8 hr shifts vs. 12 hr shift

I agree! Getting to work is half the battle. Once I am at there I would just as soon do 12 and get it over than have my 4 days off.

Hi! I've tried working for both schedule, both have their pros and cons but personally I prefer to work on the 8 hour shift. Its more apt for me and I can say I am productive and can concentrate better.

Have a blessed day all... Happy Nurses day!

I prefer also to work 8 hr shifts rather than 12 hour shift. I could function effectively and more productive. With 12 hour shift, i was so tired and less effective. I work 5 days a week but more happier and energetic.

we do 2 12's 2 8's and oddly enough i love stayin for 12s bc it seems like you have so much more time to do your work..... in 8 hrs u feel overwhelemd i mean you have ths same amt of work just in 4 hours less.... althought waking up on an 8 hr day and knowing ull be home fast isnt bad either haha!!

What IS the worse of two evils? I use to work 2 -12's and 1- 8hour shift a week.........that was great. Now I am in a new place and work 4- 12's in a row to top it off! We work 4 off 4. At first I was working two days (7am -7pm) followed by two nights (7pm-7am)...yes all in a row. Talk about complete exhaustion! I begged for all nights but still drag working 4 in a row. To make matters worse people ask for you to work for them so this week I am on for 5 12's in a row so my 3 days off will be wasted sleeping! And NO OT!!!

I like 12 hour shifts and having more days off to recuperate.

Well I just did my first six months of nursing on a surgical floor, 12 hour shifts...but on the third day in a row of 12's I fainted from exhaustion and bashed my head on the floor!!! Now I am reconsidering... I can't handle the 12 hours, obviously! Especially 3 in a row, it's just torture. It literally destroyed me!

I have not gone back to nursing duties yet but I am seriously considering going somewhere where I can do 8 hour shifts.

i loveee 12 hr shifts. i do 3 in a row and then have 4 off in a row. allows me to have a life..go to school, be w/ my family, vacation. and when i want to take PTO allows me to have like 2 wks off at a time. another advantage is the fact that i usually get the same pt all 3 days, i know them and they know and trust me. plus your pts get continuity of care, my pts love it. sometimes i will admit and be w/ the pt their whole stay. by the 2nd day i can anticipate what the pt needs are and be on top of them. the MD also gets to know you for those days and its easier to work w/ them. so i wouldnt want it any other way.
some nurses have told me that 3-12s in a row is hard, but if you can its great.

I guess what everyone's really saying is that only you can decide if you can work 12's. I started on 8's, night shift. I always felt like I was struggling to keep up and rarely got out on time in the mornings. It was a little easier to participate in family life on the days I worked, and recuperation didn't take as long. BUT...in my facility, if you work 12's, you work every 3rd w/e instead of every other. Especially with nights, I felt like I was missing out on too much family time. Now I work 3 in a row most of the time, occasionally do a trade & do 4, which I actually like. It can be tough, but I'm all about the days off! Most of the time I get to keep my same patients & just pick up a couple new ones at 11p, so it does make the night a little smoother. I already know 3-4 of my patients so changes & progress are easier to track. Occasionally I either float the first 4 or take a few patients on our unit & then get "bumped" to a new pt load. That bites! But it doesn't happen often. I wouldn't trade my 12's for anything and am just biding my time until a day shift opens, which won't happen for a couple years.

Love my 12 hour shifts. I work two 12's a week, have 5 days off and feel like I am a stay at home mom who gets out twice a week and uses her mind. Love my job and my 12's!