Working on weekends!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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????

There may be some hospital options depending upon your area. I was looking into some hospitals in different states as my husband and I were not sure where we would be moving. He was interviewing for PhD programs and I'd come with him to some of the interviews and check out the nearby hospitals. There was a hospital in Saint Louis where they told me they had a "very robust" weekend option program so those that worked a regular full time shift only had a weekend every 2-3 months. This is definitely not the case where I work now and in the city I now know where my husband has accepted his PhD offer, but it does exist. If you don't live around such hospitals or have the ability to move, then you may find yourself pretty limited in options.

Good luck with your decision.