[NurseCherlove]

I think studies have been done on night shift workers, and they found a lot of health issues that come up. I dont have a link to that..but I am sure some out there does.[/quote]

Yeah, I think there was one out fairly recently that basically said that noc workers were more likely to get CA!!!

I think I've also heard of other studies that noc workers just die earlier in general.

[psychnurse1998]

Originally Posted by NurseCherlove

Like you, I would ideally love to work 3-11. These were the hours I worked at my first job out of nursing school. However, like the others have posted, I do find that there is too much to do to squeeze into 8 hours. But then again, I somehow have this knack for leaving late pretty often doing my 12 hour shifts!

I recently (as in late December) switched from days to nights - and to a different unit to boot. I think I like nights better, but the jury is still out.

Honestly, having CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), I do find 12 hours shifts kinda hard sometimes. Taking Provigil helps though.

The best set up I ever heard of was when I was still in nursing school. It was a renal unit that offered four 10 hour days and one of the shifts started at 1100. If I could find those kinds of hours on any kind of cardiac floor, I'd be all over that!!!!! (mainly b/c I'm not a morning person).

One thing I have always wondered....why is the ER the only one that offers the cool shifts like 11A-11P and 3P-3A? I'd jump on that too if it were offered on a cardiac floor!

Great post..now..that is a cool shift.11am..to 11 pm...That would let someone sleep , and get some night sleep to boot. It seem to make more sense...

[brainynurse]

The hospital where I work has a Baylor program that is a 12 shift on Sat and Sun with full time benefits. 16 hours is a long time.

[Drifternurse]

"So my question is..are 12 hour shifts good for your health, and the well being of your patients?"

For me, the safety of the 12s depends on 1) whether it's a day or night and 2) how many 12s are being done in a row. I could manage several 6am-6pm in a row but only 2 of the 6pm-6am before becoming very fatigued and easily frustrated with all around me.

[HealthyRN]

I am a young nurse and I hated working 12-hour shifts, days or nights. I disliked how there wasn't any time left to do anything when I got home, except eat leftovers (because I was too tired to cook) and sleep. I couldn't workout, get shopping or errands done, or anything else that I could easily accomplish with an 8-hour shift. That being said, would I have preferred to work five 8-hour shifts/week? NO!!! Maybe I'm not the best person to ask though, because I don't enjoy direct patient care, but being in the hospital 5 days/wk would be my idea of a personal hell.

It would be interesting to see if there are any studies on the acutal safety of 12-hour shifts though. It would seem errors would be more likely to occur when one is tired.

[RealNurseWitch]

I think they are, especially if you stay busy. =) I've found that when I work a long night shift and things get slow, it's actually harder on me because it's harder to stay awake. =)

I think 16's are pretty unsafe, ESPECIALLY when you work psych. I worked psych for a year, and for three months of that year I did 16's... evening and night shift. Psych can get slow, especially at night... and let's just say, I'd sit at the nurse's station and fight sleep HARD. One morning early, I actually did doze off and awoke to this female patient standing at the counter of the nurse's station staring me down. She proceeded to hand me a note that she had written. On the note she had written, in crayon, in big letters... "I need Dental Floss... when you come out of your DAZE".

I actually laugh when I tell that story, though it could have been disasterous had that patient been in a... um, particularly violent mood.

[psychnurse1998]

Originally Posted by RealNurseWitch

I think they are, especially if you stay busy. =) I've found that when I work a long night shift and things get slow, it's actually harder on me because it's harder to stay awake. =)

I think 16's are pretty unsafe, ESPECIALLY when you work psych. I worked psych for a year, and for three months of that year I did 16's... evening and night shift. Psych can get slow, especially at night... and let's just say, I'd sit at the nurse's station and fight sleep HARD. One morning early, I actually did doze off and awoke to this female patient standing at the counter of the nurse's station staring me down. She proceeded to hand me a note that she had written. On the note she had written, in crayon, in big letters... "I need Dental Floss... when you come out of your DAZE".

I actually laugh when I tell that story, though it could have been disasterous had that patient been in a... um, particularly violent mood.

Yep your post was funny, but your right..your ghost could be typing your post now. We had about 3 serious injuries from patients attacking staff. For some reason lately its been mostly female staff that get attacked. I ask myself frequently why do I go back for more, even though I havent been attacked, just threatend.

[TrickieTam]

Its not safe if you don't get any rest or go in sleepy. I work 12-hour baylor weekends and have no problems. My facility only has 12-hr shifts offered so you get used to itl.

[HJS27]

Depends on the person. Also, nurses look at the floor, or anywhere but family's direction, so they can't be engaged in conversation...easier to stay on track that way. Not sayin it's right, just sayin.

[psychnurse1998]

Originally Posted by HJS27

Depends on the person. Also, nurses look at the floor, or anywhere but family's direction, so they can't be engaged in conversation...easier to stay on track that way. Not sayin it's right, just sayin.

When the nurses on duty seem fatigued, despondent, burned out, its becomes hard to draw a line between who is the nurse and who is the patient. I think it gives clues to a bigger problem. When I graduated from nursing, in 71, this was not the case. Nursing care, has not gotten better, but is getting worse. the outcome of cost effective nursing, has not been high quality nursing, but I am not blaming nurses for that. A hospital is not
an auto assembly line, with patients being the car. I dont think we had as many nurses burning out in the 70,s. I left nursing for a while, in 1980, I was working as an Lvn in an acute care hospital. I remember seeing 2 ro 3 ICU nurses crying after they had lost a patient. I sensed they felt guilty for maybe not being able to do every vS every 15 minuntes as ordered,not really sure if that was the case. I asked my self, do I want to be in this situation? I cancelled my plans to go for my RN and dropped out of nursing for a few years. As I see nurses in california, having good outcomes with getting staffing ratios improved, it gives me hope nurses will overcome, and make nursing more rewarding both for the nurse and the patient.