Are 12 hr shifts long and drawn out?

SarasotaRN2b · Nov 2, 2005

Believe me, sometimes it is as if 12 hours are not enough with everything that needs to be done. I doubt there are many nurses that are able to look at the clock ans ee the time pass slowly (at least not in my hospital).

As you learn and do more, you will find that time will pass more quickly and you wish that it will slow down.

ERNurse752, RN · Nov 2, 2005

It can be long, but it won't be boring.

QuilterLPN · Nov 2, 2005

Whether I've worked 8's or 12's, there never seems to be enough time in the day to do all the things that need to be done! You are doing the right things now, like learning about ADL's and watching your patient and how the nurses care for them. If you had to start out doing all the stuff that you'll end up doing when you're working, it would be way too overwhelming.

Use this time wisely. Take the time to look at charts, labs, orders and that kind of stuff. Ambulate folks. Take the time to really talk with them. You may be able to observe something that the RN didn't have the time to recognize. Seems slow now, but you will be busy before you know it.

jodyangel, RN · Nov 2, 2005

LOL at boring.

Believe me, your day will fly. Its hard at first but your body adjusts. Only thing is once you get home, and its after 8pm at night or later.....theres nothing left to your day.

Good thing is that you have more days off tho. So I've done both and I'm not sure which is better. Good luck!

DusktilDawn · Nov 2, 2005

Hi all. I just started clinicals at the hospital a few weeks ago and we are there from only 6-2. We are only doing basic ADL's and observation right now but the time goes by so slow. (we are on a med surg floor, BTW) There just really is not much going on much of the time. I find myself watching the clock! :uhoh21:
We are at a fairly small hospital and so far many of the nurses on the floor have not been very receptive to us (understandably so) but those who have we have tried to learn from without intruding too much ....but there's still alot we can't do as students.
I guess my question is, as a nurse, is the 12 hour shift boring and long ?
I remember walking out of there thinking I can't believe some of them will be here til 7 or 8 at night. :uhoh21:
thanks in advance !

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

Once your working, you will long to be bored.

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

student4ever · Nov 2, 2005

Yes, a 12 hour shift can be VERY long... but boring??? VERY rarely! I work in the ED, so occasionally once in a blue moon, we'll have a night that's slow as can be, and we only have 2-4 pts in the whole ED past 3am... makes a long time till 7am! However, we deserve it on occasion, since every other night is so darn busy we're lucky to get a pee break, much less lunch. Once you start getting into more skills, time won't go by so slowly. I agree with other posters - take time to review charts, look at different nurses charting styles, go through your mind as to what YOU would do if you were the nurse - and compare it to what the actual nurse is doing. Try and use every moment of time to learn and practice your skills.

TypicalFish · Nov 2, 2005

Hi all. I just started clinicals at the hospital a few weeks ago and we are there from only 6-2. We are only doing basic ADL's and observation right now but the time goes by so slow. (we are on a med surg floor, BTW) There just really is not much going on much of the time. I find myself watching the clock! :uhoh21:
We are at a fairly small hospital and so far many of the nurses on the floor have not been very receptive to us (understandably so) but those who have we have tried to learn from without intruding too much ....but there's still alot we can't do as students.
I guess my question is, as a nurse, is the 12 hour shift boring and long ?
I remember walking out of there thinking I can't believe some of them will be here til 7 or 8 at night. :uhoh21:
thanks in advance !

I work in an ACCU for a fairly large hospital; I work 7a-7p; I get there at 620ish, check out my assignment (2-3 pts); clock in at 640, morning minutes, get reports, check labs, present patients during rounds, give meds, do oral care, clean pt, and now it's noon; do accuchecks, meds, clean, turn, relieve other nurses, travel off unit with patient, now it's 3pm, do meds/treatments/change dressings, deal with families, get orders, turn patient, do oral care, Yikes, it 6pm, get ready for change of shift and report. And this is a nice, quiet day, barring codes, emergencies, extra patients, fewer nurses, more trips. It is a long day, but it never drags slowly by.

I remember thinking the same thing when I was in clinicals, but it's like comparing apples and oranges. Good luck, and best wishes!

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 2, 2005

It can be long, but it won't be boring.

this says it all.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 2, 2005

When you're a nurse, just say "it's so boring, there's nothing to do, it's so quiet today". Sit back and watch all hell break loose.

Night shift 12 hours were long for me in the wee hours of the morning sometimes. But dayshift, I'm finding that sometimes 12 hours is not enough. When I do have a slow day, I enjoy it. :)

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Nov 2, 2005

I enjoy the 12 hour shifts or should i say 13 and half hour shifts here in uk( called long long days) because I do more in a working day and get more days off, so they work really well. I am due to start 12 hour night shifts dunno how I will feel about them yet.

Haunted · Nov 2, 2005

I can relate to this post. My clinicals seem to dddrrraaagggg by because there really wasn't much we were allowed to do and many of the nurses treated us like pests if we shadowed them.

I've worked 12, 10 and 8 hours shifts and for me, a 10 hour is the happy medium. I haven't run out of juice yet, I may have actually had lunch, possibly a bathroom break and most of my meds and treatments were completed, maybe not all on schedule, but heck, who's counting! I guess it depends on the unit you are working.