What is a typical RN working hours?

[flyingfish2u]

I want to know what is the typical working hours for RN by job and setting. I suppose RN working a inpatient hospital are different from outpatient setting. How many hours is a typical shift (8? 10? 12?)? How do you schedule your hours? Does it vary by week or month? Do you have to work weekends, nights and holidays? If you are new RN do you get stuck with horrible hours? Currently, i'm in business consulting and my hours are pretty much 8-6ish with weekends and holidays off. I'm thinking about switching careers and should know what I'm getting into. Thanks in advance.

[shortstuph0]

It all depends on where you work.. typically in a hospital setting your working 8 or 12 hour shifts, every other weekend and rotating on holidays. I didnt get jipped being a new nurse at my job but like I said it all depends on where your work... you sound like you want a doctors office job for those hours. If you work on a specialty floor in the hospital like endoscopy you dont have to work holidays or weekends.. ive always worked on a med\surg floor though. Being a nurse you could work in insurance (9-5), there are a lot of options available as a nurse.. thats why I love it!!

[flyingfish2u]

Thanks for the info. Can you elaborate on the 8 or 12 hour shifts? Does it vary by the type of nursing jobs? So if you are on a 12 hour shift, do you work only 3 - 4 days per week?

[RNSacht]

I work 12 hours shifts, I only work 3 days a week. Every other weekend is 12 hours as well. I luv, luv, luv my 12 hours shifts. I feel like I work part time, and when you take a vacation day or personal day, or holiday you are only working 2 days that week!!!!!!!!!! Most of the 8 hour people end up staying late because days are so busy, I must honestly say as a 12 hour shifter, I never stay late, maybe 15 minutes once I stayed 1/2 hour late. The 3-7 that your staying tends to be a little slower (7a-7p) If I did not work twelve hour shifts I would work registery. I am very happy and I am a 39 year old who just graduated last december and have been employed for 8 months now. Good luck:nurse:

[msfutureRN20]

i have a question..

is that "weekend" you have every so often usually included in your three days a week?

you say you work three days a week, but then when you have to do those weekends is it three days in total- but the weekend takes up 2 of those days

or is it just your three days but when you have to do weekends its an extra 2 (meaning that's 5 days a week)?

[caliotter3]

This totally depends on the place of employment, the position applied for, and the circumstances under which the person is hired.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

For the record, the OP earned an accelerated BSN degree a while back and is presumably doing well in his/her new career.

[jennafezz]

It's always interesting to me when an old post gets dug up and the OP continued to be a member here so we can see what happened to them.