How many 12's?

[fleur-de-lis, BSN, RN]

Just curious, how many 12 hour shifts have you worked in a row? How many do you think are safe to work in a week?

I am a ABSN student in my last semester (residency), and this summer I am doing two 12's with a clinical preceptor and one 8 with the nurse manager as a part of my management class. On top of that, I do one 12 at a different hospital in a paid position as a student nurse/tech. I start this schedule tomorrow, and I am wondering what I am in for! This week I have a day off after two 12's, then do my 3rd 12 and the 8. The week after that I am scheduled to do the three 12's and 8 all in a row, but I might try and switch up the schedule. Thanks for any thoughts! (Off to sleep now, must conserve energy!!!)

[CVICURN2003]

I have done 6 12's in a row off a day (collapsed) and then back for another 4. I have done 4 12's and 2 eights before too. I am sure I could not keep that pace up constantly, but I prefer to do my days in a row. I know my patients get into the groove of working and it works fine for me. We freq do 4 12's a week. I find that acually the more says together I work, the better I do mentally. Am I tired? Yes. But it works fine and my family suffers but my patients don't. I work a-p now, but did the same when I worked p-a.

We have a nurse that will freq work 8-10 12 hour nocs in a row. By the end of her nights her actual patient care does not change, just her charting and the "extra" stuff she does dips a little.

[RazorbackRN, BSN, RN]

Per hospital policy, we are not allowed to work more than 60 hrs in a row.

[TazziRN, RN]

I've never done more than 3 in a row. By the third one Im exhausted, no matter how easy the first two were. My ideal is 2 in a row with 2-3 days off in between.

[kcalohagirl]

I worked 4 in a row this week. It wasn't too bad, except for the rapid respons I ran at 5 am, and the fact that we were so short staffed that I bumped up to 6 patients last night. I work on a stepdown unit, and we are normally matrixed at 3-4 patients, although I haven't had less than four for several months, and have had 5 more often than not for the past few weeks. Grrrrrr. We are also terribly short staffed tonight. I might have gone in had I not walked out of work an hour and a half late after catching up on all the charting and MAR checks I fell behind on while we were RRing my patient. I have 3 days off, then I will be back for 3.

Four doesn't bother me too much. I had 3 of my patients all four nights, and 2 of them for the last two nights, w another patient my first 2 nights. Good for continuity, and it's nice to know your patients "tricks" when you are carrying a super-heavy load.

I love my workplace, but I really wish they would hire 2 more nurses. We had a nurse pass away unexpectedly, and another one move due to a family emergency, so we're running really short this month.

[hellonurse36]

My hardest week ever was 5 on, 1 off then 4 on! Night shift! Not fun. Great paycheck!

Terri

[loricatus]

The worst I had was around the holidays, 4 nights on, one off, 4 more nights on, 2 off, 2 on, then 2 days trying to recover (or should I say, just be able to get out of bed and go to the bathroom). I still haven't fully recovered (think it's PTSD ) & the OT pay wasn't worth it. Never again, never again....

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I did 6 on, 8 off 12 hour shifts for 2.5 years a few years ago. It worked because I lived 5 hours from work, and I got to go home every other week.

I tried it in my current job, but it is just too darn busy and after 3, I am ready for a break. My husband is out of town for a few weeks so I am working an extra shift per week. If you look at it as a short term ordeal it is easier to deal with.

[ZootRN]

You are such hard workers people. I say it without any sarcasm. I worked 3 12's in a row quite a few times in a past, and realized I hate it too much by the end of third day, and even 4 days off after do not make up for it. Now work two, 2-3 off.

[ICRN2008, BSN, RN]

I am working 5 12's in a row next weekend- not looking forward to it! I normally work all 3 of my shifts in a row, which usually isn't too bad.

[nurseinlimbo]

I work two jobs, one 8's one 12's and in the summer often work 3 12's and 2 8's, or vice versa, and sometimes as much as 5 12's in one week. I always try to make sure I have 2 days off per week (preferably in a row) and usually one week a month I manage to have a break because they just don't need me (maybe 4 days in a row).

That's the way it's worked for me for the past 3 summers, this summer I am hoping to do less (maybe 2 12's and 2 8's, or 3 12's).

[oneLoneNurse]

We can only do 3 12s in a row. I seem to have the best schedule: 5/6, 2 then 1 off then 3 then 3 off. I like the shift. Unlike my fellow co-workers I don't work anyplace else.