Do most hospitals have rotating shifts?

Published

I am currently living in a rural area and working at the military hospital's emergency department. With the military, we have a new head nurse every few years or less. I've been working at this facility since 2002 and when I started, we had a schedule of work M-T, off W-Th, work Fri-Sat-Sun; and it reversed the next week - off M-T, work W-Th, off Fri-Sat-Sun. We did however rotate through days, evenings (11a-11p) and nights. We were fairly content with this setting and it has now changed so that you don't know what days you will be working until the schedule comes out. Morale has dropped. I am hesitant to complain because the job itself is fairly easy and the pay and benefits are excellent for this area. I wondered what types of schedules do other ED's have. I am hesitant to leave this facility because the pay is so much better than the local hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Research, ER, PACU, Pheresis.

i work 6p-6:30a and we do self scheduling which is awesome---i can honestly say that over the last year, what i put on my planner for the upcoming schedule has rarely been changed---what i request is what i get and we have around 75-85 nurses in the ed---we don't rotate shifts, there's 6a-6:30p, noon-12:30a and my shift---we do three 12's a week and also one call shift per schedule which we also choose on the planner (i've never not been called in for that shift)---rotating would kill me, i can't even keep my eyes open for a good two hours between 8am and 3pm---

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We don't rotate, we work on "tracks". Everyone has 4 week schedule that repeats itself, and everyone works every other weekend. Our shifts are 7a-7p, 11a-11p, 3p-3a, 7p-7a. It's ok most of the time, except for holidays. If you're scheduled, you work it unless you can find someone to switch with. Some people have worked the same holidays for years.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We don't rotate shifts either. It would kill me to do that, I think! We have a set schedule, and the schedule never varies unless you request a change.

Our schedules consist of 2 options: 1) Sun/Mon/Tues/Wed one week, then Mon/Tues the next week, then it repeats, or 2)Wed/Thur/Fri one week, then Thur/Fri/Sat the next week, then it repeats.

Everyone always keeps the same times: 7a-7p, 10a-10p, 11a-11p, 12n-12a, 3p-3a, or 7p-7a.

I can't imagine anyone expecting a "day person" to get used to working nights, or vice versa. And the way our schedule alternates, everyone always works one weekend day (either Saturday or Sunday, depending on which rotation they're on) every other week.

We also have Saturday/Sunday only shifts.

VS

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, NICU, CTICU< any areas.

We have to do all shifts, Nights, Earlies, Late shift with no getting out of any of them and no choice on when we do them!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

No rotating shifts here either, I don't think there is any hospital in this area that does that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We do whatever shift we are hired for. LOL! I'd love to see some of these people that have been on days forever try to stay awake past 11pm! They make fun of me when I help out on 11 AM to 11 PM and drag in there needing MORE COFFEE!! I've been on nights about 15 years! We don't rotate shifts unless we pick up an extra that isn't are usual.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment