12 Hour Shifts

[BigCSN]

Ive always wondered aout 12 hour shifts. Ive worked them before. Ill admit its nice to only have to work 3 out of the 7 days. Sometimes I feel its overwhelming. I would like to only have to do an 8hr. How do you feel about 12 hour shifts? I guess my real question is, what can I do to help me maintain more energy and pep for the full 12 hours?

[RainMom]

I work a mix of both 8's & 12's. I prefer my 12 hr shifts! Most 12 hr shifts don't seem any longer than the 8's to me; the first 4 hrs fly by. Just worked 3 8's in a row earlier this week & didn't think I was gonna make it; I hadn't had to do that in a few months. I usually work 2 on, 2 off; 2 on, 3 off.

I also like being able to assess my pts earlier in the evening when I work 12's. On 8's, waking my pts up any time between 2330-0100 or so makes me feel so guilty, especially when they have been having trouble sleeping! Occasionally, if I'm lucky enough to have a pt for multiple nights, & no issues given in report, I'll just peek in to check them (listen to them breathing) & wait until they put their light on for the BR or when a med is due to assess.

[WldChrry]

I am an LPN, and most places I've worked only offer 8 hour shifts, although I have worked some 12 and 16 hour shifts. I would much prefer the option to work 12's. I currently work the 3-11 shift and only work part time because of it. Personally I feel that as a nurse it is very hard to work a 5 day work week. I understand the side that argues about patient care decreasing because of fatigued health care workers though-the CNA's where I work are frequently required to work 16 hour shifts on top of their regular 5 day/wk schedule, and the dangers are definiteley obvious.

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

well are the 30 hr on call residents , esp, surgery services, safe ? pages all night , or in morning ...hmmm when that is brought up , i will rethink 12s . i think continuity of care is greatky neglected and i would quit before doung 5 eights in nursing . to me they were / are just as bad as twelves if not worse. i cant handle being there five days

[tri-rn]

There is evidence that job performance deteriorates when you get past 10 hours & this is shorter if the workload is high or intense. That is why there are current Federal regulations limiting the working time for airline pilots and truck drivers - who have jobs in which lack of focus can be deadly. So - why in the world are nurses allowed to work such long hours???? No answers, just an observation.

It may be interesting to take a look at the correlation between safety incidents and fatigue in your organization. Look at the time that the error occurred and how long the individual had been working and what their workload was. It's interesting.

Shouldn't we be organizing healthcare practices according to what is better for the patient rather than the nurse?

My facility works every other weekend...that means to get your weekend, or any other 2 days/nights off in a row on an 8 hours shift schedule, you work 6 shifts in a row. I'd like to see some studies that show that that's any safer than 12s...because I'll be the first to admit, I'm safer in my first 8 hours than I am in my last four. I'm also safer my first 3 nights at work than I am the last 3.

[Good Morning, Gil]

12 hour shifts are the only way night shift is tolerable. I can't imagine working 5 nights a week to only have 2 days off, meaning, you never get to do anything.

Have not worked day shift yet, but I would still want 12 hour days. If working full time, I would not want to work as a bedside nurse 5 days a week. We're talking bedside here, not the outpatient jobs.

I think it's better for continuity of care, and nursing satisfaction. I think, as far as bedside nursing goes, most nurses do not want to work 5 days a week. If I ever start to feel tired around 4 AM, that's when I grab some extra water or caffeine and keep moving. Generally, I'm moving most of the time anyway, but if there is a slower night, I'll give a bath or stock the bedside carts around 4 AM. And, I never rely on the computer anyway, always quickly double check my meds/patient before administering.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I prefer 12 hour shifts, work two on, than 2-3 off, makes work bearable, bad assignment you only have one more day to deal with it. Don't like working 12 hours every other weekend and holiday, wish I had the luxury to work .6 3 8 hour shifts with the luxury to pick up 12 hr on weekdays and have holidays off. Not an option at this time anyway. Love being at work only 3 days a week! Don't have to deal with cliques and politics etc.