You can work from 4 P.M. to midnight, from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., or have the type of career that has you working various shifts and schedules as needed by your employer. For most parents, doing whatever it takes to pay the bills can have serious implications on quality of life. Parents who have attended Duquesne University to complete a DNP or FNP have the option of working what’s called a parent shift. This shift is primarily offered to medical professionals who want to work when their children are scheduled to be in school or childcare. Not only is the parent shift proving to be revolutionary in the healthcare field, it’s a shift that is actually working for working parents and employers in equal measure.
What Does a Parent Shift Consist of?
Professionals in the healthcare field who can find parent shifts primarily look for shifts that begin after their children have been dropped off and end in plenty of time to pick them up. These shifts are usually for part-time positions but they do offer a lot of flexibility. Parents who choose these shifts often have spouses who are also working or they live with relatives so that their expenses are shared. A parenting shift might be essential to a new mom or dad getting back into the workforce after taking considerable time off. Lastly, a parent shift is a good option for a parent who simply isn’t going to have the ability to go back to work unless a job that centers around their parenting lifestyle becomes available.
How Prevalent Are Parenting Shifts in the Healthcare Field?
As for right now, it is mainly nurses and online DNP degree holders that are able to find jobs that offer parent shifts. Although some lawyers, chefs, and accountants would probably love to work a parent shift, the medical field is finding that nurses with children are responding really well to the parent shift trend. Other medical professionals find these shifts work well when you have school-aged children. In fact, it seems that parent shifts are offered almost exclusively to medical professionals. Perhaps a few other industries will consider adding parent shifts on a permanent basis in the next several years.
Can You Earn a Decent Income Working a Parent Shift?
Undoubtedly, work hours are limited to nursing professionals working parent shifts. These positions are not really geared toward full-time workers, but hourly earnings can still be impressive. There’s also nothing stopping nurses working parent shifts from working full-time during the weeks that their children are away or simply from changing their schedules when it best suits them.
A parent shift could work for a parent who is not ready to be away from his or her child all night long. Parent shifts are also good for those who don’t want to put their children with a nanny or pay for after school care. If you want to be the primary caretaker for your child and work in the healthcare industry, see if there are parent shifts available with local employers.
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