Is this type of schedule common?

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The type of schedule I'm referring to is where one would work 2 weeks on and then be off for 2 weeks and then the cycle starts again; or work 3, 4, 5, 6 weeks etc. and be off that same amount of weeks that was worked? Catch my drift? Is there variations to this type of scheduling? Any nurses with this type of scheduling? Thank You!

Specializes in Pedi.

Not that I'm aware of in nursing but I know someone who works as a miner who has that exact schedule- 14 days on, 14 days off.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

If you mean work two weeks without a day off- I doubt you'll find any hourly nurses doing this, as it would generate a LOT of OT. However, salaried people (our hospital's pharmacists and hospitalists, for example) work one week (12 hours shifts) on and one week off.

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I have never seen that and you wouldn't find it in a unionized work place.Working 2 weeks straight would be too much.

Never heard of a schedule like this. It sounds like it would really suck.

Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

Maybe on a cruise ship, otherwise the closest thing I have heard of is seven 12s in a row followed by 7 days off. I'm not sure that is even legal in my State now. I'm not going to check right now (cause I just finished my degree and I'm sick of looking things up tonight!), but I believe there is evidence showing nurses to be unsafe with that many hours in a week (84 in a week).

The only thing close to that schedule that I have heard of is a buddy of mine that is a fireman. But not even close to 14 days on though...

Specializes in Pedi.
Maybe on a cruise ship, otherwise the closest thing I have heard of is seven 12s in a row followed by 7 days off. I'm not sure that is even legal in my State now. I'm not going to check right now (cause I just finished my degree and I'm sick of looking things up tonight!), but I believe there is evidence showing nurses to be unsafe with that many hours in a week (84 in a week).

Illegal in my state- employees must have 24 hrs of rest in a 7 day period. I've worked 6/7 nights (3 on, one off, 3 on) and definitely struggled the last 3...

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I sometimes do 7 on 7 off, 12 hour shifts. I cannot imagine 2 weeks on/off unless it's at some remote outpost with a lot of downtime.

Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

My area has a hospital that does 7/70, seven 10 hour shifts in a row and then 7 days off. You either love it or hate it.

Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

I do three in a row and I am whipped, I don't even consider 4 days consecutive, ever. Not worth it to me.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Two weeks straight would run into overtime as well.

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