Can you work more days?

Purple93 · Oct 19, 2011

3 12's are great! The time flies by! For example this week, I worked Sunday, today and then Thursday...Then I have a 4 day weekend! I never do more than two 12's back to back because I am exhausted after...But by noon the day after I am good to go. I loooove 12's, love. I wouldn't have it any other way.
I am a new grad and I lucked out with 7a-7p shift and honestly those 12's usually turn into 13's. I do work every other weekend and I am ok with that too.

cool you got a day shift as a new grad. Thats what i want when I finally become a nurse but it doesnt matter though. Which specialty do you work in?

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

My current rotation consists of 5 12 hour nights in a 7 day period. BRUTAL! Anything more than 3 shifts a week is too much.

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

I work 12 hr nights, 2 on then 2 off, then 5 on which earns me 5 off! A mini vacation every 2 weeks lol about to enter the world of real schedules with a new job tho.

roark valentine · Oct 19, 2011

Depends 100% on where you're working.

I work 10hr/4days, though I typically end up doing OT daily. Turns into 12hr/4days (or more) pretty often.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

How much you can work will be totally dependent on your facility (and your body, of course). Where I work, OT is absolutely a no no, so full time employees work 5 8's - no nights, no weekends, no holidays, no call. I work 3 8's a week there, but I am PRN, so no benefits, but I love it because I basically get to make my own schedule.

When I worked 3 12's a week at the hospital, I rarely worked 3 in a row, and I NEVER could have worked 4 or five in a row. As it was, I always needed a full day to recover after working several 12's in a row.

nightengalegoddess · Oct 19, 2011

You can get as much work in nursing as your body and mind can take. You can work your 3 12's and also sign on with an agency and work extra. Most hospitals will be glad if you have told them you would like to be called to fill in shifts. And just FYI, usually, for many, one of your days off is spent mentally and physically recovering from your 3 12's. But then again, if you are young, single without children......there is a lot of opportunity for extra work without making yourself totally insane and overwhelmed. I sure wish I'd have been quick enough to join nursing before I had my children. I would have banked a lot more money than I am able to now.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

okay, i dont know much about being a nurse, so this question might sound silly, i don't know. okay so i understand that nurses usually work 12 hr shifts. i've read that they only work 3 days a week! so you get four days off. and if you work 8 hr shifts you work 5 days a week. okay so if you work a 12 hr shift, can you still work 5 days a week if you want to? how does this usually work?

all depends on where you work and their needs. some places also do 4 shifts a week. 2 twelves and 2 eights. there are people who do 5 twelves a week where i work. both those who are 36 hours and the 40 hours a week. it depends on how short we are, how much money you need, and how much you are manipulated/mandated into working extra. some people also do 16s.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

" i thought it was mon-fri and weekends off like a normal job. silly me, thats only fir the nurses who actually work 8hr shifts."

and you do realize that those five 8-hour shifts may include weekends, right? and that the chances of a new grad working day shift is itsy-bitsy to none? so some of those 5 shifts will be, like, friday and saturday nights?

joanna73, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

I could work a lot more if I wanted to, but I got wise and stopped answering their calls, or saying no at work. You need a life, too.

RNperdiem, RN · Oct 19, 2011

Of course, a 12 hour day is actually more than 12 hours.

The half hour for lunch is not counted, so you don't clock out at 7pm. At 7pm, you start giving report to the night shift and if you are really lucky, you might leave at 7:30, but sometimes you stay later.

In the morning, you need to give yourself plenty of time to get from remote parking lots( if you work on a college campus like me) with plenty of time to be ready for work by 0700.

Realistically, I leave the house at 0600 and return home by 8pm. That leaves little turn around time to eat, shower, sleep and get ready for the next 12+ hour day.

anotherone, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2011

Of course, a 12 hour day is actually more than 12 hours.
The half hour for lunch is not counted, so you don't clock out at 7pm. At 7pm, you start giving report to the night shift and if you are really lucky, you might leave at 7:30, but sometimes you stay later.
In the morning, you need to give yourself plenty of time to get from remote parking lots( if you work on a college campus like me) with plenty of time to be ready for work by 0700.
Realistically, I leave the house at 0600 and return home by 8pm. That leaves little turn around time to eat, shower, sleep and get ready for the next 12+ hour day.

Exactly few people outside of nursing understand this. even people who work 12 hours in an office or other setting. I leave at 6am and get home at 8pm or 6pm get home at 8am on a good shift!!!!!!

Lifeofanurse · Oct 21, 2011

I'm a new grad.

Two jobs in view.

One that will develop into every weekend. two 16's back to back. Which is really tough on someone in their 40's like me...not to mention a new grad.

or

one that is four 8's on and 2 off. It is overnights. (kinda ideal for a nightowl like me). I have the oppty to take a 6a-2p but the idea of getting up for work at 4:30-5am for 4 days a week does not make me happy.

So I'm going to really try for the overnight 8's job. I would love to do three 12's and have 4 off but I also love that I leave after my kids are in bed, will get home in time to get them up and off to school before sacking out for the day.

I can get plenty of sleep before the kids get home and still spend time with them and my husband. and have my rotating weekends when it's my turn...off.