12 hour shifts and day night rotation ??

[caseyspen]

Hi,

I will be graduating in May with my BSN and I just accepted a job in the PICU at a large teaching hospital. I will be working 3 12 hour shifts a week, day/night rotation. The manager said she doesn't care how it is split up over each six week schedule. How do you guys split up your shifts? Is it better to do all three back to back and do 3 weeks of nights and then 3 weeks of days or to alternate week to week? I'm also thinking about breaking up my days so that it won't be so tiring like doing a mon, wed, thurs. I was told by a classmate that I will hate this but it seems like the break in between would be nice. The nurse educator said they have some moms that do all their shifts every other day (m,w,f) every week but that they don't like that because it interferes with continuity of care. I know I have a little ways to go (start date is August 2nd) but I would appreciate any advice you can give.

Thanks,

Casey

[heart queen]

first do a search on shifts, there is alot about shift preference and why. Then, no matter what "we" say, you need to know your body, your life style and what works for you.

for me, When I work nights, I just slept the whole day after a shift, or I'm still up like now, trying to unwind before going back, I might as well wake up and go back there, my day is shot sleeping and I'll be up most tenight if I don't. So I do all my night shifts in a row, and only sleep 4 hrs. on the last day, so I can sleep that night and be on the same schedule as my family

Again, this works for me, there are many people that can't physically work three 12's in a row, you may be one of them. Ask for a varried schedule, so you can trial and see what works for you.

congrats on the job!

[BarbPick]

I can't rotate, I have to do all 7p to 7 a's. I also like to do all three in a row, get it over with.

This is a good site :

http://www.enw.org/NightShift.htm

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I do not like rotating shifts, prefer 7p to 7a. I prefer to break it up and not work 3 in a row, as I don't always get good sleep and 3 in a row kill me. Right now because a coworker wants to work every weekend I'm working every Tues, Wed, and Friday. Having that one day in the middle suits me fine.