16 hr work days in GA

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Is it legal to have a nurse in an Assisted Living Facility work two 16 hr shifts back to back in the state of GA?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

16-hour double shifts are legal in all states unless I am mistaken.

The only way a nurse would be prohibited from working a 16-hour shift is through facility policy or union contract. And since you are in Georgia, I am 100 percent certain your workplace is not unionized.

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Specializes in SNF, LTAC.

We have those shifts here in Oklahoma...its called the Baylor plan, 16 hr shift, 7 hours off, 16 hr shift...get paid for 40 hours tho

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

It's not illegal because I did it to pay my son's way through college. Of course, it was my choice but had it been illegal, I wouldn't have been allowed to do it.

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Years ago, I chose to work a "modified Baylor" schedule that was two doubles, Saturday and Sunday of each week. Loved it. Had the whole rest of the week free. Worked 32, got paid for 40. Got full benefits.

Of course, I wouldn't want to do that on a not-just-weekends, not-just-two-days-a-week basis.

I've been in several different states over the course of my career, and have never heard of two doubles, back-to-back, being illegal anywhere. I've been told that requiring a nurse to work 24 hours straight is illegal, but never heard anything about doubles.

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16 hr shift back to back = 32 hrs straight? No break?

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
16-hour double shifts are legal in all states unless I am mistaken.

The only way a nurse would be prohibited from working a 16-hour shift is through facility policy or union contract. And since you are in Georgia, I am 100 percent certain your workplace is not unionized.

When I was working in PA years ago we were told that they were no longer legal "unless the unit is short staffed." I never looked for myself to see what the law was as i was not a fan of 16 hour shifts

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
16 hr shift back to back = 32 hrs straight? No break?
When I worked these shifts, I worked 16 hours every Saturday and Sunday from 6:00am to 10:00pm. I'd go home on Saturday night, sleep for a few hours and be back bright and early on Sunday morning to report to work at 6:00am.

My former workplace called this the weekend double Baylor shift. Those of us who committed to working 16 hour weekend double shifts every Saturday and Sunday were paid for 40 hours, had Monday through Friday off and received benefits.

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THanks. Sounds like being a stay at home parent to a bunch of preschoolers. Ha Ha.. but without the pay or actual time off.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
When I was working in PA years ago we were told that they were no longer legal "unless the unit is short staffed." I never looked for myself to see what the law was as i was not a fan of 16 hour shifts

Seems to me that this would make it a requirement or policy (unit-based) that has nothing to do with legalities. Here's the thing. Some facilities are unscrupulous if they think are believe their employees have no clue as to what they can or can NOT legally make you do. Like you said, and they know lots of people of guilty of this, the employees don't take the time to read and try to interpret facility policy and its true meaning. (Most of the time, it's spelled out...no need for interpretation).

It would behoove some of us to adopt the attitude of 'just because I'm quiet doesn't mean that I agree or believe what you say'. Nod your head and go check for yourself.:yes:

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16 hr shift back to back = 32 hrs straight? No break?

Nobody is talking about 32 hours straight. We mean a 16 hour double shift on one day followed by a 16 hour double shift the following day, with 8 hours off in between.

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