The working hours of Australian nurses can vary significantly, and in truth, there is almost always overtime available to nurses due to the demands of the Australian healthcare system. However, as an average baseline, Registered Nurses will work something similar to that of the average Australian—38 hours per week. This may change as you advance your career and begin to specialise, but you should account for this type of working week across your career as a whole.
When you begin your nursing career, working hours may be split across 12-hour shifts over three consecutive days, giving you a 36-hour working week. Again, however, you may be expected to contribute overtime if the job demands, and so this may mean longer hours split across weekends and holidays. Additionally, it is rare that a Registered Nurse’s hours will be confined to the average 9-5, so you may find your working week is very different to that of those outside the industry.
