12 hour shifts

Otessa, BSN, RN · Feb 26, 2006

90% of the nurses at our hospital work 12 our shifts......

SarasotaRN2b · Feb 27, 2006

What do you think about nurses working 12 hour shifts with the high level of acuity that we experience on the medical floors. Do you think that it causes burn out of the nurses.

No. IMO, by working 12 hours, 3 days a week it is less stressfuly than working 5 days a week. Yes, it is a long day, but on many occasions, those nurses working 8 hours, can stay as long as 10 hours...can you imagine that 5 days a week...that would burn me out for sure.

It also better financially because you can work an extra day and still have 3 days off a week (a respite nurses definitely need!).

Rozy · Feb 27, 2006

7 12's in a row!! NOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE SUICIDE!LOL

uscalumni · Feb 27, 2006

12 hour shifts could be rough:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

NephroBSN, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2006

12 hour shifts could be rough:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I like 12 hours shifts for many of the reasons others have posted here.

Also, I think it's better for the patient.. No waking them up at midnight for an assessment. Also, they know you when they wake up in the morning.

I think patient's like having a nurse for the full day or night..

JMHO.

johnson0424 · Feb 27, 2006

when i was at the hospital i used to work 8 on 6 off and in my 8 days i would work one day 8's and next 12's so 4 12's and 3 8's ...at the end of my 8 days i was soooo tired and irritable. I like 12's though, like someone else said,you are not so rushed to get everything done before 3pm u can take your time. I work 8's right now but kinda wished i worked 12 hr shifts b/c i am in school too and to get the 12's over with and have 4 days off would be nice!!! i end up working past 8 hrs anyways...kate

Nightcrawler, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2006

This post really strikes home to me right now. My hospital is really pushing for a move to 8 hour shifts. We have to vote next month on whether we want to move from 12-8's OR lose the 4 hours of overtime a night and go to a flat hourly rate!!!!

Any way you slice it, this means a cut in pay. This is after they reduced accrued PTO, 401K matching, reduced the health plan coverage and doubled the deductible. They are also in the process of eliminating CNA's hospital wide. I haven't seen the written proposal yet, just the information that we are getting from our charge nurses, but if they do this I don't think that they will be competitive in the market anymore and so far EVERYONE that I have talked to has said that they will leave. I have co workeres that are planning on talking to recruiters TODAY.......

So enough of my rant. As for the other part of the OP's question as to whether 12 hour shifts compromise patient safety in a high acuity setting because of fatigue or burn-out: I believe that the answer to high acuity is NOT less time to do the work, but rather lighter patient loads. If the floor nurse had 4-5 patients rather than 6-12, and had the appropriate support staff, the nurse would be able to adequately care for her patients, spend much needed time on education, chart, EAT LUNCH, and leave on time at least most of the time. This is the greatest gift that mandated patient ratios has done for California. I truly do not believe that the problem with nursing burn-out has as much to do with too many hours as with too much work, period!

I am sure that I have opened up several new cans of worms with my response, so I will now stop boring all of you with my opinions, and read what all of you have to say

McGyverRN · Feb 27, 2006

I think it depends on the nurse. When I started nursing, I worked 5 eights. I eventually started working 3 12's. I'd never go back to 5 days a week. I felt like I had my life back. I actually had more energy working the twelves.

mstigerlily · Feb 27, 2006

one time i had a schedule of (2) 16 hr shifts and (1) 8 hr shift. i would alternate wks of 32/40 hrs.
as a hospice nurse, yes, the burnout is there.
but the days off are sooooo worth its weight in gold.
leslie

That would be even better than 3 12s I would love that. Yes 12 hrs is long but 16 hrs isn't much more, I could do it. And to have full time pay only working 2 days a week - NICE.

It's time at the hospital that burns me out. Once I'm there I like to stay there till I drop. Once I'm gone I like to stay gone. I HATE coming in on my days off for meetings, classes, etc. HATE IT>

putterfly74 · Mar 1, 2006

I have worked 12 hr shifts for 12 years. Some days i get burnout but that can happen in the first 8 hrs!. The days off are worth it. putterfly74:saint:

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Mar 1, 2006

I like 12 hours shifts for many of the reasons others have posted here.
Also, I think it's better for the patient.. No waking them up at midnight for an assessment. Also, they know you when they wake up in the morning.
I think patient's like having a nurse for the full day or night..
JMHO.

The families like it too.

When my dad was in the hospital, we learned who was going to be on and when. It was comforting to be sitting in there with him for so long and have familiar faces caring for him. It makes it easier from the other side of the bed as well.

student4ever · Mar 1, 2006

The families like it too.
When my dad was in the hospital, we learned who was going to be on and when. It was comforting to be sitting in there with him for so long and have familiar faces caring for him. It makes it easier from the other side of the bed as well.

I think once you get used to working 12 hour shifts, it's really not bad at all. Yes, you run your butt off for 12 hours straight, and if you do a lot in a row it can be taxing, but the trade off is more time at home (unless you're pulling a lot of overtime shifts like I do). Not to mention, the patients like not having to switch nurses every 8 hours. I personally don't mind the 12 hour shifts - it makes working the occasional 8hr shift seem like a piece of cake!!! If I'm already at work though, I might as well just add on a couple extra hours and have more days off... just my :twocents: