Any other Nurses out there??

RnMom2Be

What kind of nurse are you??  How many hours/wk do you work? Shift? Do you work weekends and/or holidays?

I am currently working in a critical care unit working 24 hours per week (I pick up extra when I want.)  I generally work 3am-3pm (2-12's a week.)  We work every third weekend and every other holiday.  There is a hospital 30 min away that has a weekend-warrior option (you get paid more to work straight weekends.)  I hate missing out on weekends and holidays with my family BUT I only work 2 days per week....so I guess it's a trade-off!

 

MKE6115

I am a NICU nurse, I currently work 3 12 hour shifts a week, 4 weeks of days, 4 weeks of nights but I am going to all days in September. I will be working every other weekend for a few months but hopefully be going back to every third weekend. I do work holidays but that is just part of being a nurse.

I worked a weekend position after I had my son and it was okay for I while but I really missed out on our family time. My husband works M-F so the weekend is the only time we would get to do things as a family. Also now that my kids are older and starting to get into activities I want to be able to go to them.

You just have to do what you think will work best for you and your family. And talk it over with your husband. My husband is hating that I am going back to every other weekend because he said he feels like a single parent when I am gone the weekends. He did great with my son when I worked the weekend position but now with our 3rd on the way and my son in sports I do not want to do that to him.

mrsseguin

I'm an L&D nurse, I work 3 12's from 6pm-6am.  I used to work weekends for a few years...worked 36 hours, got paid for 40.  It sucked working every weekend, but it worked for our schedule.  After DD was born, I got off the weekend shift.  We are only required to work 4 weekend days in a 4 week schedule which is fri, sat and sun. We also have to work 2 winter holidays and 2 summer holidays.  That doesn't include christmas or new years. 

At our hospital, people who only work 2 days per week aren't permitted to work straight weekends.  You have to be full time.  It's a sacrifice, and I wouldn't do it unless it worked better for you.  You miss out on a lot of things or your always tired at events, getting little sleep and having to go in that night as well.  I got off weekends because we weren't spending any time as a family.  DH worked mon-fri.  It just took it's toll on us.  We are both much happier now.

LouRN09

I recently switched jobs, but will tell you my experience from before. For several years, I work 7a-7p 3 days a week on an Oncology floor. I LOVED having those 4 days off, but we also worked every 3rd weekend and holidays. It worked well for us, but I admit, I hated missing so much family stuff on the weekends and holidays. Since I worked in Oncology, I just had this deep deep passion for not missing any valuable time with my family. I guess working on that type of unit really hits you hard. DH also works M-F 8-5 so weekends really were our best family time. I eventually had it with missing so many family, memory-making events that I found another RN position that is in a doctors office and I now work M-F 8-5, no holidays, or weekends. I absolutely LOVE it. Not only did I dread working every 3rd weekend, I couldnt imagine working every single one. It just wasnt worth it to me.

erin_asay

I'm an RN on a perinatal special care unit (high-risk pregnancies). I go back from maternity leave on Sept. 2...yikes! I work 36 hours per week (3-12s). Dayshift 7a-7p. We are required to work 3 weekend days in a 4-week schedule (sat or sun) and holidays. Last year I had to work Thanksgiving AND Christmas since I was a newbie on the unit so this year I'll only have to work New Year's...woohoo!

futuremrsmcnichols

ER nurse. Work 36 hours/week 2p-2a plus on-call approx. 24 hours/week for our Sexual Assault team. We have a rotating hoilday schedule each year, so this year I work Christmas but am off for Thanksgiving and New Years. We are also required to work non-hospital recognized holidays such as Easter, mothers day, and father's day (departmental policy, not hospital). We are required to work 6 weekend shifts out of a 6 week schedule period, which works out to equal every other weekend, but we can work every Sunday and it still counts.

I like working weekends. In the ER, we are not as busy. Everyone always thinks that the weekends are busy in the ER but they aren't too bad. Mondays are the worst days to work in our ED. I would much rather work a weekend than a Monday! Plus, the weekend differential makes it worth it to me.

I love having days off in the middle of the week. I can go to the mall and its not crowded. I can find a parking space close to an entrance. I can get groceries and not wait in line to check out. We can go out to eat and not have to wait 45 minutes to get a table.

My DH used to work straight weekends. He switched to 7a-3p M-F in June and is now back to 6a-6p 3 days a week. he does not self-schedule, so his schedule is set for the rest of the year and a new yearly will come out in December. Us avoiding working weekends is not feasible at this point, but it works out great for us because I do self-scheduling so I can request to work the days he is off and we reduce the need for childcare.

 

steph0501

I am an RN supervisor at a LTAC vent/wound hospital.  I work 3-12s but will be working 2-12s and 1-8 in a couple months (still considered FT).   I work days (7a-7p).  I work every Wed,Fri,Sat (by choice). 

After I had LO, I was considering a weekender position at a local hospital ICU, but decided against it.  I felt that I would possibly miss out on too much at home.  It would have worked great with my family, but my schedule right now works fine too.  With our weekender position, you can only take off 2 weekends per year, and  I didn't like how that limited me.  I guess if I had an option to switch w/ someone and it not be an issue, I would have considered it more.

mommytoconnor

I am an RN and work on high risk OB unit.  I work 3 12 hour shifts a week 6 am -6pm.  I work every 3rd weekend.  We have to work one mandatory on call shift a month (time and a half for entire shift). I love having 4 days off.  It works for my family and I get to spend more time with my son, which is huge.