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Parent Shifts Draw Nurses Back to Work
Megan Malugani / Monster.com
‘Mini-Job’ Comes with Trade-Offs
Nurses don’t have to be parents to participate in the clinic’s program, Young says. Any RN whose lifestyle cannot accommodate a traditional nursing schedule is eligible.
While parent-shift nurses don’t receive benefits, they aren’t subjected to traditional rotations either, so working nights and weekends aren’t required. They are also exempt from working holidays.
The 64 nurses participating in the Cleveland Clinic’s parent-shift program can choose their own start and end times, but they must work in two- to six-hour increments at least eight hours a month. They can accumulate their hours on weekdays, evenings or weekends.
Strong initially worried that “it sounded too good to be true,” and that the regular nursing staff would resent RNs who could dictate their own hours and who may have been out of the profession for a while. Strong’s trepidation was unfounded, however. Full-time staff nurses “will take whatever help they can get, whenever they can get it,” says Strong, who went through the clinic’s refresher orientation program. When full-timers joke about wanting to leave at 2:30 p.m. too, Strong reminds them of the part-time paycheck and lack of benefits that accompany what she calls her “mini-job.”
Nurse_Cathy
over 4 years ago
2 comments
This is what I was told was a possiblity by the head of HR at the hospital I wanted to work at when I spoke to her when deciding whether a career change to nursing would be a viable option for me while I raised my child as a single parent. Now that I have my degree and license I've heard a different story, that these "Mommy hours" as she called them, only exist for experienced nurses. Now in my second year of nursing I still qualify as a new grade because I'm at a job that barely uses my nursing skills and uses even less of my BSN-RN training and on top of that has horrible benefits. I'm at this job because it was the only one that I found that didn't require month rotations of night shifts. If anyone knows of a different story at a hospital in the Denver area I'd love to know about it. My dream was to be a Pediatric Nurse, but I want to get the experience as an RN!!!!
MissingNursing
over 4 years ago
18 comments
I'd love to find a job like this, actually, I'd like to find anyjob in Nursing! Hospitals say they are hiring, but just because I need a refresher course, no one will hire because I left ICU and now have been out for just over 4 yrs!
Account Removed
over 4 years ago
You know, nurses have been asking for different things for years, at least 30 I know of and now this is a big deal? I find this amusing.
krilliekat
over 4 years ago
6 comments
This is sort of what I am hoping for when I graduate.
Account Removed
over 4 years ago
I've wondered why for years, that nursing didn't also have the option of 6 hour shifts. 0830 to 2:30 is a great idea, but if they broke the 24 hour schedule into 6 hour shifts, they would draw a lot more people back in that aren't working.
nosraca
over 4 years ago
302 comments
What a great idea! I hope more institutions will open up to this idea.
Pmina
over 4 years ago
2 comments
This is a wonderful thing to have. I am a mother of four, and I know the time I have with them is short, they will be going off to college before I know it. Having a schedule that allows me to be their mom would be great. I hope Hawaii's hosptial can adopt such a program, as well as the other states.
mmlpn99
over 4 years ago
58 comments
I think this is a great idea for the parents that want to stay involved or even better for single moms!
janceyrt
over 4 years ago
48 comments
How do you find facilities that offer these services??? This would be so perfect for me and my family!!!
Victoria_simon
over 4 years ago
704 comments
I think thats a wonderful idea. Too often working moms are not able to spend quality time with there kids. With two kids in still in school I would love to be able to spend more time with my children.