4 10-hr day workweeks?

Katnip, RN · Feb 7, 2003

I probably got the same mag you did. I mentioned it to a couple of nurses where I do clinicals, but they haven't heard of it in my area. It's something to bring up when it's time to be hired though. It might be possible.

I'm with you on the idea. 4 10s would be easier than 3 12s and you still only work 4 days.

boggle, ASN, RN · Feb 7, 2003

Many years ago I worked 4 10 hour shifts on nights (10pm till 8 am ). There was an overlap of the shifts with this arrangement, so there were more nurses on the floor between 10 pm and 11pm and again from 7am till 8am. Those were very busy times on that floor, and the extra staff smoothed over many patient care problems and led to better communication too.

I absolutely loved those hours. They were much less draining than 12 hours, and I began and ended my shift with much less chaos. When I moved away from that town, the hospital was looking into possibility of an overlap from days to evening shift also.

I wish the idea of overlapping nurses shifts would be looked at again. There was almost NO overtime charged to our floor during those years, so the hospital actually SAVED money while paying for the overlapping hours. Patients and Docs both liked the smooth start of the day.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Feb 7, 2003

Oh man I LOVED that arrangement! It only lasted a few years though then we "graduated" to the funky 3 12...4/12 arrangement for the next ten years. UGH

KP RN · Feb 7, 2003

Ah! The good ol' days!! I used to do 4-10s at a large university hospital. If I remember correctly, days was 7a-530p; evenings were 2p-1230a; and nights was 10p-830a.

That was the greatest method of scheduling!! The overlap time gave us the extra hands to be able to finish paperwork, chart, get everyone turned, etc... Boy, did I love that job!!

baseline · Feb 7, 2003

I loved 10 hr days! Works well in some units, not as well in others. Depends what type of dept you are working in. One of our case managers does 4 10's.

MrsK1223 · Feb 8, 2003

I'd rather do tens that 12's. I don't 5 8's either but 4 10's is prime!

lisamcrn · Feb 8, 2003

I do 4 10's. I work 07-1530 on the floor and then 1530-1730 in the office. Much better than 12's of any kind. If I running late I just don't get my office work completed and my NM works on some on my days off. I get the benefit of leaving on time, but miss out of loads of over time some acquire.

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Feb 8, 2003

My fiance's mom works 4 10 hr. days at an outpatient surgicenter, and she absolutely adores it. She also doesn't have to work any weekends or holidays. But, she's been in nursing for quite awhile and even with the shortage these jobs may be difficult to come by!

melsay, LPN · Feb 8, 2003

If the rest of the nurses out there are like me then they are working 10 hr shifts anyway, even when they are supossed to be 5 8 hr shifts. I used to work 2 16's and an 8 hr shift, then 4 days off, loved that......

Imma_Nurse · Feb 8, 2003

I work 4 10's at the Urgent care and I like it okay. The hospital I work for just switched over to 3 12's for the floor nurses. My schedual is so jacked up it's not funny, One week a month I work 4 10's in a row and have 3 days in a row off....all the other weeks it like, work 3 days off 2, work 3 off 2....its just weird.

ernurse728, LPN · Feb 8, 2003

I hated the 4 10hr work days. In my opinion if I am already there for 10hrs I might as well finish the last 2 and have off an entire extra day a week. I worked 4p-2a and I also never got out on time. I will never do that again.