5 answers
Hannah
Student
Decatur, Illinois
3
Questions
Asked
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What does your weekends normally are like within your field?
I am on my way to getting a CNA and been wanting to be a RN with a bachelor's, and I'm wondering if I will have weekends off or if/when I have weekends if it would be like weekdays?
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5 answers
Tricia Nicks
Nurse: RN, MSN Nursing Education
10
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Tricia’s Answer
Great question - honestly, all schedules are available within nursing. It is a factor to consider this prior to accepting a position, for your work schedule is highly impactful on your general well-being. Generally, most novice positions within the hospital and long-term care (LTC) will have your weekend schedule on a cadence such as every other weekend, every third weekend, etc. Some places have self-scheduling with criteria such as selecting 2-weekend shifts (any variation of 12 hrs Fri Nite, Sat Day, Sat Nite, Sun Day, Sun Nite) in a 4 week period.
Now, if you don't want /can't work weekends there are options. School nursing like in an elementary school, ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) often have M-F hours of operation, home health is a possibility, as is hospice care, mental health clinics, community support within the Public Health District, some units within the hospital might only be open M-F like the GI lab doing procedures, or outpatient chemotherapy.
When I started, 29 years ago, I worked acute care for years - often 12-hour shifts, with alternating weekends, sometimes only days, sometimes only nights, sometimes a rotation that included both days and nights.
Working in a hospital on weekends can be different from weekdays, there is often less activity and staff/leadership in the building. One reason is the outpatient departments often do not work on weekends, or at least at a lesser volume so things might be slower. There are pros and cons to that too - troubleshooting can be difficult if you do not have the same resources available. For example, maybe the physical therapy dept only manages urgent needs on the weekend, so you are ambulating patients more than during the week, or case management isn't available to assist with discharge planning.
A great interview question is what does the rotation look like? What options are available? Your life is important, be it family time, extra-curricular, and/or education. Your success and ultimately patient safety can be affected if you choose a position that does not consider your individual situation and which rotation is best suited for you.
Consider your situation and what will fit into your life. There are pros and cons, with 12s - you are engrossed in work if you work 3 days in a row, not much else happens on those days but sleep and be ready for work. Remember a 12-hour shift is usually scheduled for 12.5 hours, plus travel time to and from work, plus getting ready for work (shower, lunches) and not including overtime - this can easily be 15 hours, leaving 1 hour chill time for good 8-hour sleep - imperative for safe patient care.
Now, if you don't want /can't work weekends there are options. School nursing like in an elementary school, ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) often have M-F hours of operation, home health is a possibility, as is hospice care, mental health clinics, community support within the Public Health District, some units within the hospital might only be open M-F like the GI lab doing procedures, or outpatient chemotherapy.
When I started, 29 years ago, I worked acute care for years - often 12-hour shifts, with alternating weekends, sometimes only days, sometimes only nights, sometimes a rotation that included both days and nights.
Working in a hospital on weekends can be different from weekdays, there is often less activity and staff/leadership in the building. One reason is the outpatient departments often do not work on weekends, or at least at a lesser volume so things might be slower. There are pros and cons to that too - troubleshooting can be difficult if you do not have the same resources available. For example, maybe the physical therapy dept only manages urgent needs on the weekend, so you are ambulating patients more than during the week, or case management isn't available to assist with discharge planning.
Tricia recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Hannah
Savannah T
Registered Nurse
10
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Savannah’s Answer
Hello Hannah!
It really depends where you want to work! Often times, in a hospital setting, you will be required to work weekends. Usually this means, as a Full-time RN, about 6 weekend shifts in a 6 week period. If you were on night shift, this means that you can work two whole weekends in a row, or maybe one sunday every week. It all depends on what your specific unit requires, and what that unit entails as a weekend shift. This is going to be very different for every unit, but you can expect that you will have to work some weekends. However, there are usually benefits to working the weekends, where you can also get differentials (more money). Some people love this and opt to work only weekends! There are also certain offices where you can skip out on weekends entirely and even holidays! Sometimes these are hard to find, but they do exist!
It really depends where you want to work! Often times, in a hospital setting, you will be required to work weekends. Usually this means, as a Full-time RN, about 6 weekend shifts in a 6 week period. If you were on night shift, this means that you can work two whole weekends in a row, or maybe one sunday every week. It all depends on what your specific unit requires, and what that unit entails as a weekend shift. This is going to be very different for every unit, but you can expect that you will have to work some weekends. However, there are usually benefits to working the weekends, where you can also get differentials (more money). Some people love this and opt to work only weekends! There are also certain offices where you can skip out on weekends entirely and even holidays! Sometimes these are hard to find, but they do exist!
Thank you!!😄😊
Hannah
Sandra Hurst
nurse
32
Answers
Jacksonville, Florida
Updated
Sandra’s Answer
Nurses and CNAs work some weekends; many employers require at least every other weekend; hopefully, this answer helped
H Wright
RN
22
Answers
Shelbyville, Kentucky
Updated
H’s Answer
Not all nurses work weekends. It really depends on the department you work in. Like surgery and PACU have call schedule and rotating Saturday's. Most other floors is every other or every third weekend. Home health is usually on call one weekend a month.
Erin Spears
RN
1
Answer
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Erin’s Answer
Hi Hannah!
I started out as a CNA just like you and now I have been an RN for 16 years. Your shifts and schedule really do depend on where you work. I started out my career working overnight shifts and weekends both in the hospital and at long term care facilities and that was my preference as I made more money with the shift differential. I now work for a health insurance company and I only work weekdays and have holidays off.
I started out as a CNA just like you and now I have been an RN for 16 years. Your shifts and schedule really do depend on where you work. I started out my career working overnight shifts and weekends both in the hospital and at long term care facilities and that was my preference as I made more money with the shift differential. I now work for a health insurance company and I only work weekdays and have holidays off.