Working Less Than 8-Hour Shifts?

Nurses General Nursing

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I was thinking about working 6-days a week, but for 6-hour shifts each day, in a schedule that doesn't change (working Sundays but taking Saturdays off) for a total of 36 hours a week as a CNA, once I get my Certification and a job, and continuing this practice all the way into my BSRN making more money, and I get Married with Kids, at which point I would decrease to 5 days a week, but keep the 6-hours a day.

I know the standard is 5 days a week and 8 or 12 hours work shifts a day for Nurses.

Do any you work less than 8-hours a Day Non-Rotating Work Shifts?

or

Do you know of anyone who does this?

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

For CNA positions I know that some SNFs have shorter shifts at busier times, like around morning, bedtime and meals. We used to have a 5am-11am position, then a 3pm-9pm position to help people getting up and then going to bed. 

As others have mentioned, though, finding a set schedule in the healthcare field is challenging, especially in the beginning. You're expected to be flexible and rotate, both a benefit and a drawback of the field.

Good luck finding what works for you. (I chuckled that you capitalized Married with Kids, although it is certainly an important event)

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Specializes in Med surg/tele.

I’ve never heard of a regular schedule like that. My current job (hospital med surg) has PRN and “part time” positions that must work 8 hours per pay period. They can pick up any days as they want and generally not required any weekend or holiday hours but can choose to work those if they want. Generally speaking there’s usually holes that work for people to get what they’re looking for. All hours worked must be in 4 hour increments, so you can work 4, 8, 12 or 16 hour shifts. If we are low census though they are the first to be called off. There are times we are well staffed on days and nights are staffed terribly and vise versa. 

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

You can go per diem or PRN and may get to find hours like that. But for the most part, hours will be 8, 12, or maybe 16. You can't go in asking for special treatment, but you can say you are interested in partial shifts if they are available.

Good luck.

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I work at a Methadone clinic and we have shorter hours. 4:45a-12:00. :)

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Specializes in Community health.

I don’t right now, but if you’re a part-time employee (as I am) you might be able to pull it off. At one point I worked 8-1 five days a week. I’m in outpatient and our clinic is busiest in the mornings, so they were happy when I suggested it. If you want full-time though, and it sounds like you do, this will be hard to find. Not impossible, but hard. 

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Specializes in oncology.
On 5/16/2021 at 1:14 PM, Davey Do said:

Since my wife worked full time, I was able to get on her insurance.

This was a thought of mine...you probably would not be eligible for health insurance. 

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Do you mind answering why you want 6-hour shifts for 6 days a week? Unless you live right next door to a facility, working more days a week means you're doing more unpaid (commuting, parking, paying for gas) than if you worked slightly longer hours on fewer days.  

There probably are jobs that would allow you to work 6-hour blocks, but they're not likely to be in the obvious facilities to get work (nursing home, hospital, etc.).  You might find a specialty clinic that allows shorter periods, or some home health jobs, but finding those may involve networking as well as a bit of luck.

As for the set shifts, hospitals tend not to do them, but some nursing homes  and home care agencies do.  My ex-SIL worked at a nursing home with the same weekdays each week, with alternating weekends.  At my hospital, no weekdays are set, but the 8-hour nurses work every other weekend, while 12-hour nurses just have to work 3 weekend shifts in a 4-week period, so there's a bit more flexibility there. Sometimes managers may agree not to schedule an employee for a particular day of the week, but it's usually a courtesy for a specific short-term commitment (like you have class on Wednesdays this semester).

Is not working Saturday a preference or a need?  I ask because I do know a couple of nurses who negotiated working every Sunday in return for no Saturdays.  In their case, they are orthodox Jews who do not work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday for religious reasons.  This was negotiated upfront at their time of hire, and the organization is big enough that they can be a bit flexible with the schedule. Not all facilities can or will do this, but you have a better chance if you can provide a really solid reason to show you need Saturdays off.

 

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9 hours ago, londonflo said:

This was a thought of mine...you probably would not be eligible for health insurance. 

I don't see why he wouldn't qualify for benefits.  If he could find a position that allowed this schedule he would be working 36 hours/week. 

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On 5/16/2021 at 12:27 PM, ChristopherGllardoJr. said:

I know the standard is 5 days a week and 8 or 12 hours work shifts a day for Nurses.

I just want to touch on this, because a 5-day work week is rare for nurses. 12-hour nurses work 3 days per week.  8-hour nurses usually work 4. My facility has a few nurses who have 40 control hours (5 8-hour shifts per week), but because nurses almost never get out exactly on time, those RNs pull in overtime every single pay period.  The hospital doesn't like that, so rarely do 40-hour positions get posted. In most places, full time is 32 or 36 control hours, which basically provides a buffer for emergencies, shift report, or finishing charting.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.
On 5/16/2021 at 9:18 PM, Nunya said:

I don't think any job (edit: any hospital or LTC job) will let you take every Saturday off, even if you work every Sunday.  That would be splitting up your weekend which means someone else would have to split up their weekend, and people will scream.  Now you can certainly trade with people to get Saturdays off.  You might be able to get a certain weekday off every week but not a weekend.

I would be willing to trade with whomever I need to. I can't work Friday sundown to Saturday sundown: Sabbath Holy Rest Day.

Also take every Holy Day or Time off, not traditional, but based off The Holy Bible only. Example: I don't take Christmas or Hannakah off, because these are not Holy Days.

I am a religiously devout Christian=Messianic. I wasn't physically born Jewish, but was grafted in Spiritually through Jesus into Israel. Therefore I consider myself Spiritually Jewish who follows Jesus.

 

I wouldn't mind working 8 hour days until I have kids, but by that time I hope to already be a RN with my BSN, 6 hour work days would make that easier.

 

I mentioned 6 days a week for work, because Sunday-Friday is the time for work, I wouldn't mind working those days, just can't work Saturday.

 

Having a set schedule is a must, it is medically recommended to sleep the same time for the same amount every night at the same time.

 

I want experience in a variety of locations, not just stick to Nursing Homes.

 

Thank you all for your wonderfully informative replies and suggestions!

 

I have learned quite a lot!

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5 hours ago, ChristopherGllardoJr. said:

I would be willing to trade with whomever I need to. I can't work Friday sundown to Saturday sundown: Sabbath Holy Rest Day.

This might be accommodated. Consider an Adventist Hospital

Also take every Holy Day or Time off, not traditional, but based off The Holy Bible only. Example: I don't take Christmas or Hannakah off, because these are not Holy Days.

This may or may not be accommodated.

I wouldn't mind working 8 hour days until I have kids, but by that time I hope to already be a RN with my BSN, 6 hour work days would make that easier.

This won't happen in acute care. You might find a clinic or other alternative site that would be willing to do this.

Having a set schedule is a must, it is medically recommended to sleep the same time for the same amount every night at the same time.

Again, this is highly unlikely in acute care. Also you may not find a day shift as a new grad. 

I want experience in a variety of locations, not just stick to Nursing Homes.

With your requirements you may have difficulty finding a job anywhere. 

 

 

 

 

I'm seriously not trying to tinkle in your Wheaties but I think a reality check is in order. You want day shift, set days, 6 hour shifts, 6 days a week (with a place to shower) and I just don't think you're going to find this unicorn in nursing. I mean, you might, but most places are just not going to yield to this very specific set of demands. 

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
15 minutes ago, Wuzzie said:

I'm seriously not trying to tinkle in your Wheaties but I think a reality check is in order. You want day shift, set days, 6 hour shifts, 6 days a week (with a place to shower) and I just don't think you're going to find this unicorn in nursing. I mean, you might, but most places are just not going to yield to this very specific set of demands. 

PLUS you're not even qualified for the job(s) you want yet. 

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