Are 12 hour shifts going extinct?

[MunoRN]

A hospital in my region recently announced all staff will be transitioning to 8 hour shifts over the next year, 12 hour shifts will no longer be available. The word from my Hospital and others in the area is that they plan on making this change in the near future as well.

As someone who's worked an 8 hour night shift schedule, I don't agree that 5 night shifts a week is less fatiguing than 3, but that's the argument they are making. I personally could not handle working a full time 8 hour night schedule when I did it in the past, although I handle 3 12's a week now just fine, and I was younger when I worked 8's so I'm pretty sure it would kill me if I tried doing that now.

Is it just my area that's making this move? If other areas have tried it, has it worked?

[CharcoalRN]

I work 8hr/5 days and I hate it. Here is what my schedule looks like:

Work M-T-W-TH, off F, work Sat-Sun-M, off T, work W-TH-F off the weekend. Repeat.

Having one day off at a time is not a way to recover from the work week. Working 4 days in a row is brutal and to only have one day off before working another 3 days in a row with only one day off after that before completing another 3 days in a row is hell. My 2 day weekends (I only get 2 days off in a row every other weekends) feel like heaven.

I am dying for 12 hr shifts.

[sdlane]

Oh no, that is horrible !12's have to stay ! That is what most people look forward too.

[EDnursetobe]

dear god, if they told me I had to go to work 5 days a week, I would quit on the spot.

5 days a week is fine for an office type job, and might even be ok in a clinic (maybe). but 5 days a week at the hospital would kill me.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

color coded scrubs, 24/7 visitors and now abolishing 12s?! they really are trying to drive us senior nurses away from the bedside!

[foreverLaur]

My hospital has always been 8 hour shifts, but they are currently transitioning to 12 hour shifts. That seems to be the preference among nurses/techs. I can't imagine working anything but a 12! Who wants to work 5 days a week?

[MBrnbsnmha/ed]

i prefer 8's

[MunoRN, RN]

I heard a bit more today, it sounds as though the Nurses at this Hospital are being told it's for patient safety, but the idea came from a cost-cutting consultant, so more likely it's to save money. Although I'm not sure how it saves money either, you'd think an extra shift change would cost more.

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

The acute care hospital where I am are almost exclusively 12 hours and are all staying that way...all for continuity of care..the SNFs are 8s mostly.

I would say the 8s are being phased out.

[MunoRN, RN]

Got another update from the Hospital in question. Apparently a hospital of similar size saved $6 million by getting rid of 12 hour shifts and the consulting company is telling everyone they need to switch to 8's. Supposedly we'll all be working 8's in less than 5 years.

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

I would be out of there before they finished making the announcement!!!.......HATE 8 hours shifts....and NO one will ever work the 3-11 shift, so good luck with trying to hire for that one...they will need to have that consulting company..which by the way, they are paying FAR more than 6 million, come and staff that shift....again, I repeat, all of the acute care hospitals where I am have gone to 12s...only the SNF are 8s. There are a few floors in the hospitals where there are still some 8s the rest are 12s

[myk_RN]

My hospital does a mix of 12 and 8, depending on the ward. I work at Med-Surg and our head nurse has tried to go with 12 hr shift but the senior nurses, who always works the 7-3 shift, vote against it. I'm okay working 8 hr. graveyard shifts but Id like to try the 12's and have more days off.

[bulletproofbarb]

In Australia where i work the norm for shifts is 8 hours and for nights is 10 hours.

morning 7am to 330

afternoon 1pm to 930pm

night 9pm to 730am.

I worked in UK in 2004 and did 12 hour shifts sometimes. I cant say I like them. I guess it's what you are used to.

I do PRN work now and do 6 hour shifts..and it's brilliant. I start at 7 and finish at 1pm and the day is mine! Sometimes i do 7 hours as thats what the facility wants.

I dont do five days a week, just 3 as I have another job for the other 2 days a week that dosn't involve patients. After 3 days of playing nurse I just cant face patients...and the idea of being 12 hours with the same patients fills me with dread..but I have been a nurse now for over 20 years. What I used to be able to do work wise/hours and what i can do now are two completely different things.