88 Hours, tired, what was your highest week? how did you recover?

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Last week I did 88 hours. I did get a full nights sleep each night, but its monday now, I was off sunday, slept most of the day, went to work today, got out at 3, and just got up .....My question is...how do you "wake up" from a week like that? And... what was the most amount of hours you worked in a week, and in what area? I work in the OR...

:eek:

Specializes in PACU, CARDIAC ICU, TRAUMA, SICU, LTC.

88 hours?? Not me, not ever! Not healthy, and not financially worth it. Uncle Sam must have liked you the day you got paid!

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Yrs ago when I worked in the uK and we did 8hour shifts it wasnt unusual to work 10 days in a row to get a weekend off!

It was a killer but we did them all the time especially when we got mon tues of one week off and then worked the 10 days on to get a weekend off.

I think those who do 5 eight's may still have to do this

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Yrs ago when I worked in the uK and we did 8hour shifts it wasnt unusual to work 10 days in a row to get a weekend off!

It was a killer but we did them all the time especially when we got mon tues of one week off and then worked the 10 days on to get a weekend off.

I think those who do 5 eight's may still have to do this[/QU]

my next off duty 10 days on then 4 off not looking forward. i did 48 hr last week came in on wrong day and stayed we were short

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I routinely work 11 12-hour shifts in a row, take a 3-day weekend off, then work another 11 in a row. But if you're only counting 7 days worth, the most I've worked in one week is 84 hours.

I spend most of my hours in the ED, but I also work in patient placement approximately 4-6 days per month, sometimes a few more depending on availability of hours in the ED.

The only way for me to recover is to sleep most of the first day off, plus get a nap on the second day.

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I've done it before while working as a DNS in LTC and working the floor. 14-12-14 hr days were common. Needless to say, I'm "just a nurse" now and spend tons more time with my family at home.

Lots of coffee was consumed and I was in much better shape back then and excercised a lot too.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I can't beat that..probably 48-50 is the highest I've done in a week. I very rarely pick up the extra shift.

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My personal record is 96 hours. It was the week of Christmas in a union facility so ALL hours Christmas eve/Day/Day after were time and a half so I ended up doing 6 doubles that week. I did work with 2 other nurses that I knew very well and we each had a hall on that rehab floor. We covered one another for lots of breaks which made a huge difference. This was also 3pm-7am doubles which are also far different from 7a-11p. I was off on vacay for two weeks after so New Years in Vegas was my windown. :)

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Specializes in icu/er.

> than 80hrs per week is a impressive number. cant remember my weekly record, but my 2 week pay record was around 168hrs

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I work OR also and have done that amount before also. I typically work 50-60 hours a week and average 20-30 hours overtime on my checks. I definately notice the overtime in my pay but once i hit 15 hoirs i kump up a tax bracket and have to pass 20 hours to see the difference again..

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To recover I will sleep overnight and sleep late into the next day, late is 9am. I will then go do something active like bike ride or swimming with my wife/son. Then come him and do my regular routine like BBQ or something then get a good night sleep and wake up for work the next day.

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Specializes in Psych.

Years ago I did a 92 hour week, as well as working 30 days straight, while working at CVS Pharmacy. As a LVN I did 90 hours in 6 days, slept 6 hours on my day off and went on as business as usual.

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I worked with a nurse that worked at least 2 months straight with maybe 4 or 5 days off a month and did at least 12 and mostly 16 hrs each day. Yep...the quality of work wasn't there, but of course she was a warm body and that's what administration wanted and needed.

As an LPN she made well into the $90s that year.

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Wow, I dont think I have ever worked more than 40 hrs in a week!!!

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