Are 12 hour shifts terribly long?

MuddaMia · Aug 17, 2006

Well...they are just a tad more than an 11 hr shift...and just shy of a 13 hr shift:clown:

(sorry--I need to get to bed. I am slap-happy:smackingf )

LauraF, RN, ASN, CNA, LPN, RN · Aug 17, 2006

I like my 12's. I'm there for 2 twelves and I'm done. I do a lot of catching up from the other shifts. I try to organize things, often get yelled at about it. But I can't stand a messy area. That takes a lot of my down time. My feet sure are tired though by the end of the 12. If you work 8's you have to work more days a week. I prefer to be with my family.

firstyearstudent · Aug 17, 2006

In her book Nursing Against the Odds, Suzanne Gordon argues against 12-hour shifts for a variety of reasons. She says that most nurses like them because the job is so heinous they want to get their workweek over with...

dragonflyRN · Aug 17, 2006

12's go by quick too. I'd rather care for my patient's another 4 hours...than to have to work 5 days a week

RazorbackRN, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2006

Im a nursing student and Im just wondering if the 12 hour shifts go by fast or if they just drag on. I know working previous jobs 8 hours seems way too long, but maybe since you are always doing something in nursing it helps?

I graduated from nursing school in May. I remember during my clinicals (which were 8 hours) thinking, "gosh, this sure is a long day...sure am glad I'm not here for 12 hrs because I'd be bored". Boy, was I ever wrong. Some days I look up at the clock and 8 hours have passed before I've even had a chance to sit down and document, pee, take a drink or anything else.

Midwest4me · Aug 17, 2006

I work a variety of shifts but I find that the 12-hr day shifts are busier(and pass faster) than the 12-hr night shifts. Also because oftentimes my 12s are not always all together but may be separated by a day, I don't feel so exhausted.

bsunurse · Aug 17, 2006

I love the 12 hour shifts. It is a lot easier to stay for an extra 4 hours then think about coming into work for 4 or 5 straight days. Plus when you do have to work an 8 hour shift, it flies by and seems like a 1/2 day. Good luck!

vamedic4, EMT-P · Aug 17, 2006

12's go by quick too. I'd rather care for my patient's another 4 hours...than to have to work 5 days a week

:yeahthat:

What she said.

bethin · Aug 17, 2006

I love 12's. I found out after doing 8 hour shifts for a long time that my feet don't hurt anymore after a 12 than they do after an 8. Also, I'm no more tired. Plus, you only have to work 3 days a week.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Aug 17, 2006

In her book Nursing Against the Odds, Suzanne Gordon argues against 12-hour shifts for a variety of reasons. She says that most nurses like them because the job is so heinous they want to get their workweek over with...

I love my stupid job, but I love my home and my time off, too. Three twelves seems like a nice balance between having some disposable income and the time to dispose of it properly. But I do nights, so that does tend to screw up one of my days off, a bit.

If I work 11-7, it sometimes goes a bit slow, but if I work 7-7, I'm usually so far behind by 11 that I need to rest of the night to get caught up.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2006

Dreadfully long. It goes by fast if your busy. Slow if your not. It's worth it to me to have four days off a week.