Are 12 hour shifts safe?

Nurses Safety

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It has been my experience that most of my medical errors have occurred towards the end of shift, when I am most fatigued, and this is with an 8 hr shift. I work with nurses that like to do doubles, and many times one has to help them because they are to tired, or one feels like one should help them. 12 hours shifts do not make sense to me from a health and safety point of view. As nurses we should realize our bodies need rest. We are health role models for other workers, so what kind of example are we giving them. I wonder if a study has been done comparing med errors by nurses that work 12 hr shifts versus 8 hr shift nurses. My guess is that is higher. So my question is..are 12 hour shifts good for your health, and the well being of your patients?

Specializes in ER.
nurses who are for monetary gain are deemed to be dangerous people because the quality care and standard of nursing will prejudice. same thing if nurses are doing nursing care for the sake of money the very people who will suffer most is the patient. nursing is a noble profession, yet it would be a detrimental to all patients if these some people who are for the monetary gain will destroy their life. :yawn:

well, then, self-destruction in progress :scrm: for this fantastic, attentive, skilled RN (who patients love, btw)!!!!! Money does matter - why is it that the issue of compensation has to be such a horrid question? We perform such a vital job, as do doctors who are paid an astonishing amount of money for what they do. Some of them don't do very much and some perform heroics. I am proud of being compensated for what I am worth, as are many whose professions require precision, skill, a cool-head under pressure, organization, compassion.... I could go on and on and on.....

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Specializes in ER.
nurses who are for monetary gain are deemed to be dangerous people because the quality care and standard of nursing will prejudice. same thing if nurses are doing nursing care for the sake of money the very people who will suffer most is the patient. nursing is a noble profession, yet it would be a detrimental to all patients if these some people who are for the monetary gain will destroy their life. :yawn:

who deems them dangerous?

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Specializes in Med/ surg,ortho.onc,supvsn.

I have worked 12 hour shifts for over 10 years and totally love it!1I would never want to go back to 8 hr shifts.Part of working 12 ( and i freq word doubles) hr shifts is ensuring you have enough sleep.To make it work for you have to have a routine down, you can't stay up till 0100 when you know you have to work at 0700 for a 12.Some people were not made for 12's, it just depends on you and your body and patterns.I feel they are great for pt care, as far as continuity of care,rapport and knowing that pt's medical problems/meds etc.:D

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I've been working 12 hour shifts for 3 years now, and I think they're great. I only have to work 3 days a week. Besides, I agree that I think I would be rushed if it was only an 8 hour shift, which would create more opportunities for making errors.

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I personally wish that I could have 12 hour shifts, mostly because of the wonders of only working 3 days. I think that they are safe when you take that into consideration. It's only working for 3 days a week. I think the hospital needs to make sure that the nurses get a good enough break while on this 12 hour shift. My question is, do most of the big Northeast Hospitals (Boston, NY, Washington) have 12 hour shifts? I heard it was two 8's two 12's?

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I work all 12 hour shifts and it can be exhausting. Sometimes I work 4 or 5 12's in a row so I can have a long stretch of days off. This is how I have managed to take frequent vacations. Working nights it is difficult to work a shift, then have one off, then work again cuz on my days off I like to be on a day schedule. However, working 12's really takes a toll on my body and after a few of them I feel like I got hit by a train. So I feel that either way its a lose lose situation.:(

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I love 12 hour shifts and prefer compressed work weeks-it can make me more days off with my families and friends;I dislike working 6 days per week with 1 day off.

I worked 12 hours rotating shifts for 1 year with no error.A bit tired at the end of the shift but recover quickly by a sound sleep.I think it's good for me and my patients.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

I also love working 12 hour shifts. Essentially there is same amount of work/charting to do but it is done in 12 hours instead of compressed 8 hour shift.

Aside from the time off from work which I love. When I worked 8 hour shifts for 20 years I found myself to be just as tired at the end of 8 hours as I now do working 12.

Added bonus in this day and age. 2 less days of driving 44 miles round trip. Saves me gas, saves wear and tear on my car. I also feel like I get to know my patients better.

To each their own.

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i work 12 hours 3 times in a week with the census of 20 patient.:cry:

we are only two nurse and 1 nursing aid.it is very difficult because of the census.there are times we have more admissions in the last hour of our duty.since we are tired sometimes we overlooked the doctors order and we miss that.:no: the doctor will be very angry and of course expect the following day that you must write incidental report.

That's why 12 hour duty in not safe:down:

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I have a solution the the 12 hour shift exhaustion! I have been a nurse for 26 years!!!!! I went to HR on friday, and rescinded the 2nd meal waiver!! Tomorrow I will get 2 lunch periods! Managers will go crazy trying to give 2 lunches to the nurses! I am always late charting until 8pm, etc. So why not get 2 lunches, and clock out at 8pm. My boss is so mad, but there is nothing she can do to me. The labor law in California,states that for 12 hours we are supposed to get 2 lunch breaks. GO TO HR and GET the 2nd meal back! that THEY CONVINCED you to waive in the first place. Even if you have to leave at 7:30 pm, if your kids need you, etc just clock out at 7:30. You will get 11.5 hours pay. That's okay with me. I can't work 12 hours with only a 30 minute lunch and they never give us a break nurse because the charge nurse can't do it all! A lunch at 3pm is TOO LATE, I'm sick by then.

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Yes, I prefer them. Its whatever you are used to doing.:)

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Specializes in acute care and geriatric.
I also love working 12 hour shifts. Essentially there is same amount of work/charting to do but it is done in 12 hours instead of compressed 8 hour shift.

Aside from the time off from work which I love. When I worked 8 hour shifts for 20 years I found myself to be just as tired at the end of 8 hours as I now do working 12.

Added bonus in this day and age. 2 less days of driving 44 miles round trip. Saves me gas, saves wear and tear on my car. I also feel like I get to know my patients better.

To each their own.

Dear LPN Florida

If you are doing the same work in 12 hours as you would in 8 then you are gypping your patients. 12hr shifts should have the same amount of work as one and a half 8 hr shifts. Perhaps you have just gotten used to it and therefore it feels like that. Humans can get used to all sorts of abuse- and ask for more! Nurses are notorious for it!

I do agree with you about the commuting, but not everyone is cut out for 12 hours of on the go work. I am glad that it has worked out for you.

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