Anyone work 12 hour hospital shifts?

[firlom44, LPN]

Hello everyone,

I have a question about scheduling. I work at a hospital that does 12 hour days/night shifts. I am the only full time Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in the unit and I find that my schedule has been all over the place. The unit has been scheduling me for their unit needs/convenience and I can’t seem to map out my future schedule since they only release a 6 week schedule at a certain time period.

I know the regular shifts that you can get with working a 12 hour shift would be 7 shifts biweekly. Sometimes I get 6 shifts in a pay period (I asked my unit clerk and she said that my shifts would need to average out to 75 hours in 3 months).

I’d appreciate if someone can enlighten me with this situation. Thanks!

[GBC_Student, BSN, RN]

What you're saying all sounds familiar. Some units have nurses in a line, a particular patten that doesn't change. Some may not have lines, like yours. As you gain seniority you may gain a line. I'd ask your clerk or other nurses if your unit has lines. As for the six or seven shifts per pay period, that's also not uncommon. If you work seven shifts you're not paid for 7*12, you're paid for 7*11.25. That comes to 78.25 per pay period. So to average out your hours and pay some pay periods you'll work 7 shifts and some you'll work 6.

[xokw, BSN, RN]

On 12/3/2019 at 5:53 PM, firlom44 said:

Hello everyone,

I have a question about scheduling. I work at a hospital that does 12 hour days/night shifts. I am the only full time Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in the unit and I find that my schedule has been all over the place. The unit has been scheduling me for their unit needs/convenience and I can’t seem to map out my future schedule since they only release a 6 week schedule at a certain time period.

I know the regular shifts that you can get with working a 12 hour shift would be 7 shifts biweekly. Sometimes I get 6 shifts in a pay period (I asked my unit clerk and she said that my shifts would need to average out to 75 hours in 3 months).

I’d appreciate if someone can enlighten me with this situation. Thanks!

That sounds about right based on my experience when I was in the hospital.

[dayandnight]

On 12/3/2019 at 2:53 PM, firlom44 said:

Hello everyone,

I have a question about scheduling. I work at a hospital that does 12 hour days/night shifts. I am the only full time Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in the unit and I find that my schedule has been all over the place. The unit has been scheduling me for their unit needs/convenience and I can’t seem to map out my future schedule since they only release a 6 week schedule at a certain time period.

I know the regular shifts that you can get with working a 12 hour shift would be 7 shifts biweekly. Sometimes I get 6 shifts in a pay period (I asked my unit clerk and she said that my shifts would need to average out to 75 hours in 3 months). 

I’d appreciate if someone can enlighten me with this situation. Thanks!

Sounds like most Canadian hospital inpatient units. I used to have 6-7 shifts biweekly. But usually in BC your schedule is predetermined for like.. ever and they release your schedule 1 year in advance (like you will have all your 2020 schedule by now).