13 hour shifts

petulip in Alabama · Feb 20, 2001

try to log on to American Journal of Nursing and review articles..I think they recently did one. On a personal note...I work 12 hour shifts...and sometimes I wonder HOW beneficial it is. You get up before the sun rises and go home after dusk...you lose the entire day...and 3 in a row is a killer...it isn't all it is cracked up to be...good luck

nursejanedough · Feb 20, 2001

I am a RN and a recent patient. I had hysterectomy and was in about two days. As a patient, it was nice having the same nurse almost all day. The only time I was scheduled to work 12 hours (7pm to 7am) was as a graduate nurse in Med/Surg, and everything was a nightmare then.

Stargazer · Feb 20, 2001

Your nurse manager is talking out of her a--. With an AM and a PM primary nurse, a pt could essentially have the same 2 nurses (for 12 hrs at a time) for several days in a row. For very complex or unstable pts, shift report takes MUCH less time and the families feel comfortable because they know the nurses. On her end, it also makes for easier scheduling than three 8-hour shifts. What's her problem?

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2001

I work three 12-hr shifts/week (actually it's 12.5 hrs). I recently tried working two 8-hrs and two 12-hr shifts/week and hated it. When doing daily assignments,we try to assign patients so as to maintain continuity of care...doesn't always happen but we try because it is easier for both the patient and the nurses. One of the compelling reasons nurses STAY at our hospital (retention issue here!) is for the 12-hr shifts and being able to work 3 days and be off 4 days. Try using that on your manager. Retention is a BIG word these days.

el · Feb 21, 2001

I worked the 7A to 3P shift before we switched to 12 hour shifts. The 8 hour shift was always so busy I ususally left 4-4:30 in the afternoon. My theory is at that point why not stay a short while longer and get an extra 2 days off. With only 2 reports in a 24 hour period there is much less chance of something being lost in reporting, especially on a med surg floor where the ratio is 1 nurse to 8-10 patients. Also, I think the benefit to the patient is continuity of care. I think our hospital had one big benefit, 3 12 hour shifts equals 36 hours, 4 free hours before you start earning time and a half, compared to 5 8 hour shifts you earn time and a half for all time over and above your shift. I like the 12's, I wouldn't work five 8's again.

Stargazer · Feb 21, 2001

I also think it's easier to plan care in a 12-hour shift. In ICU, where bathing a pt or changing all of his lines can be a big logistical ordeal, it's much easier to plan over a 12-hour shift than 8 hrs.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2001

Working 12 hr shifts at night is HARD. It is difficult to get enough rest, to plan appts., to have a life with other people. 3 in a row has led to med errors in our dept. People just get tired. And working 2, off 2 work 1, etc. means you are always sleeping or working. I prefer 8 hr. and get some sleep.

fergus51 · Feb 22, 2001

I definitely find the longer the shift the more errors are made. It suprises me that in a job where mistakes can kill workers have to pull such long hours.

LaurieCRNP2002, MSN, RN, APRN · Feb 23, 2001

I have worked both 8 and 12 hour shifts. Several moonths ago, I went per diem at my facility so that I would have more control over my schedule, which is helpful because I am in grad school. Initially, I did a mix of 8's and 12's but recently I have only been working 8 hour shifts. I simply get too tired after working 12's--the last thing I want to do is do reading after being at work all day. Also, per diems are the first to get pulled, so recently I've been unfortunate enough to get pulled to another floor for the last 4 hours of my shift, after being established with my patient group for the first 8 hours of the day. So I will no longer commit myself to 12's--if the floor happens to be short and I decide I want to stay, I'll stay, but I won't be obligated. At this point in my life, I'm probably going to stick with 8's, at least until I finish school.