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. ?
I work nights in a LTC facility. My usual schedule works out to 40 hours per week plus a little incidental OT- Mondays and Thursdays I work 2200-0600, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1800-0600. It's actually kind of nice starting and ending my work week on a short shift.
We often find ourselves straining the nursing roster and shorthanded- not because of high turnover or anything (it's actually a fantastic, well-managed 5 star facility that treats their employees like royalty) but because we get a lot of brand spanking new nurses apply and get hired here for their first job but then jump ship as soon as a coveted and elite position in the hospital next door opens up. Age old tale, hehe. Also we just had two nurses retire, a floor nurse get promoted to DON, and one nurse is out convalescing from a knee surgery.
As a result, in the two years that I've worked here, I've had to do some stretches of four 12's or even five 12's in a row to fill some gaps, and I am at this moment in week one of a six week stretch of four 12's. It's not awesome, but they make stepping up and helping out worth my while- in addition to the 8 hours of OT each week it adds up to, I get a $100 "pick-up" bonus for each day I work extra hours- that's an additional $200 a week which is pretty sweet- even if it is pretax.
I work nights in a LTC facility. My usual schedule works out to 40 hours per week plus a little incidental OT- Mondays and Thursdays I work 2200-0600, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1800-0600. It's actually kind of nice starting and ending my work week on a short shift.
We often find ourselves straining the nursing roster and shorthanded- not because of high turnover or anything (it's actually a fantastic, well-managed 5 star facility that treats their employees like royalty) but because we get a lot of brand spanking new nurses apply and get hired here for their first job but then jump ship as soon as a coveted and elite position in the hospital next door opens up. Age old tale, hehe. Also we just had two nurses retire, a floor nurse get promoted to DON, and one nurse is out convalescing from a knee surgery.
As a result, in the two years that I've worked here, I've had to do some stretches of four 12's or even five 12's in a row to fill some gaps, and I am at this moment in week one of a six week stretch of four 12's. It's not awesome, but they make stepping up and helping out worth my while- in addition to the 8 hours of OT each week it adds up to, I get a $100 "pick-up" bonus for each day I work extra hours- that's an additional $200 a week which is pretty sweet- even if it is pretax.
That's not a bad schedule, I like the idea of have the 12's sandwhiched between 2 8's, the first shift let's ease into it and the last one let's you coast out of it.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
When I was young and pretty and still had my girlish figure, I could work several 12 hour MN shifts in a row, take on eight hour HH shifts, and all my TCB to boot! That was back in the early 90's when I was in late 30's
Nowadays, I go grocery shopping, do some laundry, and feel like I need a nap!
When I was young and pretty and still had my girlish figure, I could work several 12 hour MN shifts in a row, take on eight hour HH shifts, and all my TCB to boot! That was back in the early 90's when I was in late 30's
Nowadays, I go grocery shopping, do some laundry, and feel like I need a nap!
Lordy Davey, you're doing better than me, sometimes I feel like I need a nap after I turn off my C-PAP machine ?
When I was on nights, I liked working my shifts in a row because it was less miserable to try to reverse. Actually, nights were hard for me one way or the other ?. At one time I could do several 12s in a row. Not anymore....I generally drag if I do more then a few shifts in a row.
Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
I started my career in the UK where there was a culture of 7 nights on 7 nights off (mostly 11 hour shifts) and I loved the long stretches. As someone said above, you get into the groove and it actually gets easier not harder. The long stretches off are great.
I now work nights in France where the culture is twos and threes. In fact more than 3 12s in a row is illegal! I know of one hospital that gets away with 4 11 and a halfs but that's the limit. I've adjusted but I can't say I prefer it. I tend to get my three together with the longer stretches off so that's not too bad. Some of my colleagues like the ones and twos and I personally couldn't stand that.
As for the meetings in the day etc., I echo the sentiments above - nobody ever considers that the day is your night when you've been working! I have my second Covid vaccination scheduled for 16h30 in between two nights of 19h00 - 7h00. Great planning huh ? My collegaue on ENT has been given his time slot at 12 noon, again in between two 12s of 19h00 - 7h00. No consideration for the night team.
In my youth, I loved having my days bunched together and then having a long stretch off. Once my soon to be mother in law was in the state traveling and that’s when I was able to make a 6 day vacation with my now husband to meet her and have a vacation at the same time but not actually have any time off requested. It just worked out that way. The only time it truly sucked was if I was sick (common cold, gi bug, etc) and had to brave threw it or worse yet-started with a group from hell that I knew wasn’t going anywhere that week. Then I realized a great way to avoid that and get a pay bump-I went float pool and I hardly ever got the same assignment two days in a row so if it was real bad, I could usually luck out the next day with a different unit assigned anyway.
Now that I’m older-HATE 12s but most places use them only. Three in a row left me brain dead but part of it was because I was stuck on the same darn unit all the time with a clientele made for the Dr. Phil intervention episode marathon. I had to request that they only schedule two in a row for my sanity. I tried going pooL but it was the unit no one wanted so.....yeah, no luck getting floated. I think part of that was my age and point in my life. Married, older, with a young 5 year old at home- it was a lot harder than when I was single or younger and married but no child yet.
Now, I work part time and not at the bedside. I had almost 20 years there though.
In my youth, I loved having my days bunched together and then having a long stretch off. Once my soon to be mother in law was in the state traveling and that’s when I was able to make a 6 day vacation with my now husband to meet her and have a vacation at the same time but not actually have any time off requested. It just worked out that way. The only time it truly sucked was if I was sick (common cold, gi bug, etc) and had to brave threw it or worse yet-started with a group from hell that I knew wasn’t going anywhere that week. Then I realized a great way to avoid that and get a pay bump-I went float pool and I hardly ever got the same assignment two days in a row so if it was real bad, I could usually luck out the next day with a different unit assigned anyway.
Now that I’m older-HATE 12s but most places use them only. Three in a row left me brain dead but part of it was because I was stuck on the same darn unit all the time with a clientele made for the Dr. Phil intervention episode marathon. I had to request that they only schedule two in a row for my sanity. I tried going pooL but it was the unit no one wanted so.....yeah, no luck getting floated. I think part of that was my age and point in my life. Married, older, with a young 5 year old at home- it was a lot harder than when I was single or younger and married but no child yet.
Now, I work part time and not at the bedside. I had almost 20 years there though.
Your post made me chuckle. So many truths in it. I worked baylor for a very long time and it was always so depressing with my group sucked on Friday night because I knew I was in for it all weekend, no one would discharge, transfer, they were there for the long haul. Never failed if I had super pleasant or easy patients on Friday (which doesn't happen often for any of us) they always would either DC, transfer, die, or run away and be replaced by a nightmare ?
When I worked psych I had to stop doing baylor after awhile, it wasn't always bad but if the acuity was high it was just too mentally draining for me doing 3 12's in a row.
I only had to work scheduled four x 12s a couple of times. It was exhausting! Generally the managers did not like to schedule people for four days in a row. I know when we were short staffed a lot of us worked 3 x 12, had one day off, and came back for two more shifts. Also, Staffing called fairly frequently when someone called off which would’ve added a fourth day in a row. I generally would turn those down, although I worked a few. I know some ED Nurses at the same hospital worked seven days on and seven days off. Those were 12 hour shifts and they loved it. Not for me!
I only had to work scheduled four x 12s a couple of times. It was exhausting! Generally the managers did not like to schedule people for four days in a row. I know when we were short staffed a lot of us worked 3 x 12, had one day off, and came back for two more shifts. Also, Staffing called fairly frequently when someone called off which would’ve added a fourth day in a row. I generally would turn those down, although I worked a few. I know some ED Nurses at the same hospital worked seven days on and seven days off. Those were 12 hour shifts and they loved it. Not for me!
Working 3 off 1 back for 2 SUCKS it messes me up more than just working them all together!
RiverCrat
1 Post
I work nights in a LTC facility. My usual schedule works out to 40 hours per week plus a little incidental OT- Mondays and Thursdays I work 2200-0600, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1800-0600. It's actually kind of nice starting and ending my work week on a short shift.
We often find ourselves straining the nursing roster and shorthanded- not because of high turnover or anything (it's actually a fantastic, well-managed 5 star facility that treats their employees like royalty) but because we get a lot of brand spanking new nurses apply and get hired here for their first job but then jump ship as soon as a coveted and elite position in the hospital next door opens up. Age old tale, hehe. Also we just had two nurses retire, a floor nurse get promoted to DON, and one nurse is out convalescing from a knee surgery.
As a result, in the two years that I've worked here, I've had to do some stretches of four 12's or even five 12's in a row to fill some gaps, and I am at this moment in week one of a six week stretch of four 12's. It's not awesome, but they make stepping up and helping out worth my while- in addition to the 8 hours of OT each week it adds up to, I get a $100 "pick-up" bonus for each day I work extra hours- that's an additional $200 a week which is pretty sweet- even if it is pretax.