12 Hour Shifts ?

[Lightning Bug RN]

I was just wondering, how many 12 hour shifts do you guys do in a row? Is there a number of nights in a row that you would feel you would be too tired to take care of your pt's? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

I routinely do 3, which I prefer. I can do 4, but don't feel I would be a safe nurse with 5. I hope this helps!

[EmmaG, RN]

I prefer to do all my nights in a row, and have all my days off together.

I used to do 6 on, 8 off. I did fine while I was working those; but that was 19 years ago and I'm too old for that anymore.

What wears me out more than the number of straight shifts I work is having the one on/one off kind of thing (working nights, that is a killer).

[RNontheroad]

I prefer to do 4-5 in a row and then have a longer stretch of time off in between. 6 is really pushing it, because I start to get cranky and lose my patience.

I have the luxury of being able to sleep during the day. Hubby is at work and we have no children, so I get a good solid 7-8 hrs. If I was not able to get a reasonable amount of uninterrupted sleep, my tolerance would be much less, I am sure. The occassional glass of wine or tylenol PM doesnt hurt either!

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

I have done 4, but would not really not want to do more than that because after that, I just need some time for R&R.

[Diana,RN]

Hi,

I usually work 2 12's in a row. Sometimes 3 in a row. i don't like 3 12's just beause I'm useless after 2. No kid's but I have 2 dog's and they go to the dogpark twice a day (am+pm). So I ave to get up a lil early, otherwise the pup eats my shoes and mail.

Don' have any kids, so I can't help with tips in the kids department.

Good luck to you,

Diana

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I'm amazed at people who can routinely do four or five in a shot. I am happiest only doing two, sometimes three, but that's it. At three in a row, I barely see my kids and dh, only come home to eat and sleep! No life. So four is ridiculous for me. I don't feel "unsafe", I do get enough sleep, but I just don't LIVE during that time: no time off, really.

[cheshirecat]

Did 7 on 7 off until about 2 years ago. On my 7 on, I had no home life, just work, eat and sleep!!:down:

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I am finally on day shift and do some 7a-7p, some 11a-11p, but I still get to sleep normally. I don't care when my shifts are done this way, split or in a row, it doesn't matter. When I did nights though, I needed my 3 together to have any quality of life.

I have also done 6 on, 8 off, but couldn't do that at my current hospital because of the acquity and large numbers of patients....no downtime on days or nights to recover.

I work with quite a few who only want 2 together, but it seems to me that I would never have any time with my family unless I bunched my work together.

As others have said, when you work long stretches of nights especially, that is all you can do, work, eat (if you are lucky), sleep, shower and work. If you have other obligations, like cooking or feeding others, forget it, it will kill you.

Good luck, you will find your pattern eventually.

[traumahawk99]

heh. this is funny, because i've done six 16 hour shifts in a row for months on end. talk about fantastic paychecks! do i feel unsafe? never! piece of cake, but then i only need 5 hours of sleep in a night. when i am very tired, the thing that suffers is getting the paperwork finished on time.

it's a matter or organization and committment. you've got to pace yourself, and remember that the only real crisis is when you panic.

i've just switched jobs to a big hospital system for the learning opportunities (hoping to travel in another 8 months, and getting prepared for that).... i praying that they'll have five 12 hour shifts.. of course, i'd rather do them in a row, then have two days off... that is, unless there is a sixth day available :).

if not, then i'll do whatever is available, and pick up prn somewhere else. i've come to expect at least 2,000 a week. sometimes i make over 3k.

and let's face it, we are all working for the money. this is a great business with all sorts of opportunity for someone who hustles.

[EmmaG, RN]

Just reading about your schedule makes me wanna take a nap.

[suzeRN]

I work in an ICU. The most I have seen is 45 shifts in a row! It was from someone on a float pool. Someone from our unit did 28 nights in a row. My personal best is 12 on nights and 15 days. My hospital gives $200 bonus for each 12 hr shift beyond 3/week and consecutive bonuses after 5 shifts in a row. We are so short staffed that its quite easy to do long stretches. The pt's families love when their nurse does stretches also... Its possible to make over 10K in one paycheck if you work 14 in a row and go tax exempt for that check.

I am sure many people will say that many shifts is unsafe, but I think each nurse should know his/her personal limit...