How long do you typically stay?

KellNY, RN · Mar 25, 2007

I work antepartum 12hour shifts (7p-7a) not L&D, but I can tell you, we ride the elevator out together between 0720 and 0740 most days. There are some mornings where we don't get out till after 0800, but they're rare.

In the begining you might need to stay later until you have a good routine and time management skills behind you.

anne74 · Mar 25, 2007

It depends on your unit. When I worked Med/Surg, I typically stayed 30 min - 1 hr later to chart. But my hospital had a really crappy computerized charting system that was not charting by exception. Now I work in the PACU, and I always leave on time - sometimes early if we have a low census.

I think if you know you have to leave, because you're children are counting on you, you will find a way to do it. It will force you to become very efficient with your time. I'm single and it didn't matter when I got home, so I didn't have much of an incentive to leave on time. If it turns out your manager/workplace doesn't make it easy for you to leave on time, then find a job somewhere else. Good luck!

bill4745, RN · Mar 25, 2007

I'm in the ER, 11am-11pm. Sometimes get to leave a little early, sometimes after midnight.

Maverick80 · Mar 25, 2007

I work as a tech in the ER and i work a lot of 12 hour shifts. The nurses also do this but when the new shift comes on at 7 we can't clock out until 7:24 because of the half hour of unpaid lunch. So we give report to the 7 o'clock nurses and then when we are done off the floor we go, we clock out and we are gone. Rarely have i or any of the nurses stayed over. The only time i stay over is if i get stuck in a trauma and can't report off to someone to take over. Really if it's a serious trauma we have them for no more then 45 minutes to stabilize until they are off the CT or Surgery!! So i wouldn't worry to much and L&D is a lot of the same pace as the ER, i'm not sure exactly how things work if you are right in the middle of having the baby. When i did my L&D rotation the nurses easily and smoothly reported off to each other (in the middle of a pushing) to go to lunch and such. I don't think you are going to run into any significant problems!!

angel o' mercy · Mar 25, 2007

I work 12 hour shifts as well 7p-7a. You should never bank on getting out on time. You just never know what could keep you behind. We sometimes have 3-4 nurses to give report to and unless its updates, giving report could take 45 minutes on 4-6 patients. It is not very efficiently run, unfortunatley, but I can also say with experince the grass is NOT always greener on the other side. The kids come first. If they need you to take them to school you need to see what other options are available.

TrudyRN · Mar 25, 2007

You need to have a back-up plan in place. You can't count on being able to leave 100% of the time on time.

Perhaps your husband can take the kids to school before he goes to work? Does the school have child care before school starts?

Do you have a neighbor who will help? Some other parent with whom you can trade favors?

How old are your kids? Can they get ready for school and get there on their own? Who will be with them after your husband leaves for work and before you get home?

As happy as you are with your new position-to-be, it could be less than ideal. Any way you could work 6p - 6a? Then, you'd be more assured of getting home when you need to get there. I wish you good luck and congratulations on your achievement!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 25, 2007

You need to have a back-up plan in place. You can't count on being able to leave 100% of the time on time.
Perhaps your husband can take the kids to school before he goes to work? Does the school have child care before school starts?
Do you have a neighbor who will help? Some other parent with whom you can trade favors?
How old are your kids? Can they get ready for school and get there on their own? Who will be with them after your husband leaves for work and before you get home?
As happy as you are with your new position-to-be, it could be less than ideal. Any way you could work 6p - 6a? Then, you'd be more assured of getting home when you need to get there. I wish you good luck and congratulations on your achievement!

Helpful post. Bottom line, have back up. You surely cannot guarantee your ability to leave on time after each shift. Things happen at change of shift that make it necessary for "all hands on deck" to help out. I rarely am there after 7:30, but if there is a change of shift delivery, emergency, or c-section, I am going nowhere. You have to help out when needed.

Also, you may be able to negotiate with a person from the next shift to show up a 1/2 hour early to ensure you get out on time; I did this when my dh was military. He had to be work at 0730 (and as you can imagine no being late for military was allowed). Therefore, I would negotiate w/ a dayshifter to come in at 6:30 to relieve me (and I would do the same for her if she needed). This worked well for a number of years (7 to be exact). I have to add, I was only perdiem, so I did not have to ask any more often than about 1 time a week.

Good luck!

SICU Queen · Mar 25, 2007

Barring the rare shift when the night's been hectic and you're running behind, I don't think you'll have any problems at all.

CrunchyLaborRN · Mar 25, 2007

Thank you to everyone for your input. I appreciate it very much! My kids are 11, 6, and 4. The 11 year old does a great job with the younger two but its just not responsible to leave them all alone. I do have a great neighbor that might come sit with them for 15 minutes or so waiting for me to get home. Even if I had to leave at 8, I could still make it everywhere on time as long as lunches were made and everything was laid out the night before. I am desperately trying to make this come together. I do have another job offer on a mother-baby floor of another hospital but when I worked as an Ob-tech, I was not thrilled working over there... But if I can't feel comfortable taking this L&D job, that maybe where I go.

Sarah LnDHopes · Mar 25, 2007

Is your husband's employer at all flexible for him to start at 8:30, that would give you a little extra wiggle room?

CrunchyLaborRN · Mar 25, 2007

My husband is a Fire Marshall for the county. It just wouldn't look good for him to come in late repeatedly. I am hopeful we can work this out, though!