Clinical Extern working two part-time hospital jobs: how should I manage 12-hour shift availability?
Hi everyone,
I’m a nursing student starting my first summer working as a Clinical Extern, and I was hoping to get some advice from nurses or other externs who have worked multiple hospital jobs. This is just for the summer only until the end of August.
I accepted two part-time Clinical Extern positions at different hospitals because I was hoping to work close to full-time hours this summer. Both positions involve 12-hour shifts, either days or nights.
One hospital is already asking me to provide my availability until the first week of July, and I start training for the other hospital next week, so I’m assuming I’ll need to provide my availability there soon as well.
I’m trying to figure out how to be strategic with my availability so I can hopefully work around two shifts per week at each hospital, but also not completely overload myself or burn out. I still want to enjoy some time off this summer and avoid creating a schedule that becomes unmanageable.
Ideally, I was hoping to have my shifts at each hospital booked close together rather than spread out randomly throughout the week. I’m unsure whether it would be better to try to follow a typical 2 days/2 nights type of rotation, aim for three 12-hour shifts in a row, or structure my availability another way. I’m hoping to get a good number of hours, but I also do not want to run into a situation where I only get one shift per week at each hospital because of how I submit my availability.
Originally, I was thinking of giving the hospital currently asking for my availability more open availability, then using that schedule to plan my availability for the second hospital. However, I’m now wondering if that could create issues with trying to line up days, nights, rest days, and availability for both sites.
For anyone who has worked two part-time or casual hospital jobs, especially with 12-hour shifts, how did you manage your availability? Did you give each hospital set days, alternate weeks or weekends, prioritize one hospital over the other, or leave more flexibility open?
I’m also wondering whether it is best to be upfront with each manager/scheduler that I am working another part-time hospital job, or whether that could potentially affect how they view my availability or scheduling. I want to be honest and professional, but I’m not sure how much detail is helpful to share.
Any tips on how to submit availability in a way that is realistic, organized, and still gives me a good chance of getting shifts would be really appreciated. This is my first time working as a Clinical Extern, so I’m just trying to plan ahead and avoid overcommitting myself.
Thank you!