Calling all nurses! shifts and childcare wdyd?

[inkonapin]

I'm a 3rd year nursing student. I've decided I will only look for part time jobs (doubt I'd get anything else atm anyway!), but not sure how this would work with childcare. Are most places open to you saying you can work e.g. Mon and Tue and that's that, or do you have to just go on the rota and get what you're given?
If the latter how do you do nursery? I don't have any family nearby so if I didn't have set days I'd have to book a full week in nursery (this is what I do now and its ridiculously expensive, there would be no point working if I did that).
Would community maybe be more open to set days?
Tia

[Floralnomad]

Where I am it's quite difficult to be very selective about shifts especially if you are a new starter , different if you are incumbent and then have a baby . I'm sure every where is different though . Do you have a partner with regular hours ,so that you could perhaps do nights with an agency .

[Doobydoo]

Where are you?
London and surrounds are very flexible.Where I am in Lincolnshire/Norfolk they are not.How about Out patients or school nursing or as you suggested community nursing.Have a look on NHS Jobs TOO.gOOD LUCK.

[lunar1]

Where ever I have worked staff have had to go on the rota. There is some flexibility with requests but I would try to be flexible as existing staff won't be thrilled if a new starter is refusing nights and weekends.

Not sure about working in the community. That may be better for you.

[NotALondoner]

What about bank work where you tell then what ypu are available for? eg earlies mon, tues and weds?

[iliketea]

Community nursing is the way forward - it's the best type if nursing anyway .

Most parttimers I work with (including me) with childcare needs have set days. The only thing is that you may need to be flexible on what days are set i.e Don't go for interview wanting to work tues, wed, thurs for example, there will probably be days which are "typically busy" and employers will have an idea of what days they want.

Also, you will need to ensure your childcare starts early enough. In many community teams, shift starts at 8. Also, I've heard of community teams now workig until 10pm, so depending on what jobs are available now, it might not be as child friendly as you might think.

[ggirl]

Some places do self rostering , i know my friend does this in a&e ,but you do have to do nights as well

I do community and a few people have arranged days but still on a 1:4 weekends with some late shifts as well.

I changed to bank community because of childcare , luckily there is a lot of work available , have been doing minimum 4 days a week for over a yr now.

[inkonapin]

Thanks everyone for replying. I'm in Sheffield.
I wouldn't be refusing to work nights and weekends, I would just need set days, wouldn't matter which ones as long as I knew what I was doing so I could book nursery.
Early starts/late finishes wouldn't be a problem as dp could pick up ss or drop her off.
I guess I should try not to think about it too much just yet, just hard not to worry!

[fledtoscotland]

From experience set shifts in the wards is near on impossible esp as a newly qualified nurse. You would be better off with a flexible childminder and family as backup.

[lunar1]

Which hospital would you think of applying to in Sheffield? Most wards there are not too flexible tbh. You could look into the hospital nursery, they are good and obviously offer an early start.

Being honest with you it is hard enough being a newly qualified nurse without adding in annoying existing staff about shifts. I don't want to sound unsympathetic as I know it's hard. I spent 4 years on one ward as one of the few staff without children. After getting fed up of never having a single request honoured due to everyone with children getting priority it can really piss you off when someone else with set needs comes along.

Now I have children I work bank shifts.

[ditavonteesed]

I am starting as a clinical support worker soon, I have made an arrangment with a childminder to charge me for every day in term time but only the days we use in the hols, mine are ins chool though so a bit diffeerent.

[inkonapin]

I know I'd be better off with flexible childcare and family support but unfortunately I don't have it :-/
Lunar - you have to apply to the pool and get what you're given. Do you think I'd be better in community?
Can someone please remind me why I'm going into the least family friendly job in the world?! I'm starting to think I've made a big mistake

[Doobydoo]

Haha.It is bonkers isn't it?
Predominantly female 'profession' as well...

[lunar1]

Do you still get to put 3 preferences for where you work? It is not to bad for swapping shifts and making requests once people know you. When they see you are reliable and help out where you can and are a hard worker.

The established staff will be fine with helping you out when they know you. You just need to make a good first impression, and you may get off to a bad start of you seem to be fussy from day 1.

You will be fine, you just might pay a fortune in child care until you Suss-out your ward manager and other staff

[lunar1]

Meant to add, the nhs try very hard to be family friendly but at the end of the day they have to provide 24 hr care to thousands of people and the staff they employ have to cover this.

[ggirl]

totally agree with lunar ,as a new staff member you need to show willing, work hard and hopefully they will be flexible with you to keep you

[Lougle]

I have to be honest with you. I am a registered nurse, registration lapsed this year. I have a place on a Return to Practice course, but may be having to decline it (after arranging the placement I wanted too) because childcare seems insurmountable. It's quite soul destroying.

[mosschops30]

We used to do self rostering on ITU and you could put in a family friendly request to the health board to do set shifts.
I always worked a tuesday day, then a weekend shift as dh could look after dcs. I think as long as you are reasonable i.e. not just asking for days and refusing nights/weekends/bank hols then you'll be fine

[peppapiggy]

I always planned on becoming a Health Visitor but the reason I started my Health Visiting training when my son was only a few months old was childcare, near impossible on wards as a single mother with no family support. Bank would be more flexible and newly qualified can go straight into community. Staff nurse in the HV team - no unsocial hours at all.

[iliketea]

Have you asked in your placement areas about what they do for new starters? It may be that if you get a job as a staf nurse wherever you have your final placement, they may be more willing to give you set shifts because you have already proved yourself. Also on a ward, you may have a better chance of fixed shift if you are willing to do less sociable shifts (lates / nights). Childless friends of mine used to get most annoyed by those with children having set early shifts and the onea without children having to do all the late / night shifts.

I still think community is much more child-friendly (I have no family close by either, and ward work would be impossible). Plus i think community is more likely to be able to offer set days (as long as they have the option to tell tou what days in the week thy are).

[myBOYSareBONKERS]

I had set days and hours for years in Theatres BUT I had worked there prior to having children and had worked any shift given.

I think finding set hours will be difficult. Try clinics as they have more "normal" hours . Also consider working very part time mon-fri and then doing bank on another day when your partner is home (eg nights or weekend) as that will cut down on childcare.

How old are your children?

[myBOYSareBONKERS]

What hours are you doing at the moment as a student? How are you working childcare now?

I had to do the same shifts as qualified nurses

[MummytoKatie]

I have a friend who sends her child to the crèche at a gym. It's more expensive per day but cheaper than full time in a nursery.

[Witchesbrewandbiscuits]

My friend works in community and has to do weekends and evenings. Outpatient clinics are a good option, surgical day case, endoscopy, and gp practice nursing are all feasible. Don't be disheartened, there's always a way, thou it doesn't always seem that way. Usually 3rd years get to choose a placement depending on area of interest. Maybe choose one of the above to get some experience for when u qualify. A job might even come up and if they know u and u have worked hard, you might drop lucky. As others have said, banking is also a good option as flexible and you can opt for earlies. Hth and good luck