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 love all.my shifts in a row. I have worked 6 on 8 off to enjoy vacation without having to use time off. If I could always have my days in a row I would. It's nice as an ICU nurse I know I'm getting my assignment back, I'm in the groove it's fantastic to me but I know nurses who don't even want 3 in a row. Now as an ER nurse the assignment doesn't really matter since you same patients are never still there but I enjoy the time off in a row. To me 1 off just doesn't seem like a break, no time to really recharge. Give me all my days straight so I can do something fun on my days off or just have some time to really just relax and clear my mind.
Work 5 12's in a row at the VA - where the Emergency Department is "catch-all" for primary care that is incompetent of doing their job. Then I'll consider buying you a drink
In this time of COVID I recently had been scheduled to work 6-7 in a row (12 hour nights) and thought I wouldn't be able to survive. But, I did and I enjoyed having the next 6 off (although to be perfectly honest I did crash and sleep my first 2 days/nights with intermittent eating, ha ha)
Every blue moon our manager will accidentally combine two schedules and schedule someone 4 shifts in a row. She'll change it if they fuss before the final schedule comes out but after it's final it's too late.
Only if I am getting overtime and a bonus would I do four in a row (I've done five a couple of times) because it's just too hard on the old body.
My normal schedule is only two in a row at a time.
When I used to work in the hospital, as staff in the ICU, management would do this all the time! They especially loved to schedule you Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday since Sunday technically started a new week...the answer would be "you did 3 12's last week and you're doing 3 12's this week"
all while totally ignoring the 4 in a row aspect
hospital still has problems with retention and staffing...no idea why though...???
Personally, I don't start really recovering from accumulated fatigue until the second or even third night off following a stretch on of any length if I'm working nights. If my stretches off are not longer than 4 nights then I start each stretch on only slightly less fatigued than when I finished the last, resulting in accumulated fatigue that just continues to grow. Plus, I get my best sleep once I settle into a stretch on, it's the pretty much the only time where I'm consistently going to bed and getting up at the same time.
When I used to work in the hospital, as staff in the ICU, management would do this all the time! They especially loved to schedule you Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday since Sunday technically started a new week...the answer would be "you did 3 12's last week and you're doing 3 12's this week"
all while totally ignoring the 4 in a row aspect
hospital still has problems with retention and staffing...no idea why though...???
That’s what our manager said when she scheduled you for three on, one day off and then 2 back on.
That sounds awful, and I don’t think I could do it. I work 2 10 hour shifts and then have a day off, then work another 2 10 hour shifts and then I’m off for 2 days. At first I didn’t think I could handle it, but it’s not much different from an 8 hour shift and I get a day off in the middle of the week. I work in private duty at someone’s house so it can feel very long because there isn’t always a lot going on with the patient and the majority of my shift is sitting. At least for you you’re in a hospital where I would assume you’re busy most of your shift so time should pass fairly quickly.
I don't mind 3 in a row when I get 4 days off after or before.
But I feel like the dread before 3 (or 4 days on) is the worst part of it (for me anyway - maybe you too?)
Like the idea of having to do those 3 or 4 is actually worse than going through them, unless it's just a really sucky assignment.
When other nurses are doing 6 or 7 in a row I ask them how, they usually answer "I am installing a new bathroom" or something like that.
The hospitalists do 6-8 in a row then have 6-8 days off. I can kinda see the appeal in that. I love those 4 days off...2 days off just don't seem enough.
I rarely even work 3 in a row. I find by the last 4 hours of day 3 any request from patients seems like a burden and I need to force a smile on my face. I then spend the next day off trying to peel myself off the couch. Some people have the constitution to work 3-4 days in a row, definitely not my cup of tea. I also find that if I work more than 2 in a row things at home start to go into disarray (no time for cooking, straightening up, etc). I also like to get to the gym and don't mind taking 2 days off from working out and having recovery days, working 3 in a row really bites into my workout routine. Others don't mind getting all their shifts done consecutively so they can have a completely other life (one coworker is an artist, many others are concentrating on school).
One thing to think about it is how those who are in school and prefer certain schedules/workflows effect others who don't have those priorities and how that impacts patient care. Often the ones pushing through with wacky schedules don't plan on doing it for many years and see it as a temporary period in their life. That priority can get in the way of others who would like to plan for longevity in their position.
In short, assigning 4 days in a row, especially to someone who didn't ask for it is fairly risky. If I were a manager I'd be concerned about lower productivity at the end of day 3 and certainly on day 4. Call outs would also be a concern.
I might meet with your manager and tell them that you think you can pull through this one (unless you can just swap a shift), but that it is not your preference and ask how that can be avoided in the future.
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Breanna09, BSN
2 Posts
I love all.my shifts in a row. I have worked 6 on 8 off to enjoy vacation without having to use time off. If I could always have my days in a row I would. It's nice as an ICU nurse I know I'm getting my assignment back, I'm in the groove it's fantastic to me but I know nurses who don't even want 3 in a row. Now as an ER nurse the assignment doesn't really matter since you same patients are never still there but I enjoy the time off in a row. To me 1 off just doesn't seem like a break, no time to really recharge. Give me all my days straight so I can do something fun on my days off or just have some time to really just relax and clear my mind.