Options for RN jobs and motherhood?

Okay, so I'm about halfway through nursing school (graduation is set for Dec 2011), and my fiance and I are discussing what our options are for my career when we choose to have kids.

Ideally, I will be able to work full-time until I'm eligible for maternity leave, take the leave, then return to work part-time afterward. What are the logistics of working part-time as an RN? Are there areas of nursing that have more part-time options (for example, are there more part-time options in home care than in hospitals?), and how relevant is years of experience in finding a part-time job? Also, is hourly pay any less for part-time RNs? And are shifts still generally 12hrs?

Thanks to anyone who has input!
Right now, it is easier to get a part-time job than a full-time job, in my unit. I think it has to do with retirement benefits...experience is not a factor in getting a part-time job any more than getting a full-time job--seniority is though! Most hospitals in my area are 12-hr shifts, mine is mostly 8-hr shifts...which I prefer after doing 12's for most of my career.

This is exactly what I did and it works out great! I worked full time (3 nights a week) up until I had my first baby, then I went back part time (2 nights a week). Working 2 nights a week still gets me health insurance at my hospital and no you do not take a pay cut. You can also go PRN which has a couple options. I am currently pregnant and will maybe go PRN after the baby (4 or 2 nights a month). At my hospital you get a set rate at PRN (usually mid thirtys/hr i think, and also shift diffs) but no health insurance. If youre husband has health insurance for you and your family it doesnt matter though. Good luck!!

At my hospital, the only difference between full-time and part-time status is that part-time receives no free life-insurance and they don't have to work as many week-end and holiday requirements. Instead of doing 3 12-hour shifts a week, part-time works 2 shifts. Since we get paid by the hour, you still get paid exactly in proportion to the amount of time worked. The only time it might be difficult to do part-time is starting out on orientation. Other than that, I have never heard of a co-worker having a hard time changing their status from full-time to part-time or vise-versa, but we are also a pretty good sized unit so that probably helps.

In my hospital it varies per unit. Most managers aren't going to throw your training out the window and not let you go part-time, but some are more stringent than others. Some make you make up your schedule with a minimum of X hours per month (32/month I believe), others have you call in your availability at the beginning of the week... it just depends. Put those staff are considered prn and get called off first- and don't get paid more. At least, I don't think.

I work part time for a health dept because I have multiple small children (soon to be 4 of them), the logistics of doing 12's was just too much. I only work half a day at a time sometimes even less if I am just doing one home visit. I'm not in home health but rather supervise a small lactation program. I have a lot of flexibility of when I work, I schedule most of my meetings for when it is easiest for me, same with clinic days, and while home visits can often be last minute, I still have the ability to schedule them for when I am able to. I make less then I would working in a hospital but then again, I also wouldn't have the ability to do my paperwork or phone support from my house while my children are sleeping, at preschool, etc... in a hospital.