12 hour shifts vs 8 hour Shifts and nurses heath

MMC.RN · Apr 20, 2016

1. Female age 25-35

2. Yes

3. Yes

4. 12 hour shifts

5. Possibly, depends on the person and area of nursing they work in.

6. Yes

7. Yes, I think it can depending on the person an area of nursing

8. Yes

9. NA

10. Yes

I am a psych nurse and I work 2 16 hour shifts per week and an 8 hour shift, typically. I enjoy working longer shifts as it gives me more days off. It can make for a long brutal day, but I don't feel as if I am putting my patients safety at risk. If I were working ICU, I may feel differently and if I were older and had a family to take care of I may feel differently again. I can go home after a shift and fall asleep and get a good 7-8 hours usually before I have to do anything. I am also prepared to work these shifts. I feel perfectly capable of making decisions and am just as efficient in the morning as I am at hour 15 or 16. I am working on my MSN, so it is helpful in scheduling classes and studying.

I think when you talk about working mandatory overtime then there may be issues with patient safety. If I work an 8 hour PM shift and then get forced to work nights, which I am not used to, yes I feel as I put patients at risk. I am not prepared to do this and am tired, especially not being able to sleep when I am used to. I've had to do this many times and it never gets easier. I have felt very unsafe being so tired.

bgxyrnf, MSN, RN · Apr 26, 2016

1. Please indicate your age group and gender.
{Male}
Female
18 - 25 years
25 - 35 years
35 - 50 years
{50 plus Years}
2. Do you or have you worked a 12hour shift?
{Yes}
No
3. If yes do you enjoy working 12 hour shifts?
{Yes}
No
Unsure
I work 8 hour shifts
4. Would you rather work 12 hour shifts for three days a week or work 8 hour shifts for more days a week
{12 hour}
8 hour
Unsure
5. Do you think 12 hour shifts impact on a nurses duty of care given?
Yes
{No}
Unsure
6. Do you think the length of a shift will impact on patients safety?
Yes
{No}
Unsure
7. Do you think 12 hour shifts impact on a nurses health short term?
Yes
{No}
Unsure
8. Do you think 12 hour shifts impact a nurses health in the long term?
Yes
{No}
Unsure
9. If you work 8 hour shifts would you be interested in 12 hour shifts?
{Yes}
No
Unsure
10. Do you think 12 hour shifts will help with handover and being more efficient and effective in handover?
{Yes}
No
Unsure

Answers embedded

For context: I have spent the first seven years of my career working 12's. I recently started working 8's but still pull 12's on per-diem.

I would choose 3x12 over my 4x8 both for money (36 vs 32 hrs) and for the days off.

My dream biweekly schedule would be 12-hr shifts:

Week 1 = Su-We off, Th-Sa on

Week 2 = Su off, Mo-We on, Th-Sa off

or even just alternating 6 on, 8 off (4 off/Th-Sa/Su-Tu/4 off)

ZoeFrecn · Apr 26, 2016

1. Female

2. 25-35 years

3. Yes

4. Yes I prefer 12 hrs

5. It depends, if we are fully staffed then no.

6. No

7. No

8. No

9. N/A

10 Yes

I work in the emergency department and I prefer 3 twelve's over five 8's. I get more time off and I don' t feel like I'm at the hospital 'all the time'. For me, I feel less burnt out which is essential. Whether or not the length of the shift puts a patient at risk all depends on the person and the type of unit they work on - i.e intensity level. I like 12 hour shifts because there is a continuity in care.