Are 12 hour shifts safe?

axl3_tac · Apr 28, 2008

for me, it's not how long you've worked for the client but rather on the quality that you give in caring for the client. anyway, we are for the safety of these people who really needs our ample time and concern. it's not about money but it's about the love, care, and patience...... :bugeyes:

pantheon · Apr 28, 2008

for me, it's not how long you've worked for the client but rather on the quality that you give in caring for the client. anyway, we are for the safety of these people who really needs our ample time and concern. it's not about money but it's about the love, care, and patience......

I agree with you on the care of the patient but what do you mean by" it's not about the money?" Just curious. :nurse:

axl3_tac · Apr 29, 2008

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:

pantheon · May 1, 2008

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.

Hello, I agree with you about giving great patient care but I also want a nice salary for busting my butt off. Basically, I'm not in nursing for the money.

If money was my main concern I would of gone to law school! I do expect to obtain a decent salary however and I do. But I've earned it.

There is nothing I won't do for my patients unless it's illegal!

But I have seen nurses that barely see their patients and are in it for the money. That is pathetic and they should be fired. So what I'm saying is I agree with you. Pantheon:nurse:

Drysolong · May 8, 2008

Different opinion. I've been an RN for 21+ years (always full time). I could never tolerate 12 hour shifts. I felt like I had 8 good hours in me. The few times I was forced to work 12, I just felt that it took too heavy a toll.
I left hospital nursing when my last hospital eliminated 8 hour shifts. I can see how some people would like them especially part time/when you are younger. None of my age peers that I know (50+) enjoy them. I now do community health, 10 hour days but no patient care.
Just my opinion. Glad you are all happy.

It would be hard for me to work 12 hours on a job I didn't like (i.e., my pre-nursing jobs) Personally, I could not bear working a 5-day week again. Unless I just couldn't find anything else, I wouldn't work an 8 hour shift full-time. So much for my personal needs and wants.

I "enjoy" taking good care of my patients, helping them progress toward healthy goals, BUT this is a JOB that allows me to pay bills and contribute to the well-being of my family and myself. I would not do it for free (unless I was independently wealthy).

I don't have much experience, but IMHO, 12-hour shifts contribute to greater continuity of care and development of a more caring, trusting, and personable relationship with patients.

TLCinCICU · Jul 9, 2008

I can't help but believe that 12 hours shifts benefit our patients because of the improved continuity of care. If the nurses covering a patient are working only 8 hours each over 2 days, there have been 6 shifts (from the start of one day until the end of the next). That's 5 report periods where minor bits of patient information might not be passed on to the oncoming nurse. In contrast, those same 2 days have only had 3 changes of nurses. The possibility of such information errors only increases with the length of stay. In a week, 21 different shifts have covered a patient if those shifts are only 8 hours. 14 shifts have covered if those shifts are 12. That's a 33% decrease in the number of times care is transferred from one nurse to the next.

The trick is in making sure we get adequate rest between shifts and take proper breaks during those shifts. Too bad so few of us are really wired to TAKE those breaks, being the need-driven caregivers we are...

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2008

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?

12 hour shifts make sense from a scheduling staff point of view, but not what is best for patient safety. When a nurse is loaded with patients, orders, monitoring, charting, and not able to urinate or eat when they need to.... it's just a bad situation.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2008

Great post..now..that is a cool shift.11am..to 11 pm...That would let someone sleep , and get some night sleep to boot. It seem to make more sense...

I work 11am-11pm and if you want to jump into the fire :angryfire with both feet the second you hit the door and it doesn't end by the end of your shift, then that's the shift for you. It's exhausting, but I've also worked 9a-9p, which is better for normalcy of your life. It's different in the ER than working on the floor. If these shifts were offered on the floor, I would take it.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2008

Hi, I just read your reply and I have to commend you on being so honest! I 100% agree with you. I'm glad someone else realizes what these hospitals are trying to get away with. Thanks for sounding off!!!!!!!!

I agree with that post too, wholeheartedly. Sounds like an ER environment....

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2008

What ever you are describing does not belong to me. I work med/surg not psych like you where sitting on your a*s all day and taking blood pressures and handing out pills is a common routine. I've been in psych many times and observed the nsg staff. I'm not impressed. My med/surg floor requires multiple skills and I use them on a daily basis. It may be a CBI that needs flushing to a NGT to low intermittent suction etc. Face it psych is not as fast paced as a medical/surgical unit. I know because first I have seen it and secondly I've had friends that work on psych and they have said they love it because it doesn't require that much energy. Maybe from security at times but that's about it. I don't know what you are trying to prove but it's not working.

"I don't know what you are trying to prove but it's not working." Was that in response to the OP? I don't understand that comment..... :dzed:

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2008

what ever you are describing does not belong to me. i work med/surg not psych like you where sitting on your a*s all day and taking blood pressures and handing out pills is a common routine. i've been in psych many times and observed the nsg staff. i'm not impressed. my med/surg floor requires multiple skills and i use them on a daily basis. it may be a cbi that needs flushing to a ngt to low intermittent suction etc. face it psych is not as fast paced as a medical/surgical unit. i know because first i have seen it and secondly i've had friends that work on psych and they have said they love it because it doesn't require that much energy. maybe from security at times but that's about it. i don't know what you are trying to prove but it's not working.

whoah, your comments to the op are really harsh and untrue. i haven't worked psych nursing, but i know it must be grueling, hair-pulling and tedious work. who are you to judge what a psych nurse does without walking in their shoes?

why were you "in psych many times and observed by nursing staff" - perhaps that was at the facility you were placed/worked, etc. best not to make hasty generalizations about another professional. working with cbi and having ngt's to flush can be cumbersome, but until you've handled a psychotic patient who is combative, honey, you ain't seen nothin' yet..... add some four point restraints.... it's one to one care.

TLCinCICU · Jul 10, 2008

Through my working life, I've been lucky enough to have worked 8s, 10s (as a lab tech), and 12s. My current facility only requires 3 days each week if you work 12 hour shifts and are full-time, not the 3 one week, 4 the next that I've also heard of. (4 days off each week ain't shabby!) I have no problem keeping things together during the final 4 of my shift. That is typically just "coasting". Its the 7am to 2 pm part that is chaos. Every attending and every consultant rounds during that time, making notes/writing orders, and wanting a report from the nurse regarding the patient's overnight status. We're also trying to take our patients off the unit for procedures/testing and then trying to get caught up after returning (since I had to go along and watch the monitor). When I finally get to review what was written, medicine changes have been made for meds I've already given. That doesn't come at the END of my 12 hours, but shortly after lunch.

The only time I was a walking zombie was when I worked 11p to 7a. I worked every other weekend. The only time I had 2 consecutive days off was my weekend off or a vacation. The opposite weekend from mine was invariably short-staffed and I would get called to see if I wanted to pick up a shift. I would agree, most of the time. Working 12s suits me far better. Having the extra 2 days off each week keeps me FROM being exhausted.

The point of my ramble is that making broad, general statements is not often wise. There are exceptions to everything in life. I found myself more at risk for committing medical errors on 8 hour shifts because of my fatigue and the resentment that my job didn't allow a personal life. No one can say "12 hour shifts are bad. 8 hour shifts are good" and be 100% correct.

There are pros and cons to both 8s and 12s. I have to admit, it's become apparent to me as I read these posts that I work an exemplary unit when it comes to a lot of management/scheduling issues. We are self-governed, including a "scheduling council" which balances our schedule every 4 weeks.