12 hour shift

Register Today!
  1. by Feb 16
    I was wondering how everyone feels about12 hour shifts. Is it safe to work that long of a shift?
    Read Online


    Print and share with friends and family.
    Compliments of allnurses.com.
    http://allnurses.com/showthread.php?t=815877

    by haiman7 Feb 16 2:04 am
    ©2013 allnurses.com INC. All Rights Reserved.
  2. 7,344 Views
    Click Tags to Find Similar Topics

  3. 61 Comments so far...

  4. Feb 16 by
    I think it is a safe shift to work. What isn't safe is not getting a lunch break in a timely manner and not able to empty our bladder. When I'm hungry or have to pee, I cannot think straight. Particulary in the ICU you cannot leave your patients even for one minute without finding coverage.

    I think I'm offically over 12 hour shifts. I've decided if I am going to have to work 12 hours it will be parttime only, and I'll work PRN out of the hospital setting.
    twopurpleskittles, anotherone, beeker, and 3 others like this.
  5. Feb 16 by
    12 hour shifts are rediculous. If they were so great, why does't the entire work world do them?
    workingharder, beeker, Fiona59, and 1 other like this.
  6. Guide
    Feb 16 by
    Love my 12 hour shifts, would never go back to 8s.The fewer times a patient is handed off, the safer the par patient is.
    WeepingAngel, anotherone, hiddencatRN, and 12 others like this.
  7. Feb 16 by
    I love 12 hour shifts... I hate working 5 days a week.
    WeepingAngel, anotherone, RunnerRN2b2014, and 9 others like this.
  8. Feb 16 by
    They can take my 12 hour shifts when they pry them out of my cold, dead fingers. Long live the three day workweek!
    Lennonninja, RunnerRN2b2014, hiddencatRN, and 9 others like this.
  9. Feb 16 by
    To each his own. I HATE 12 hr shift with a passion. They make me sick. Literally. Miserable. Start off the day with a difficult pt and all day! For 12 to 14 hrs it's the same nightmare. Come in to the shift call RRT. Oh wait, call another one. Oh, get those 2 off the floor. Make sure you chart in them and chart the rapid response. But no, you are not human. You have two brand new direct admissions, plus a post op pt. Oh, your pt needs pain meds. Family member wants to talk to you. Walk out the room, two doctors waiting on the line to talk to you. Never mind it's way past time to eat. You want urinate so bad thy your stomach cramps, but you can't make it to the bathroom. The nightmare goes on and on. Oh wait time to give report, but you need to stay to chart. Go home crash. Wake up the next day limping in pain. So tired you spend the whole day in bed OR go back an re-live the while NIGHTMARE again. Whatever...yay 12 hr shifts. Sick to my stomach!!!!
    Penguin67, beeker, Fiona59, and 4 others like this.
  10. Feb 16 by
    Quote from NJnewRN
    To each his own. I HATE 12 hr shift with a passion. They make me sick. Literally. Miserable. Start off the day with a difficult pt and all day! For 12 to 14 hrs it's the same nightmare. Come in to the shift call RRT. Oh wait, call another one. Oh, get those 2 off the floor. Make sure you chart in them and chart the rapid response. But no, you are not human. You have two brand new direct admissions, plus a post op pt. Oh, your pt needs pain meds. Family member wants to talk to you. Walk out the room, two doctors waiting on the line to talk to you. Never mind it's way past time to eat. You want urinate so bad thy your stomach cramps, but you can't make it to the bathroom. The nightmare goes on and on. Oh wait time to give report, but you need to stay to chart. Go home crash. Wake up the next day limping in pain. So tired you spend the whole day in bed OR go back an re-live the while NIGHTMARE again. Whatever...yay 12 hr shifts. Sick to my stomach!!!!
    Sorry about the typos, but everyone gets the jest of what I was trying say.
    anotherone and applewhitern like this.
  11. Feb 16 by
    Now up the ante to 12 hour night shifts with a long drive home. Who want's to play Russian Roulette with their car?
    Penguin67, poppycat, beeker, and 5 others like this.
  12. Feb 16 by
    Quote from Biffbradford
    Now up the ante to 12 hour night shifts with a long drive home. Who want's to play Russian Roulette with their car?
    Especially if you work 12 hour nights. I used to work at a hospital that was about 40 minutes away from home. Worked as a PCNA on a VERY busy medical telemetry unit. I couldn't tell you how many times I almost crashed into the median on the highway from dozing off.

    I still work 12 hour nights, just at a different hospital and I only have an 8 min drive to work. I personally love nights and I would much rather work three 12's instead of five 8's a week.