Am I the only one who hates 12 hour shifts?

Based on some things I've read on this website, I know that I'm not, but I just cannot STAND how 12 hour work days consume my life! There is no time to do anything besides work on those days and prepare for the next work day. I would be so much happier if I could switch to 8s or 10s or even some combo of 8 and 12s... I need to be able to exercise and take care of myself in order to be happy at work!

Mostly I just needed to rant because I know I can't address this yet as a new grad, but has anyone else felt this way and taken action to get a better schedule? Better hours would make work a billion times better!

Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.
Night shifters do not mind it near as much as day workers because they do not work near as hard. Not had to figure out.

As someone who will refuse to work anything but an 8 hour shift I find your commentary about the work ethic of night shifters, who are more often than day shifters to endure higher ratios and shorter staffing, completely devoid of any credibility. Besides that I agree with you completely.

Night shifters do not mind it near as much as day workers because they do not work near as hard. Not had to figure out.

How long have you worked in this fantasy scenario?

On my nightshift there are three nurses who look after the same number of patients as TEN day shifters and six evening staff.

You seriously have no idea.

Night shifters do not mind it near as much as day workers because they do not work near as hard. Not had to figure out.

oh, come on. You're just trying to rock the boat, aren't you?

it is common knowledge by people who have worked all shifts.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
it is common knowledge by people who have worked all shifts.

I've worked all shifts, and it's not common knowledge to me. Perhaps you'd better check your evidence base there!

Specializes in geriatrics.

I work permanent nights. I'm the nurse, the housekeeper, the ward clerk, the pharmacist, and the NA. Day shift and night shift nurses work equally as hard. The nature of the work is just different.

Nights are not as busy with family or staff, so less politics is the advantage. However, you better be able to move quickly and be on alert because patients go bad on nights, and you're often a skeleton crew with no support staff.

I'm confused about the number of nurses who would prefer 8 hour shifts. I am hopeful to be accepted to nursing school in the next week or so...and I am looking forward to 12's and picking up an extra shift here and there for OT. I work 8's now in cardiology as a tech and while I like coming to work everyday and getting a weekend of OT a month it will be so nice to work 3 12's and every other weekend. That means I could get several days off to hang out my family, pick my daughter up from school, go to the gym then just relax around the house. I can't run any errands during the week really and its tough to make it to the gym before or after work. If you think about it, if you work 8's, you get up at 7 to be at work at 8 then get off at 430 or 5 and then get home at 6. Thats not a huge difference from working 7-7 and getting home at 7:30. The difference is, with a nurses schedule you may have the next day/days off.

I like working though, I enjoy coming to the hospital everyday and interacting with patients and coworkers.

Let's see, I start work at 0700 and am finished at 1515. I have plenty of time to do what I need on the way home from work.

With 12's, you don't home home until nearly 20hr. Too bagged to do anything but grunt at the kids, make lunch for tomorrow, find clean scrubs and to bed you go.

Not every schedule bangs the three together. Some rotations have four one week, two the next. You turn into a zombie. The first day off is a lost cause.

12 work for management and the young and single. The mature and mothering, not so much. Try finding a daycare that will take a child for those shifts.

Oh, and let's not feed the animals that live under bridges who joined AN this month.

Specializes in ICU.
Let's see, I start work at 0700 and am finished at 1515. I have plenty of time to do what I need on the way home from work.

With 12's, you don't home home until nearly 20hr. Too bagged to do anything but grunt at the kids, make lunch for tomorrow, find clean scrubs and to bed you go.

Not every schedule bangs the three together. Some rotations have four one week, two the next. You turn into a zombie. The first day off is a lost cause.

12 work for management and the young and single. The mature and mothering, not so much. Try finding a daycare that will take a child for those shifts.

Oh, and let's not feed the animals that live under bridges who joined AN this month.

This! My roster this fortnight includes 2 day shifts, 2 days off, 2 night shifts, 3 days off (including sleep day), 2 day shifts, 2 days off. Great fun. Luckily I start 8s again soon.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

But your point about the extra time added onto an 8-hr shift is true for 12-hr ones also--commute time, extra 1/2 hr for lunch, finishing late etc. It's not that an 8-hr shift is more like an 11-hr shift, but a 12-hr one really is a 12-hr one. When I worked 0700-1930 I didn't usually get home earlier than 2100.

Like I said in my PP, that would mean that if FT, for three days per week (minus the Sat-Sun q 3 wks) I would not see my kids during all day. I'd leave before they got up and come home after they were in bed. Plus like Fiona said, it's extremely difficult to find daycare past 1800. Almost all daycares--centers or home based ones--close at 1800, meaning you have to be walking out the door w/ your child(ren) by 1759.

Also like I said, when working such long hours I need at least a day to recover...much more if it's a night shift. I'm not up and ready to play w/ my kids or work out or get caught up on housework.

I like working too. The reason I am working outside the home is b/c I love my job so much. :nurse: :) Hopefully this clears up some of the confusion why some of us prefer 8-hr shifts.

I'm confused about the number of nurses who would prefer 8 hour shifts.. {Edited for brevity} If you think about it, if you work 8's, you get up at 7 to be at work at 8 then get off at 430 or 5 and then get home at 6. Thats not a huge difference from working 7-7 and getting home at 7:30. The difference is, with a nurses schedule you may have the next day/days off.

I like working though, I enjoy coming to the hospital everyday and interacting with patients and coworkers.

Specializes in Critical Care.
I have never worked 8's but the thought of being at work 5 days a week makes me slightly ill. :barf02: I work three 12's a week and even that makes me ponder the need to be medicated! I've often thought that if the hospital would mist Valium through the air vents every night, nurses and patients alike would be much happier. :woot:

I agree with the valium mist, would be wonderful and calming for everyone involved! Problem is the nurses might start falling asleep at the station! lol

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Let's see, I start work at 0700 and am finished at 1515. I have plenty of time to do what I need on the way home from work.

With 12's, you don't home home until nearly 20hr. Too bagged to do anything but grunt at the kids, make lunch for tomorrow, find clean scrubs and to bed you go.

Not every schedule bangs the three together. Some rotations have four one week, two the next. You turn into a zombie. The first day off is a lost cause.

12 work for management and the young and single. The mature and mothering, not so much. Try finding a daycare that will take a child for those shifts.

Oh, and let's not feed the animals that live under bridges who joined AN this month.

12s work very well for me and my retirement aged spouse, thank you!

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