Military Time

[krm7]

Is it standard to use military time in nursing school & as a nurse in hospitals? I really struggle with it, but I have heard of some people changing the time on their phones to military time to help learn it. I read some other threads where some facilities are stopping using it. So I was just wondering is it still used or is it on the way out?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

2400 or 0000 starts the new day right? 1am...... 0100, 0200, 0300, 0400, 0500, 0600, 0700, 0800, 0900, 1000, 1100, 1200 (noon), 1300 (1pm), 1400 (2pm)...and count to 2300(11pm) and the day starts again. Military time has become the standard.

You quickly get used to it.

[elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

military is the standard, dont see it going anywhere anytime soon

my sister taught me a quick way to convert military time to normal time and vice versa, although if you do it wrong...you'll be very wrong

she basically told me to subtract 2 from your military time and thatll give you your civilian time.

for example :1300 (ignore the 1) 3 - 2 = 1, so 1300 is 1pm

1500 (ignore the 1) 5- 2 = 3 so 1500 is 3pm

2130, 21-2 = 19, (ignore the 1) so 2130 = 930pm

as long as i remain mindful of the 1/2 rule, its pretty simple. much simpler to me than trying to subtract/add 12 to the time

midnight is 00:00 in my neck of the woods

[dt70]

When I worked for Army&Navy they both used 00:00 for midnight. Made mistake once using 24:00 and was corrected.

[SleeepyRN]

I have never seen 24:00 used for midnight. What does 12:01 become, 00:01 or 24:01; either way that seems exceptionally silly.

OP, the +/- 12 trick is definitely the best way, IMO. Before learning that, I just 'went back' two numbers. It's hard to explain because there isn't much logic but for 14:00, for example, going 'back' two numbers from the ones place (from 4 to 2) also gives you the time. I hope this doesn't confuse you more but, for me, it's the quickest way to get the current time. After a while, you become accustomed to associating certain number (like 9 with 21:00, for example) so it won't require anything thinking over time.

This is exactly what I do. When I hear or read, for example, 18:00, I automatically go back 2 from 8 and think 6 o'clock. It just automatically happens in my brain now.

[krm7]

Thank you all so much!! The subtraction thing really helped!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I wish we used military time in priviate lives as well. Less confusion. Plus, when you get to travel to Europe you can tell when the stores are open, because they do use the 24 hr clock.

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

Do you use military/24 hour time verbatim? I have communicated specific times (in 24 hour time) to doctors before and I'm not sure if I'm doing it properly. Is it appropriate to say, for example, "twenty fifteen" to reference 2015 or 8:15PM? Or say "oh two thirty" to reference 0230 or 2:30AM?

[MedicalPartisan]

Do you use military/24 hour time verbatim? I have communicated specific times (in 24 hour time) to doctors before and I'm not sure if I'm doing it properly. Is it appropriate to say, for example, "twenty fifteen" to reference 2015 or 8:15PM? Or say "oh two thirty" to reference 0230 or 2:30AM?

IF the standard in your place of employment has a 24-hour standard (as in if all of the employees follow this rule) then there would be nothing wrong with saying 'two thirty' because there is no other time that could possibly be. In reality, you all probably chart in 24-hour time but use AM/PM verbatim.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

It's standard however now with the new charting system, half of the program is in the regular 12 hour clock and the other half is in military time. It is really annoying. It's not even a small program but one that is supposed to be used widespread throughout the country. How many different systems actually use it is a different story but there are a ton of doctor names throughout the state at least.