Do you prefer 12 hour or 8 hour shifts?

Nurses General Nursing

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As far as ICU goes, would you rather work three 12 hour shifts per week or four 8 hour shifts per week? Why?

Just curious.. ;)

Hi friends,

Great post It really hit home. Was promoted to Nurse Educator and will now work 8 hour days. I loved 12 hours. it was beyond my wildest dream for many years. Now at 47(2 coronary stents last march) Im looking to slow it down a little. Looking foward to weekends and holidays off but not to the 5:30 alarm clock going off. It is nice getting out at 3:00 in the afternoon though. whatever floats you're boat!!!!:redbeathe

JC

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Specializes in PACU,Trauma ICU,CVICU,Med-Surg,EENT.

I work 8s (as a .6) in a PACU, (so 6 shifts/PP) and am looking for a new job where I can return to 12s. There is no way I can work FT in a unit which is based on 8 hours -that is 10 shift out of the 14 in a PP! I'd NEVER be home for supper with the family - and that's just not acceptable to me.

6 or 7 12s in a PP would be much better. A previous poster expressed her concern about being cared for by someone who's worked 3 12hr shifts.How'd you like to receive your post op care from someone who's on his/her 7th 8hr shift in a row?! In our unit,the FTers do at least 5 in a row and not all of their days off are 2 in a row either. Get me outta here!!! :bugeyes:

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Specializes in psych..
I work 8s (as a .6) in a PACU, (so 6 shifts/PP) and am looking for a new job where I can return to 12s. There is no way I can work FT in a unit which is based on 8 hours -that is 10 shift out of the 14 in a PP! I'd NEVER be home for supper with the family - and that's just not acceptable to me.

6 or 7 12s in a PP would be much better. A previous poster expressed her concern about being cared for by someone who's worked 3 12hr shifts.How'd you like to receive your post op care from someone who's on his/her 7th 8hr shift in a row?! In our unit,the FTers do at least 5 in a row and not all of their days off are 2 in a row either. Get me outta here!!! :bugeyes:

2 wrongs dont make a right. How would anyone like to be a plane with a pilot that has flown for 12 hours..if that is possible. Or ride in a bus with a bus driver that has driven 12 hours or more..Or have a Doctor doing surgery on you.. But its great there is room for opinion in the world..or maybe in some parts of the world. If I waS going to ride a horse..I prefer a fresh one..Where have all the critical thinkers gone..long time passing..when will they ever learn..when.......?

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Specializes in PACU,Trauma ICU,CVICU,Med-Surg,EENT.
2 wrongs dont make a right. How would anyone like to be a plane with a pilot that has flown for 12 hours..if that is possible. Or ride in a bus with a bus driver that has driven 12 hours or more..Or have a Doctor doing surgery on you.. But its great there is room for opinion in the world..or maybe in some parts of the world. If I waS going to ride a horse..I prefer a fresh one..Where have all the critical thinkers gone..long time passing..when will they ever learn..when.......?

Huh? My point is that there is more than one way of looking at something - surely you can see that for some people there is less fatigue in working a rotation which is based on (fewer) 12 hr shifts rather than shorter shifts that are of a greater number in a row. I don't consider 8 and 12 hour shifts "two wrongs"...that's just reality. Each individual decides what's right for him/her. Do I think that hospitals could do more with scheduling to improve the quality of life for RNs? You betcha!

But smarter nurses than I will have to come up with those rotations! :bow:

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I prefer to work two 16-hour shifts per week. :)

See, I would love doing that!!! Work em and get em over with...have more time to focus on school. kids, etc. One hospital I interviewed with was going to let me do that since I had a long commute to and from. I do love my 12's though

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Specializes in Cardiac,ICU,.

:redbeatheI don't care for 8 Hour shifts it just does not seem like there is enough time to get everything completed the way I want to, 12 hr shifts are fine as long as they are 3 in a row and not all over the place in the week I like to do them straight and get it done with, I really like four 10 hours a week Its nice to be in by 5AM and of at 3:30.

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