Initially, the option of taking summers off was popular, but soon the working parents who were attracted to having three months at home when their children were out of school realized that they could not go that long without the income, said Elizabeth Warden, director of nursing at the hospital, which employs 989 registered nurses and 180 licensed practical nurses. Just five nurses are on that schedule now. According to Warden, about half of the employees in the nursing department maintain flexible schedules. Nurses can work just about any hours they ask for, because otherwise they could go to other places to work, Warden said. One popular schedule many nurses choose is a three-day workweek for which they are paid for the hours worked and receive full benefits.
Most nurses work every other weekend.
Nurses in the supplemental pool have the highest level of flexibility, Warden said. They tell the hospital when they want to work on the Monday before they are available. If there is work for them to do, the hospital can fulfill the need. They work at an accelerated rate of pay but with no benefits. The hospital now has 82 nurses in the supplemental pool.