Nights, Weekends, and Holidays (RN)

00:01 Okay. So now that we have covered what nursing jobs can look like, let's review some of the more like what does this actually look like in real life type of things.

00:11 Nursing schedules will vary widely and this will be less of a concern if you are working outpatient, but if you're working inpatient in that type of setting, or you work something that is like an open all day, every type type of thing, there is a good chance that you will be working nights, weekends and holidays, at least in the very beginning of your nursing career.

00:32 Some people I have met don't start on nights.

00:35 I have met many a new nurse that ended up starting on evenings and even a very few like rare unicorns that start on day shift.

00:41 But if your place of employment is open weekends and holidays, there's not really much you can do to get out of that.

00:49 The benefit of working a schedule like that that includes some weekends and holidays is that you can get other life stuff done during the week when everyone else is at work. Since you work like a weekend day, you have a random days off during the week to go to the dentist to enjoy the usual crowded places all by yourself while everyone is busy out there doing their life and attend your kid's school functions, all of those types of things.

01:17 You also usually get paid quite well when you are working holidays, which never really hurts, but it's definitely also something to think about how it will look like for you and your family if you always fill your weekends with family things or adventures and soccer, and then this would come in the middle of that. You may want to consider a job that would fit that lifestyle better.

01:41 You can't say if you can't bear the idea of not being at Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day.

01:47 Just keep in mind that when you're looking for a job, that should be something to consider. I was super naive when I went into all of this thinking that nights and weekends and holidays would be totally fine.

01:58 But honestly, it took a bit more time and adjustment and crying than I thought it would.

02:04 And that isn't to discourage you and say that you wouldn't adjust, because it definitely does get easier.

02:09 And I love, I loved my night shift humans and stayed on that shift my whole nursing career even when I could have moved to days because I loved the vibe and the people.

02:18 But weekends and, weekends are hard.

02:21 Like once my husband ended up getting a traditional 9 to 5 and as my priorities changed, I had kids.

02:26 So if you already have some really set priorities right now, just consider those really carefully when you are looking at jobs and keep in mind that you don't have to work every weekend unless you want to.

02:38 Usually you're doing like every other weekend or maybe even every third weekend.

02:43 So it's not all the time.

02:44 It just is something to keep in your back of your mind that like this does exist.

02:48 Now, in terms of holidays, most health care systems only acknowledge Christmas, New Year's, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. All other holidays, Easter, Halloween.

03:02 You will have to request those off like normal days of the week and just work your schedule around it or take PTO depending on how your schedule is set up and hope that you get those days off. So also something I never thought about, but you should definitely keep in the back of your mind.