12 hour shift

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 17, 2013

I would much rather work three twelves (DAYS) than five eights. You work only thirty-six hours, but in many places, you are paid for forty. Also, you get FOUR days off a week instead of just two. That is great if you have a family or just don't feel like waking up every morning.

lolakbolak · Feb 17, 2013

I would only work 12 hour shifts and have the rest of the week off!!

I work nights and we are short staffed that many nights I work 4 or 5 12 hour shifts

SaoirseRN · Feb 17, 2013

Love my twelves. I would hate working eights and having to do more in a row.

Jujubees · Feb 17, 2013

Do you guys get overtime for the last 4 hours? Or when you work 4 12 hours shifts? When you miss your meal break do you get missed break pay? A few things I've been wondering, this seemed an appropriate place to ask.

Nurse Connie · Feb 17, 2013

I LOVE working 12 hour shifts. I would hate to work 8 hours, 5 days a week.

In my hospital, we do get paid if we miss breaks.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2013

Do you guys get overtime for the last 4 hours? Or when you work 4 12 hours shifts? When you miss your meal break do you get missed break pay? A few things I've been wondering, this seemed an appropriate place to ask.

My workplace does not pay daily overtime, so a 12-hour shift would be paid at straight time where I work. In this state, overtime pay only accrues after one works in excess of 40 hours in one week or 80 hours in a two week period.

My workplace pays for missed lunch periods, but nurses will be written up if they submit too many missed break forms. Even if they do not have the time, they are expected to magically carve out the time for lunch (or make it appear as if they're taking time out for lunch).

Katieerin · Feb 17, 2013

I am looking forward to 12 hour shifts because every job I have had in my adult life I have worked 60+ hours a week , 16 hour days and usually 6 days a week. So 12 hour shifts at 3-4 days a week would be AMAZING!

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Feb 17, 2013

Love 12's. My prior career was 8 hours/5 days a week in theory. However, the norm was at least a 10 hour day daily, quite often 18. Plus things could roll into or erupt during the weekend. And there was the electronic tether so you never really left the office. So there are plusses and minuses to everything.

Good Morning, Gil · Feb 17, 2013

I don't love working 12 hour shifts; I enjoy not being at work 5 days a week. So, what would I love? Working 8 hour shifts 3 days a week.

bubblejet50 · Feb 17, 2013

I love 12's. I do days and its not a hosptial setting, nor is it geriatric LTC. We get overtime for over 12hrs in a day and our lunch break is paid. There is a lot of downtime and I only stayed late once. I just love my job!

FurBabyMom, MSN, RN · Feb 17, 2013

I have worked 12s both on days and nights. I have worked 8s on days and nights. I have worked 10s on days.

12s on days was great, because I only had to deal with patients 3 days a week, and was scot free for 4 days a week. When I worked 12s on days I lived 10 minutes from work, I got up at 0615, got to work at 0655, and was home from work about 10 minutes after I clocked out. I took a different job for various reasons, driving 75 miles (65 minute drive) one way to work, initially working five 8s a week, which was tolerable. Then I was on 12s, three nights a week. Which sucked! Nobody wants a 65 minute drive to and from work. Luckily this was when my parents had just moved cross country (my dad took a transfer), and my mom had not found a new job yet (she took her time as she doesn't have to work). I called my mom when I was on the freeway leaving work, and talked to her most of the way home each morning after work. Days she was busy kind of sucked for me. Regardless, I drank a rather large quantity of diet soda for the caffeine to keep me awake on the way home, which made sleep very difficult when I'd gotten home and taken the dog out. I'd finally fall asleep, but only nap about 3 hours. Only to do it all over again...

I worked 8 hour days this fall which was nice but I missed a "day off". I have that now, I work 10 hour days with one day off a week plus weekends off. In my opinion, best of both worlds.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2013

Do you guys get overtime for the last 4 hours? Or when you work 4 12 hours shifts? When you miss your meal break do you get missed break pay? A few things I've been wondering, this seemed an appropriate place to ask.

That would be a resounding NO to all three at my former hospital. I very routinely worked 48 hrs in a week (officially, though 4 12s really was closer to 52-56 hours in a week) without a penny of overtime.