12 Hour Shifts Issue

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 2, 2019

Go to night shift? Find the rare hospital that does 8-hour shifts. Other than that, I've got nothing.

kp2016 · Jul 2, 2019

If you are interested in 8 hour shifts. Try looking at OR, Recovery room, outpatient clinics, infusion clinics. Clinics tend to pay less and 8 hours shifts don’t have much potential for addition shifts to make overtime.

RNperdiem, RN · Jul 2, 2019

Nobody is thrilled to be getting up to go to work. Work is work, even for jobs we like. That said, I wasn't any more delighted to wait around during the day to go to my 3-11 job 5 endless days a week, or deal with the sleep deprivation of nights.

It is all a trade-off. Working 12 hour days means having more days off than people who work regular schedules. It means being able to schedule outside appointments without needing to take time off.

Maybe nights would be a better fit for your body clock? I work with staff who only have ever worked nights and would never work days.

Forest2 · Jul 2, 2019

My ideas are:

Work very close to home to reduce commute and you can get up at the last minute. Prep for those shifts by having clothes out and ready, you may have a few sets out and ready so that when you get home you can go straight to bed, this means scrubs, shoes, socks, etc. Like daily packs. Have all your vitamins or dailys set up in a pill box. Set up an automatic coffee pot with a timer. Find a ride, so you can sleep on the way or take turns driving. I have a few others but not sure they would be right for you. I used to get up at 0430 and drive an hour. 12 hours shifts are hard, other than going to night shift, search for other employment perhaps.

allnurses Guide · Jul 2, 2019

Try night shifts? Get out of acute care?

Getting up is getting up no matter what time of day you have to do it. Some things just are what they are. If this shift doesn't work for you, you may have to change specialties. If you want the higher pay that comes with working in acute care women's health you earn it via the uncomfortable hours expected. Hang in there.

Golden_RN, MSN · Jul 2, 2019

Be thankful you have a day shift position.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 2, 2019

I have always had trouble dragging myself out of bed -- no matter what time it is. That's just the way my body works. It takes a long time for me to get to sleep and a long time for me to fully wake up. Getting up is just something I have to force myself to do every day.

How much sleep are you getting? Do you need to go to bed earlier? If you struggle with going to sleep early enough to get enough sleep in each night, work on your "sleep hygiene" -- those rituals you do each night as you go to bed (earlier) to help you get to sleep quickly. Getting enough hours in should help you feel a little better in the morning.

MunoRN, RN · Jul 2, 2019

I'm not sure it's really a 12-hour shift issue since if you worked 8-hour days then you'd have to get up that early 5 days a week instead of 3.

I'd be thankful you're just coming to work at 0645, rather than finishing work at 0645.

Aliens05, ASN · Jul 2, 2019

I am pretty lucky, but my nursing job allows me to wear whatever I want to work. I wake up, brush my teeth and throw on a baseball cap, shorts and a t shirt. My drive to work takes about 2 minutes max. I live in a city, but suburbs on the edge of town. I have an odd schedule, three 8s and one 12 per week. Its not bad at all because I can flex my hours when I go in and leave. I work in a group home with developmentally disabled persons.

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Jul 3, 2019

Ask about doing 5 3-11s?

myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN · Jul 3, 2019

To me the very best thing about nursing are the 12 hour shifts (and being able to work nights). In fact the worst thing about becoming a PMHNP will be working 0800 to 1700 (really more like 1900 with charting) FIVE days per week even if it pays more money. I have heard people in California complain that they "have" to only work eight hours because the hospitals hate to pay the overtime (as mandated by law). Perhaps, parts of California where this is common practice might be an option. Also, most MD offices would be more 9-5PM.