Can nurses in the US really work a straight 24 hour shift??

[care bear]

I was reacently watching an episode of Dr Phil (yes I know I need a new hobby ) about women who are overworked/overscheduled etc. There was a story of a woman who is a nurse in a neo natal intensive care unit who works a straight 24 hour shift. Is this correct - working 24 hours in a row? Here in Australia we are able to work up to 12 hour shifts depending upon the hospital policy but Ive never heard of anyone working a 24 hour shift.

Anyone know of this practice??

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Maybe those shifts are kind of like firefighters and paramedics who do 24 hour shifts. They aren't actually working nonstop for 24 hours, just there on call, etc. Neonatal NP's probably are doing this kind of thing, just so there is someone there in a crises.

Here we are not allowed to work more than 16 hours. I'm not sure if it's a law or just hospital policy. But we do have MDs in the ER, and MD residents working longer shifts, but some of that is spent in the sleep room.

[Roland]

IF, you were given the option of working TWO 18 hour shifts per week, would you consider doing it this way? I might, just because it would mean more time with my family, and less daycare time for my son. I would 'rationalize" that after all medical school interns/residents sometimes work for more than THIRTY hour shifts and they must REALLY make life and death decisions. However, it's probably not a good idea (for them or nurses). Also, after about two of those shifts, I would be on crutches the way my right ankle gets (I was told by Doc that this was due to running too much on concrete with flat feet as a youth, combined with frequent ankle sprains).

[orrnlori, RN]

It's never happened to me personally but we've had several nurses and scrub techs who have worked 24 hours while on call, 24 hours straight, maybe a potty break. I think here the limit is suppose to be 23 hours. Now would you really want someone (doctor, nurse, or scrub tech) performing surgery on you or your loved one who has been up for 24 hours? I've seen residents fall asleep while holding retractors, really builds confidence in the system, doesn't it?

[talaxandra]

I've done a few eighteen-hour shifts (PM/ND or ND/AM). As a night owl, the PM/NDs aren't so bad, though four AM is like moving through molasses. I'm never doing another ND/AM though - last time I couldn't find a piece of equipment and found myself yelling at the Charge Nurse "I know where the lifting machine's supposed to be - I want to know where it is!" He called in one of the PM people and I went home a little early!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I've seen residents fall asleep while holding retractors, really builds confidence in the system, doesn't it?

Sheesh!

I remember reading something over a year ago about NY changing its regulations re: residents' working hours after a well-publicized case of a patient death which was determined to be the result of a resident's judgement/actions in his 22nd hour of a shift. Someone here from NY may remember more details about the case than I do.

I think this link details the current state regs, including limiting residents to 24-hour shifts, or even 12-hour shifts in some specialties if there is a certain volume of patients to be seen.

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/phforum/nycrr10.htm

[EMTPTORN]

as an rn, the most hrs i have worked straight is 14, and it did whip me. as a paramedic i have pulled 7 straight 24hr shifts with no time off. that sounds bad, but this particular job you might actually work 6-8hrs a day, the rest of the time was down time you were being paid for. yeah, heah, yeah, all that downtime sounds great; but the pager waking you up at 3 am and you with a full bladder and under pressure to be enroute to a call in

[NannaNurse]

This was one of my schedules this past August......I (momentary lapse of sound brain activity) told my boss that while my husband was in Kuwait I would work when she needed me??????????????? (I have since recovered)

Wed=12hr Thur=12hr Fri=16 (stayed over in empty room since I had to be back at 0600) Sat=12 Sun=8.......you talk about one tired nurse.....I had the next 3 days off and I think I slept the entire time.........

[orrnlori, RN]

Sheesh!

I remember reading something over a year ago about NY changing its regulations re: residents' working hours after a well-publicized case of a patient death which was determined to be the result of a resident's judgement/actions in his 22nd hour of a shift. Someone here from NY may remember more details about the case than I do.

I think this link details the current state regs, including limiting residents to 24-hour shifts, or even 12-hour shifts in some specialties if there is a certain volume of patients to be seen.

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/phforum/nycrr10.htm

Yes, there are new rules in place but I still see them cooking up ways to get around it.

[askater11]

What was Dr. Phils response to the 24 hour?

I seen one Dr. Phil show a long time ago--when Dr. Phil first came on air. This R.N. mentioned the nursing profession--I didn't like the way Dr. Phil dealt with her. I forget the specifics--but he was more or less like just deal with it.

I've worked 16 hours--never more. Can't say if 24 hour shift is legal. My friends a CRNA--he works 24 hour shifts.

[Erin RN]

I have worked plenty of 16's in the ED My regular shift was 11 and I was asked to stay more than once but here is the absolute worst..

I was a charge nurse in LTC with 60 residents, 3 LPNs and 7 aides. I worked 5pm to 5 am. After working one of those shifts I came home and went to bed at 10 AM they called me back in (the day shift charge had a death in the family)..I was told that if I came in, the other day charge would come in at midnight to relieve me...she called at 11 pm and said I have the flu (she was a good friend so I believe this)..I called the DNS and told her she had better get in there since I was exhausted and stupid. She said I will be in as soon as I can..she showed up at 7AM the next morning so basically I worked 39 hours with a 5 hour break..I never came in early again after that!! The kicker is after leaving I had to drive 300 miles to a family reunion..talk about sleep deprivation..

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

Hard to recall, but I think I did work one 24-hour shift a long time ago in a hospital far, far away. Crazy staffing and still more crazy scheduling. I would never do it again.

[nrsjo]

Trauma OR nurses in my hospital work 24 hour shifts. They are allowed to sleep during times when there are no cases going, from what I have been told. But, this is a busy, busy place. It's just the thought of being stuck here for 24 hours straight......