What if working fewer days could make nursing safer and less stressful? Many health systems are now talking about flexible work schedules. Nurses are leading that conversation. After years of long hours, not enough staff, and growing burnout, the idea of a four-day workweek is starting to become real in some hospitals.

Why Nurses Are Asking for Flexibility

The challenges faced by nurses in recent years have highlighted a deeper issue: the need for schedules that support both professional responsibilities and personal well-being. While salary adjustments remain important, many nurses are now seeking greater control over their time as a critical part of job satisfaction.

A nurse participating in a pilot program in Sweden noted, "When I get one extra day off, I don’t just sleep. I breathe. I come back to work more focused."

What Hospitals Are Trying

Various models are being explored, including:

• Four 10-hour shifts per week: Nurses work slightly longer days, gaining a consistent three-day weekend.
• Rotating rest weeks: Some organizations offer scheduled weeks off after a set number of shifts.
• Adjusted patient loads: To offset longer shifts, some hospitals reduce nurse-to-patient ratios.

Trials in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and parts of Canada have shown early signs of improved nurse satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, and in some cases, better patient outcomes.

What’s Working—And What Remains Challenging

What’s working:

• Reduced burnout, especially in high-acuity areas.
• Improved staff retention, particularly among experienced nurses.
• Increased morale when teams are involved in schedule planning.

Challenges:

• Smaller hospitals often struggle to maintain full coverage with fewer working days.
• Longer shifts can be physically taxing, particularly without structured break periods.
• Successful implementation requires more than a new schedule—it demands investment, planning, and a cultural shift.

Looking Ahead

The future of the four-day workweek for nurses depends not just on scheduling reforms, but on whether healthcare systems are ready to shift how they involve and support their workforce.
If nurses were included in every stage of workforce planning, would flexibility become a standard rather than a special arrangement?

 And as the structure of the workweek evolves, is the system also prepared to reconsider how it values and sustains those at the heart of care?

Rethinking time on the job may be the first step toward rethinking the entire culture of healthcare.