Can I just say how SORE I am?? These 2 twelve hour shifts were NO joke! Sure I thought maybe my feet would be sore, but I didn't take into account my back and my calves. I mean I seriously feel like I have walked 500 miles. My poor body is like wth is going on here? I was talking to my nursing bestie (he just got an extern job also) & he said "Do you think you could do another day tomorrow?" & I was like "NO!!" Of course I know I COULD do another day tomorrow & work 3 in a row, but I wouldn't WANT to. He's trying to get as many hours as possible this summer & so he wants to try to work at least 4 days. Fortunately for him, he's 10 years younger than me, weighs much less & he's a waiter, so he's already used to being on his feet all day running like a chicken with its head cut off. But my poor body can't even remember my waitress days. They were a LONG time ago & I haven't done this type of work since then. I've been a desk jockey for so long I had forgotten how physical this was. Luckily I have these 2 days off & then I am working Friday & Saturday. I believe working Saturday will put me into overtime. As a matter of fact I think I'll text my boss just to make sure. That plus the shift diff for working on Saturday (which I'm still not sure what that is) is the only reason I decided to do 4 days this week. Whew, this is for sure going to take some getting used to!!
Haha- welcome to the wonderful world of 12 hour shifts! In the UK, we are expected to be at university and do placement hours at the same time- on my two days 'off' I work two 12 hour shifts- the joys of nursing! ;-)
ReplyDeleteBoo!! I will continue to work once school starts back, but I probably won't work more than 2 days a week.
DeleteShift diff (shift differential) is added money on top of your hourly salary for working certain shifts or times. Let's say your hourly salary is $30/hour. A Saturday shift (ex: weekend shift diff is $3.00) you would make $33.00/hour for working that shift. Hospitals normally pay shift diffs for weekends and nights. You can make a whole bunch if a holiday is on the weekend (holiday pay + weekend shift diff + if you work nights = more).
ReplyDeleteHopefully, this will help!
It will be funny because come September school will be a needed break from work
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I'm already looking forward to only working 1 or 2 days once school starts, haha. Until then though I need to work at LEAST 3 days a week during the summer so we can get caught up on our bills. Only 2 more semesters of my BSN though & then I can work full time while I pursue my NP.
DeleteHey simple cure for aching feet and calves: Compression stockings, like the ones diabetics wear. Here you can get them at the pharmacy for reasonable price, and I have heard they help alot!
ReplyDeleteWell luckily this past shift where I worked a day & a half (got sent home for low census) I was just fine afterwards. I guess all of that walking just takes getting used to.
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