that and alternate every other week. It's one of those things where when it's good, it's very good (getting paid to stay home and sleep) and when it's bad, it can be AWFUL! (no sleep for hours on end for several nights in a row). I used to do twelve hour on-call shifts from home but only every other weekend, Friday and Saturday nights. Even that could kick your butt if you got enough calls.

That seven 16 hr. nights on in a row, seven 16 hr. nights off in a row schedule is not for the faint hearted. Sure, you get seven days off every other week, but one of our on-call nurses who does that told me that most weeks you need the first 2-3 days to just get rested up and feel normal, so it really ends up feeling more like a long weekend off. Also, you have to work every other weekend, so taking a week's vacation would mean leaving on a Friday morning and getting home by the following Thursday evening, which isn't like taking a true week off with your five days off sandwiched between a couple of weekends off.

I used to think that I would like to to the seven on/seven off thing if a spot ever opened up, but not anymore.

margaretptz · Apr 29, 2012

Thanks for your input. I think I am going to like it.

westieluv · Apr 29, 2012

That's good, a lot of people do and it's perfect for them. I hope it goes well and you really like it. : )