Working on weekends!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 16, 2019

On 3/14/2019 at 6:53 AM, PubSub said:
Hi, I will be graduating ASN school this year and long story short, I do not want to work weekends... Now before you jump down my throat I didn't say I will not work weekends. I am in the Navy reserves and average 1-2 weekends gone per month. I have a 3 year old and a 5 year old and do not want to miss out on everything, I know I will miss out on somethings though! (I have been on three 8 month deployments in the last 8 years). Here is the tricky part, I want to pursue my BSN and my dream is to become a Nurse Practitioner one day. I know I need valuable working experience to be the best Nurse I can be. My wife and I have already talked about it and worst case, we understand I may be gone on every weekend for a couple years! What type of unit do I apply to work to get the best experience without working weekends? Thanks in advance!

Your kids are young -- the five year old will be in school a half day at most. This is the time to work the weekends to get the experience that you need. Perhaps it is also the time to re-think the Navy reserves.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 16, 2019

On 3/14/2019 at 8:07 PM, Miss.LeoRN said:
The only real advice I have is to be sure you find out what the specific weekend requirements are to whatever hospital or unit you are applying to, when you apply. Don't go by what is on the job posting.
When I applied to the place I am now, it listed "Every other weekend" as a requirement. After I was hired, I found out this wasn't necessarily true. The requirement was 5 weekend shifts per 6 week scheduling period. I thought that was great. When I asked what counted as weekend shifts, I was told Friday, Saturday. So I had to schedule myself 5 shifts that fell on either Friday, or Saturday. After I did my first scheduling period, I also found out that the unit had Sunday/Monday requirements, and that I was required to work 4 shifts in a 6 week period. I was actually annoyed by this, because it wasn't in my contract and isn't policy, but "unit policy".
Good luck to you.

When you asked about the "every other weekend" requirement, did you ask HR or the manager of that unit? Because managers often have scheduling requirements that are different from the basic requirements HR is aware of. The manager is responsible for staffing her unit, and if she knows (because it's a surgical unit, perhaps) that census is often much lower on Sundays and much higher on Mondays, people will work fewer Sundays and more Mondays. Unit policy is valid.

TriciaJ, RN · Mar 16, 2019

On 3/14/2019 at 6:07 PM, Miss.LeoRN said:
The only real advice I have is to be sure you find out what the specific weekend requirements are to whatever hospital or unit you are applying to, when you apply. Don't go by what is on the job posting.
When I applied to the place I am now, it listed "Every other weekend" as a requirement. After I was hired, I found out this wasn't necessarily true. The requirement was 5 weekend shifts per 6 week scheduling period. I thought that was great. When I asked what counted as weekend shifts, I was told Friday, Saturday. So I had to schedule myself 5 shifts that fell on either Friday, or Saturday. After I did my first scheduling period, I also found out that the unit had Sunday/Monday requirements, and that I was required to work 4 shifts in a 6 week period. I was actually annoyed by this, because it wasn't in my contract and isn't policy, but "unit policy".
Good luck to you.

If your unit is operating outside the contract, you have grounds to file a grievance. There will of course be repercussions for doing this, so you have to decide if this is a hill you want to die on. But "hospital policy" and "unit policy" do not supercede a collectively-bargained, ratified, legally-binding contract. Your manager will try to make you believe they do, but they don't.

LM NY · Mar 16, 2019

We work every other weekend in my hospital. When my kids are off from school for breaks, I prefer to work the weekend and be home with them during the week. The only places I can think of that don’t require weekends are clinics and inpatient/outpatient procedural units like GI procedures or IR. However, chances they will hire a new grad is slim to none. Good luck!

adreamdeferred, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 16, 2019

Research the facilities around you. Weekend rotation varies. I have worked from every weekend to every other, every two, every third and and even every 5th. Yeah every 5th was lovely.

vampiregirl, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2019

What area of nursing are you interested in working in for you NP goal? Have you talked to any NP's who work in that area to find out what experience might be most helpful?

Also, is a hospital where you are sure you want to work? There are many other nursing setting which some posters have mentioned. I wouldn't rule out nursing homes - it's hard work but I got some great experience as a new grad working in nursing homes that has served me well as I've continued my nursing career.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 16, 2019

4 hours ago, TriciaJ said:
If your unit is operating outside the contract, you have grounds to file a grievance. There will of course be repercussions for doing this, so you have to decide if this is a hill you want to die on. But "hospital policy" and "unit policy" do not supercede a collectively-bargained, ratified, legally-binding contract. Your manager will try to make you believe they do, but they don't.

Assuming there is a union and hence, a contract.

TriciaJ, RN · Mar 16, 2019

1 hour ago, Ruby Vee said:
Assuming there is a union and hence, a contract.

OP said "...it wasn't in my contract..." Otherwise, in this country I would not assume there is a union.

advicenurse1, ADN, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2019

Unfortunately being a new nurse, weekends are more than likely going to be required on all hospital units. Maybe you could look into ambulatory care or doctors office.

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2019

Apply for a PRN position and ask to be scheduled for weekends. You should be able to get almost any job working weekends and one day of the week if you can make that work. I am not hearing that you need a full-time position.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2019

Dont want to work weekends huh, you need experience,this is not a corporate job,you think we all wanted to work weekends,leave our families ?You are expecting too much too soon .You have a contract with the military,you must abide by that first,and then learn to plan and work your way around to fulfill your goals.

Good luck

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 17, 2019

10 hours ago, Workitinurfava said:
Apply for a PRN position and ask to be scheduled for weekends. You should be able to get almost any job working weekends and one day of the week if you can make that work. I am not hearing that you need a full-time position.

Why are you advising someone who specifically states that they don't want to work weekends to get a job where she works every weekend????