4-hour shifts--Anyone done them or doing them now?

Nurses General Nursing

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I know of at least a couple of hospitals in my area that offer them. How is it working out where you're at? Are there set schedules for 4-hr shifts or is it on a PRN basis? Are these highly coveted positions? I was surprised to see this, especially since there seems to be such a push to have the 12-hr shifts.

Specializes in correctional-CCHCP/detox nurse, DOULA-Birth Assist.

Funny you should mention this. I am going to work 4 hrs tonight, 5p-9p. I don't really like that short of shift, not enough time to really get to know my patients, esp if the census is high, as soon as I get there it seems like I'm leaving. I am a fill in nurse though so I can't really complain with the hours I get.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

I would LOVE working four hour shifts! It would work really well for me since my right arm isn't up to doing 12s anymore. Never thought about asking a hospital to let me work four hours before, but since you just gave me the :idea:, I'm going to look into it. :)

I fill in with 4 hour shifts quite often. I'm PRN and they know they can call me for 7-11 am. It is hard to give a good report because I don't get a chance to know my patients. Also, you end up staying 5 hours just to get everything done. I can do this on weekends and holidays when they really need help, and I don't really miss out on anything at home!

I'm doing my mandated overtime in 4-hour shifts. Many I work with don't like them because they feel they are run off their feet and don't have any time to catch up. However, whether I work 4, 8 or 12 hours I find I'm running flat out without time to catch up, and I do like leaving almost before I get there (after catching up, of course!).

Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

7p-11p is a very hard time slot to fill for us. There are several 12 hour day nurses, but most of the night nurses work 8s. I'd love to see our manager be able to hire someone whose lifestyle would fit those hours. To my knowledge, it hasn't occured to TPTB to post for such a position.

Specializes in ER.

I do about 50% of my work in the first 4h of the shift just because of the paperwork, and initial assessment. Once I have done that the rest is mostly gravy. So why would I come in to do just the hardest part of the shift and then go home? No way would I do 4h- they know I fill in a lot, but don't even call me when they have a 4h need.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
Originally posted by Nurse Ratched

7p-11p is a very hard time slot to fill for us. There are several 12 hour day nurses, but most of the night nurses work 8s. I'd love to see our manager be able to hire someone whose lifestyle would fit those hours. To my knowledge, it hasn't occured to TPTB to post for such a position.

I would do it....as a matter of fact.....I have done it as an agency nurse, or hospital PRN nurse before, and it went great! I wouldn't mind doing your hospital's 7p to 11p shift.

It works out as long as the four hour nurse is NOT expected to take on a patient load as if she has to do everything for those patients in four hours time......the shift goes on to the next shift.....it's a circle of shifts.....nurses coming and going.....too many nurses forget that that is what healthcare is all about....it's not about ONE nurse, but many.......this is why we get so wiped out in nursing.......women have yet to learn HOW to let go of their shift, and pass it on to the next oncoming nurse who will in turn do the same thing for the nurse coming after her.

Oops....hubby needs a ride home.....I'll be back to finish this later. :kiss

my girlfriend does them quite often. i would definately do them. i have offered, but ended up staying the extra four hours. i think it also depends on how far away you live from work. i couldn't imagine driving 30-45 minutes each way to only be at work for 4 hours. most of the people that live that far away, work 8's, 12's, and doubles. their thought was if i'm driving this far, i might as well stay here.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

I'm per diem and I do them all the time, usually 3-7 and I used to do the 7-11 shifts also. In fact I won't do 8-hour shifts during the week anymore. I just started scheduling myself like that and my nurse manager didn't seem to have a problem with it, in fact now a few more people have started scheduling themselves like that. I find that I don't have any problems getting my assessments done and in fact it's easier to go in because I know that no matter how bad things are looking, I will only have to deal with it for 4 hours.

at my hospital we (full time people) work three 12's and a four hour shift per week to get our 40 hours. we used to just come in the early part of the shift and help with the busiest part of the day(just kinda be extra without an assignment most times). but now they are forcing us to stack our 4 hr. shifts together and take an assignment. like 6-10 then 10-2, then 2-6. sometimes there are only two four hour people on a day and so then the floor works short. helps the budget out :( .the poor nurses left have to cover. i personally prefer the early(6-10) slot even though it is the busiest. :D

I've picked up a few 7-11p for the extra cash here and there (usually work 12h nights). All of the times I've done this has been due to picking up the ringing phone in the late afternoon to have the staffing office begging me to help out on my unit. That'll teach me to not let the machine pick up!:D

What's nice is when my unit has a nurse work 7p-11, they're usually used for task purposes only- no team is given to them. Instead, anyone with a team can ask them to help out with their VS, glucometer checks, admission paperwork, IV starts, dressing changes, pain meds, etc.

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