12 hour shift

BSNbeauty, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2013

I think it is a safe shift to work. What isn't safe is not getting a lunch break in a timely manner and not able to empty our bladder. When I'm hungry or have to pee, I cannot think straight. Particulary in the ICU you cannot leave your patients even for one minute without finding coverage.

I think I'm offically over 12 hour shifts. I've decided if I am going to have to work 12 hours it will be parttime only, and I'll work PRN out of the hospital setting.

Biffbradford · Feb 16, 2013

12 hour shifts are rediculous. If they were so great, why does't the entire work world do them?

allnurses Guide · Feb 16, 2013

Love my 12 hour shifts, would never go back to 8s.The fewer times a patient is handed off, the safer the par patient is.

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Feb 16, 2013

I love 12 hour shifts... I hate working 5 days a week.

Luckyyou, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2013

They can take my 12 hour shifts when they pry them out of my cold, dead fingers. Long live the three day workweek!

NJnewRN · Feb 16, 2013

To each his own. I HATE 12 hr shift with a passion. They make me sick. Literally. Miserable. Start off the day with a difficult pt and all day! For 12 to 14 hrs it's the same nightmare. Come in to the shift call RRT. Oh wait, call another one. Oh, get those 2 off the floor. Make sure you chart in them and chart the rapid response. But no, you are not human. You have two brand new direct admissions, plus a post op pt. Oh, your pt needs pain meds. Family member wants to talk to you. Walk out the room, two doctors waiting on the line to talk to you. Never mind it's way past time to eat. You want urinate so bad thy your stomach cramps, but you can't make it to the bathroom. The nightmare goes on and on. Oh wait time to give report, but you need to stay to chart. Go home crash. Wake up the next day limping in pain. So tired you spend the whole day in bed OR go back an re-live the while NIGHTMARE again. Whatever...yay 12 hr shifts. Sick to my stomach!!!!

NJnewRN · Feb 16, 2013

To each his own. I HATE 12 hr shift with a passion. They make me sick. Literally. Miserable. Start off the day with a difficult pt and all day! For 12 to 14 hrs it's the same nightmare. Come in to the shift call RRT. Oh wait call another one. Oh, get those 2 off the floor. Make sure you chart in them and chart the rapid response. But no, you are not human. You have two brand new direct admissions, plus a post op pt. Oh, your pt needs pain meds. Family member wants to talk to you. Walk out the room, two doctors waiting on the line to talk to you. Never mind it's way past time to eat. You want urinate so bad thy your stomach cramps, but you can't make it to the bathroom. The nightmare goes on and on. Oh wait time to give report, but you need to stay to chart. Go home crash. Wake up the next day limping in pain. So tired you spend the whole day in bed OR go back an re-live the while NIGHTMARE again. Whatever...yay 12 hr shifts. Sick to my stomach!!!![/quote']
Sorry about the typos, but everyone gets the jest of what I was trying say.

Biffbradford · Feb 16, 2013

Now up the ante to 12 hour night shifts with a long drive home. Who want's to play Russian Roulette with their car?

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Feb 16, 2013

Now up the ante to 12 hour night shifts with a long drive home. Who want's to play Russian Roulette with their car?

Especially if you work 12 hour nights. I used to work at a hospital that was about 40 minutes away from home. Worked as a PCNA on a VERY busy medical telemetry unit. I couldn't tell you how many times I almost crashed into the median on the highway from dozing off.

I still work 12 hour nights, just at a different hospital and I only have an 8 min drive to work. I personally love nights and I would much rather work three 12's instead of five 8's a week.

edimo · Feb 16, 2013

I think it depends on your situation and what you value most...some prefer the 8 hour shift so they can spend more time with their kids after work, have weekends off etc etc...my hospital only allows 12 hour shifts on the inpatient units and its all I know but I doubt I would switch to 8's if given a chance. I save money on parking, I save vacation time since I'm only working three shifts (sometimes four) a week and can play around with it more, I do my errands during non-peak times and I don't feel like I'm at work all the time....everyone will have their own personal preference.

mustlovepoodles, RN · Feb 17, 2013

I hated 12 hour shifts. I worked nights and I never got enough sleep. 12 hour shifts just exacerbated the fatigue. And then I had a 45 min drive home, in Atlanta rush hour traffic. I fell asleep at the wheel a few times, luckily didn't hit anything, just shook myself up a bit. I found that i just couldn't tolerate the extreme fatigue. And it's not like you're really working 12 hours. By the time I got up, got dressed, ate and got to work, I had already killed 2 hours. Work 12(at least!), then drive home 45 min, eat a bit, then try to go to sleep. Total: 15hrs, minimum for my 12hr shift.

Nope. Give me shorter shifts. In fact, now that I DONT work in a hospital I have fashioned myself a desk job where I can telecommute 3 days a week and set my own hours. Boo-ya!