What type of nurses work regular hours?

ChryssyD · Dec 21, 2017

Well, you can try for a job in a walk-in clinic or doctor's office. Unfortunately, these places usually want nurses with some hospital, or even nursing home, experience, as you need to understand the diagnosis and management of common--and uncommon--conditions in an acute-care setting. But, you could get lucky. Don't count on it, though, especially if you don't live in a big city with many available work options.

Anyway, nurses who really don't want to work long hours or off-shifts can usually find work, but it may take many months. Nursing is not for the faint of heart, or (sorry) the lazy. If you aren't willing to put in the time to do your duty in a 24-7-365 career, maybe you should pursue something like dental hygienist, physical therapy assistant, or massage therapist--good, caring jobs for people who really don't want 24-hour accountability.

Anyway, whatever you choose, best of luck!

Editorial Team / Moderator · Dec 21, 2017

Nursing is not for the faint of heart, or (sorry) the lazy. If you aren't willing to put in the time to do your duty in a 24-7-365 career, maybe you should pursue something like dental hygienist, physical therapy assistant, or massage therapist--good, caring jobs for people who really don't want 24-hour accountability.

Those of us who work Monday-Friday are far from lazy; heck, we work 5 whole days in a row! And I truly am accountable 24 x 7, whereas those of you who work your 12s and go home are only accountable for 12 x 3, unless you take call or work overtime. (In the Army, it was seriously 24 x 7 nursing at a level I hope to never experience again.) I tell you what - while it sounds "easier" to have those set Monday-Friday hours, it's not. I miss my hourly pay and shift differentials and OT, as well as my weekdays off when the rest of the world isn't trying to run the same errands! Lol.

OP, ChryssyD is right - those jobs are scarce right out of the gate, but those 12s have their benefits too. If you really want to be a nurse, embrace the suck for a few years. You might find that you like shift work, or nights - I loved them both, but I also love what I do as an educator. Embracing the suck that is Monday-Friday to do what I love. :)

Everline · Dec 21, 2017

I'm a public health nurse who works M-F, no nights, weekends or holidays. Like most nursing jobs, it can be stressful, fast-paced and requires skills. knowledge and nursing judgment to work independently. I did not get this job as a new grad but rather after hospital and clinic experience. I'm not saying it's impossible to land a job as a PHN as a new grad. But it might be difficult. It obviously depends on the requirements of the public health jobs where you live.

T-Bird78 · Dec 21, 2017

This "lazy" nurse works in a doctor's office BECAUSE I wanted my nights, weekends, and holidays off to be with my family. I work M-F 8:30--5:00-ish. It's typically a fast-paced setting. It's a specialist office so we do minor surgical procedures in the office and we also get some emergent cases that walk in because they want to avoid the ER (typically nosebleeds and foreign bodies) and we've even had the ER send pts over to us! It can get repetitive some days but I still like it. Try a doctor's office or even outpatient surgery center. School nursing also!

S7ud3n7_Nur53 · Dec 21, 2017

I saw some advertised PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) positions that were M-F.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Dec 21, 2017

I saw some advertised PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) positions that were M-F.

How much experience was required? Those are typically coveted spots where I have worked, so not usually given to new grads right out of the gate. :)

S7ud3n7_Nur53 · Dec 21, 2017

How much experience was required? Those are typically coveted spots where I have worked, so not usually given to new grads right out of the gate. :)

You are correct, they were not entry level positions. I haven't even started nursing school yet (I start in 2 weeks), these were just some postings I saw while browsing for CNA/Tech positions at some local hospitals.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Dec 21, 2017

You are correct, they were not entry level positions. I haven't even started nursing school yet (I start in 2 weeks), these were just some postings I saw while browsing for CNA/Tech positions at some local hospitals.

Oooh, good luck! :)

In general, the great thing about nursing is that once you get some experience, it's such a diverse profession that if you don't like your career trajectory, you can reinvent yourself over and over. Getting that initial experience is pretty key, though.

S7ud3n7_Nur53 · Dec 21, 2017

Oooh, good luck! :)
In general, the great thing about nursing is that once you get some experience, it's such a diverse profession that if you don't like your career trajectory, you can reinvent yourself over and over. Getting that initial experience is pretty key, though.

Yeah, it definitely seems you need hospital experience (which includes 12 hr shifts and weekends, maybe nights too) before you can do much else. So OP might be a little sad to hear that haha. But yes, there seems to be tons of options once you get some experience.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2017

I work outpatient elective plastic surgery. We are M-F 7am to whenever we are able to discharge our last patient. It could be 3pm or 5 or 6. No weekends, no nights, no holidays. I actually work PRN, so no five day weeks for me, thank goodness. I did have 15 years experience when I applied for it, though. My background was not OR, but ICU. They were happy to train me.

Get as much high level hospital training as you possibly can, then you can write your own ticket.

HalfBoiled, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2017

Probably ambulatory surgery field or public health.

BUTT those types of branches do require some sort of RN experience depending on hospital and location.