Four 12s in a row?!?! ??

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

Seeking commiseration and chocolate, will accept honest assessments of whether I'm being a total princess about this. ?

Just got my schedule for the next few weeks, and I got scheduled to work four 12s in a row that I in no way, shape, or form requested. Now, I am an absolute bear after three in a row, especially now that I've got a practicum for my MSN to schedule into the mix. I prefer to spread my shifts out a little bit - work two, off one or two, then work one or two, etc. - but I know I'm not the only person my manager is trying to accommodate while staffing the unit, so I totally get it when I don't get what I requested sometimes. That said, I've never done four in a row, and my past managers typically never scheduled them unless someone specifically requested it.

I'm not gonna make a big stink about it, though I may see if anyone is willing to trade a shift so I can get a little break somewhere in there. Just curious, especially from managers or unit coordinators - do you often schedule staff for four in a row if they didn't request it? Does anyone LIKE having them all packed together like that? I am honestly dreading the whole thing, especially since our unit is super small with a lot of us in clinicals, so I doubt anyone is going to be able to switch. ?

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

I found after 3 12's any additional ones kind of breeze by because I'm in my groove by then. But once I finally do have a day off, I crash hard. Good luck to you, at least your paychecks will be nice and fat!

[SilverBells, BSN]

Four shifts in a row can be very tiresome, and I know as a floor nurse, I used to avoid them unless I absolutely could avoid it.   Three in a row are tough enough.  

With that said, I do believe our staffing coordinator does her best to ensure the nurses working 12-hour shifts don't work more than three in a row unless they specifically request it or agree to sign up for it.  Sometimes, with holidays, it's not always possible to avoid four 12's in a row.  But I think most managers/staffers realize that so many 12's in a row can be very exhausting and do their best to avoid that. 

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

12 minutes ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

I found after 3 12's any additional ones kind of breeze by because I'm in my groove by then. But once I finally do have a day off, I crash hard. Good luck to you, at least your paychecks will be nice and fat!

I wish, it's arranged so there's not a cent of overtime (two shifts are over a weekend)! I do find that if I get a group of patients I mesh with, three in a row isn't too awful - but definitely still tiring.

[Davey Do]

1 hour ago, NightNerd said:

 Seeking commiseration and chocolate...

I am an absolute bear after three in a row

Commiseration given, NightNerd.

At Wrongway Regional Medical Center in the Summer of '19, when I was called into a meeting with my supervisor and HR after my three 12 hour MN shifts, I gave them "The Look" and said, three separate times, "You call me into a meeting after I've worked...:

 

 

 

As far as the chocolate, all I have for you is something similar of which you're getting:

 

 

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

On 2/2/2021 at 6:39 PM, Davey Do said:

Commiseration given, NightNerd.

At Wrongway Regional Medical Center in the Summer of '19, when I was called into a meeting with my supervisor and HR after my three 12 hour MN shifts, I gave them "The Look" and said, three separate times, "You call me into a meeting after I've worked...:

As far as the chocolate, all I have for you is something similar of which you're getting:

Gotta love those conveniently scheduled meetings turning a 12 into a 13.5! Or classes that start at 11 am between shifts...? I miss nights a lot of the time, but that's one thing I'm doing okay without right now.

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

1 hour ago, NightNerd said:

I wish, it's arranged so there's not a cent of overtime (two shifts are over a weekend)! I do find that if I get a group of patients I mesh with, three in a row isn't too awful - but definitely still tiring.

Okay, now that sucks. I'd be ticked to be doing 4 in a row and not be getting OT from it!

[Sour Lemon]

Two in a row was my absolute limit when I worked full time. I’ve never had an employer who routinely scheduled staff for more than that unless they knew that person preferred it. 
I did get scheduled for three shifts in a row once upon a time, but I let them know right away that I would be feeling sick by the third day- for sure. They changed it. 

[Sue Damonas, BSN]

Davey Do I'm crying with laughter after seeing the feces pieces!

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

17 minutes ago, Sour Lemon said:

Two in a row was my absolute limit when I worked full time. I’ve never had an employer who routinely scheduled staff for more than that unless they knew that person preferred it. 
I did get scheduled for three shifts in a row once upon a time, but I let them know right away that I would be feeling sick by the third day- for sure. They changed it. 

Right?! And it isn't even a lie - getting out of bed that third morning is physically and spiritually agonizing.

[NurseScribe]

Three was my limit. I have worked with people who did 7 twelve-hour shifts on, then had 7 days off....and I don't know how they did it.  I worked four days in a row a few times and the fourth day was kind of a blur. But different people have different tolerances. The real question is, are you going to get at least two days off after it? because you will need at least one day for downtime/recovery. 

[Michellelizz]

Is 4 in a row not common where you guys all work? Our full time lines are 4 on, 5 off....