Are there 10 hr shifts in Nursing??

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Hi everyone, I returned to acute care and am on orientation this week. I survived my first 12 hour shift and was curious as to if anyone has heard of 10 hour shifts for nursing?? I know the business world does these and usually working four 10 hour shifts meets full-time requirements. I realize with our 24 hour coverage there would be 4 hours that would need either part-time or PRN staff. Just curious. My body wants to quit at 1600!!!

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Our ED has 10 hour shifts. I've heard that 10 hour shifts are more common in PACU and ED settings.

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My first position ( in a hospital) ... a gazillion years ago was 10 hours. In my current position in UM for an insurance company . most case managers work 4 ten hour shifts.

Flexible scheduling is a perk you must seek out. It's out there.... go for it.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I heard of 10hr shifts a long time ago in a cardiac ICU that was more a post-cath & PTCA unit. They were supposed to help staff heavier for the times when the patients still had their sheaths & when they needed one-on-one time to pull them. Problem was;

and this is probably why 10hr shifts are rare,

Is they couldn't always staff themselves.

They wanted to pull from the rest of the hospital, but the other floors weren't on board. The supervisors would ask the 10hr person to stay 2 more hours, or the unit would run short until the next shift came in. They eventually gave up and staffed like the rest of the hospital.

Message here; has to be the whole hospital or a unit that is completely self-staffed.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

I know there are 10 hour shifts in ambulatory care, PACU, and cath lab. Four ten-hour shifts sounds really nice.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Some clinics and doctors' offices staff with four 10-hour shifts per week. In the area where I reside, finding a doctors' office that is open more than four days a week is becoming increasingly rare. The newer generation of physicians in my metro area seems to place a high value on work/life balance.

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See the commonality here: procedural units, not inpatient care.

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I've worked 10 hr shifts in PACU, 4 shifts a week. It was really nice. Try IR too.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

My unit (inpatient rehab) used to have 10-hour shifts, but when the hours didn't mesh well with floating (rehab nurses getting off at 1700 when the next nurse didn't come in until 1900), they were changed to 12-hour shifts.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

When 12 hr shifts first started, it was nice because we were paid for 40 hours even though putting in 36 hrs.

Remember FT W/E Baylor? Two 12 hr days and you were through!

I do PDN now, and most are 12 hr shifts. You do get a 10 hr shift, infrequently, if the pt. doesn't require night-time coverage. The fewer,even-more-infrequent 8 hour shifts are like a TREAT!

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Some ERs, clinics, prisons, home care

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Some years ago we had 10 hour shifts but management didn't like the over lap in staffing. Cost to much.It didn't take long to go to straight 12 hrs shift. Once I got the pace of 12 hours, I'd never to back to 8 . To me 3 ,12 hour shifts a week is great. And 4 days a week off unless I want to pick up extra hours for the overtime.

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I do 10 hrs in pdn

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