16hr shifts

Nurses General Nursing

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In our small town on the coast of Alaska the price of gas is already 5/gal. and due to the shortage of nurses I would think I could get 16hr.shifts but I cant get anyone to comment to them I have been in nurses 26yrs and understand the dangers of those long shifts, but I have to drive two hrs one way just to get to work over mountain passes, and I have a young son I cannot leave three days a week, due to school and I dont want to take the chance of getting burned out with the drive. Not sure what to do except not work.?

Just a thought. . . .

Maybe there are other nurses that are in a similar situation, and you could all get together on a small efficiency apartment close to work and alternate schedules so that you might be able to work two 16 hour shifts close together, get some rest, and go home to your little one for the rest of the week.

Where I grew up, it was very common for nurses to commune a hundred or more miles up the road to the "big shiny" hospital for their 3 days in a row, then head back down the road for their days off.

I'm sure in this economy, there has to be at least a couple of like minded souls where you are working!

Good luck.

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There are nurses at my workplace that do this, and they seem to do ok and still take care of their patients, but by about 12 hours they seem to get grumpy. Some will go home for 8 hours, and then come back for another 16. They usually come in with not the best attitude, becaue they are tired and I dont blame them.

I've had a few patients that seemed concerned that the nurse before me had just worked 16 hours straight. They will ask me questions along the lines of "is that safe?" Then I will try to reassure them, but I dont blame them for being concerned.

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Specializes in med/surg/ortho/tele.

your right?

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Specializes in NICU.

The only way I could do that in your situation is if I stayed the night somewhere close to work. Otherwise, driving 4 hours each day, on top of a 16 hour shift would be KILLER! What would be the point of driving all the way back home?! So you can get a tiny nap, before getting up and having to do it all over again? IMO, that's insane.

I have nothing against 16 hour shifts, I actually think it's a great option. But with the commute that you describe, it would be dangerous.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

16 hour shift, which in reality is closer to 17 hours with reports before and after...

4 hour round-trip drive...

Time to shower, dress, eat, minimum of 20 min=

21 hours, 20 minutes. So that gives you about 2 hrs. 40 min. of sleep.

Unreasonable, unsafe and unreal.

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.
Not sure what to do except not work.?

I have a better idea! How about move closer to the hospital! Problem solved! I know you live in Alaska and everything, but there are probably houses or apartments near where you work, right? It's not like the hospital is out on some ice shelf in the middle of nowhere.

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Specializes in OB/Neonatal, Med/Surg, Instructor.
...but have their patients and co-workers suffered by substandard care, failure to rescue, etc.

No one has died, no. But doing the bare minimum is certainly not optimal and these nurses do what has to be done and that is is.

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