12 Hour Shifts

[curlygirlrn]

Does anyone else have issues with working 12 hour shifts? I have been a nurse for four years and I am still exhausted from working 12 hours (not to mention doing two or more in a row). I know, I know, we get more time off...but I find that I have to spend my first one or two days off getting over the fatigue and I generally end up feeling better just in time to go back to work!

Please tell me how you feel (am I alone here with this?) and what you do to combat it?

Thanks!

CurlygirlRN

[NZ RN]

Yeah i am deffinitly begining to like my 12hr shifts. every second week do 3 12s over the weekend, and the other weekend have 3 days off. otherwise its 2 on 2 off. works out at 16 or so hours of built in overtime a month. the first day off after 3 on is deffinitly only for sleep and housework. and do between 5-7 nights a month. it would be hard to go back to the 8hr shifts, especially scince we did 4 on 2 off... thats a weekend off evey six weeks!

[NZ RN]

also it just seems to be more time to get everything done at work over 12 hrs, and maybe the pts get better continuity of care,

rose

[butterflies76]

I also work 12 hour shifts...7a-730 pm. My problem right now is that our 2nd shift is so short staffed that if my relief calls in sick (which she has done the past two days I've worked) I'm trapped there for a double with no overtime. I also have issues with my assignment being changed from days..meaning I have to get report on new patients etc.:roll

[NZ RN]

my goddness butterflies, do you mean u are there for all of the remaining 12hr shift...that sounds criminal. and no overtime...???? do you have a nursing union? do other staff have to put up with this sort of treatment. it sounds very unfair to me

[Love-A-Nurse]

originally posted by stressedlpn

i wk 3 12s in a row fri/sat/sun. and love it...

i am just the opposite. i don't like doing the 3-12s in a row. two is plenty for me.

[jschut, BSN, RN]

I have worked 12's before as a CNA...it wasn't bad going in at 3am and getting off at 3pm. But as a nurse, my shift will be 7p-7a...I'll have to let you know if I'm still alive. I plan on working Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because of school....wonder how I'll do?

[deespoohbear]

I love my 12's!! But two in a row is about all I can do. I will do 3 in a row if it means more days off in a row or something like that. I work 7a-7p. I love having those extra days off. It is like getting a mini-vacation without using any vacation time. I have been on "official" vacation this past week and return to work on Monday. I work Mon & Tues, then off until the weekend. Love it. I also used to do the Mon-Fri thing 8-4:30 and hated it. It was a pain in the butt when I or one of my kids needed to go to the dentist, eye doctor, or whatever. Now I usually have time to schedule those routine things. As long as my body can do the 12's, I will do them. :)