What's the best nursing schedule for me?

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I graduate in 9 months with a BSN and I'm still on the fence about which area of nursing I want to practice. I know that I want either ER or OR. Now it sort of comes down to the typical schedule for each and how they correspond with my family life. I am 35, married, and I have 2 children. I have spent a great deal of time away during the last 3 years of school and now I'm hoping to have more money and time to do things together we have not had the luxury of doing. From what I am hearing around our hospital facilities, OR is Mon-Fri 0630 to 1530 with 2 weeknight on-calls and 1 weekend call a month. ER is 3 12s. Can some of you share what your schedules are really like?

I'm also interested in hearing your opinions on each specialty to further help me weigh the pros and cons and choose a practice most appropriate for me.

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You need actual job offers, first. Then you can pick which one works best for you based on the employer's requirements. And as a new grad, you may not get into either area right away (although it's not impossible).

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Actually, all three hospitals in my area hire grads in the OR and ER. In our program, we do have some choice as to where we precept in our last semester. I'm trying to make the most educated decision so that I might end up somewhere I like and possibly increase my chances of hiring on after graduation. I know that you don't just get to walk into any position you want. That was not my question.

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I work 3/12s (nights) on a cardiac floor. No weekends since we have dedicated weekend staff. I would pick the ED so that you could get acute care nursing experience. It would also open many doors for you in the future. Do what you feel is best for you and your family though. Good luck to you.

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