Has anyone ever worked a "double shift" ie 16hr shift?

[chingy1206]

I just took a job as an RN at a behavioral health facility and was told I have a choice of working 11p-7a five days a week or 2 double shifts on the weekend (3-11 then 11-7) fri and sat and then an 8hr shift on a weekday. They both equal 40 hrs a week. I have always worked 3 12hr shifts so this will be very different for me! Does anyone have any recommendation on which shifts I should go with? Does anyone work double shifts here? Got any advice? Is it real overwhelming?

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I've done a few doubles. The last one was a day-evening double, which I didn't know until I agreed to work it. Even after drinking an ungodly amount of coffee, I still had to work hard to stay awake. I haven't worked a double since.

[Jules A, MSN]

I guess if that is what they are offering but I've never heard of not getting extra for weekend work especially 16s! That sounds like a worse deal than the 3-12s you are currently doing. If we do two 12s Sat/Sun we get paid for 36 hours with full time benefits. I hate to admit it but the older I get the harder those 16s get.

[Marchbanx]

Thanks for all the resonse so far! Its been really helpful! I have to decide by monday what I want to do...It seems like a lot of you that worked doubles only had to work those 2 days which equals only 32 hrs a week but then got paid for 40 hrs instead? Is that also called Baylor as well? I think the human resource person that hired me told me I would still have to work the 8 hrs shift as well after the double double shifts on the weekend, with no extra pay or anything. Do ppl that work baylor usually get paid more or something? I wasnt aware of this, I just might have to bring it up. Also, the facilities that have nurses work double is it usually due to short staffing or something? I am a reletively new grad since december so I really dont know that much yet!

The Baylor plan I worked in the 90's was 2 X 12 hour weekend night shifts/week and paid for 40 complete with benefits. That system seems to have crapped out mid 90's after our sainted patients, the American voting public, embraced the contract on America and trashed health care reform. Now "Baylor" is used to characterize several sucker propositions to entice nurses to cover weekends. Covering every weekend should include a considerable differential and I would only do it without a bonus if it served my purpose. The 8 hour add on shift, is it to be a night or evening shift? That can make a difference. The reasons facilities do doubles varies. As mentioned, I am reluctant to agree to 5 nights a week. I am more likely to do 2 or 3 12 hour nights or 2 doubles and an 8 or I have doned 5 doubles every 2 weeks if I can get input into the clustering. Nights and weekends are the hardest shifts to cover and people like me would rather do doubles than long strings of nights. Anything to get people to be there. Willingly. By the way, if you are at all willing to do nights or happen to rather ejoy them, as I did, it gives you some leverage. Again, good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

Back in the day Baylor plans were very similar. I worked 2-16 hour shifts back to back on Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun and got paid for 40 with no benefits. I did this for 6 years and actually loved it! The first day or 2 off I was exhausted though but it worked well for me as my husbands schedule was off during the week and I was also home to get the kids off to school and home at the end of day. Only reason I stopped was when I was 8 months into pregnancy it got too hard to be on my feet 16 hours back to back.