Longest Shift You've Worked

HarleyvQuinn, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 6, 2021

13 hours ago, gere7404 said:

baghdad (dora/karada) 05-06, MND-N (kirkuk, tal afar, mosul) 08, 09 as an infantryman (3rd ID, 81st BCT, 155th BCT (1/10 do not recommend)). Op-tempo was way slow later part of 2009, we would rotate with other the other platoons in our company so we'd have operations (usually CLPs, route clearance, presence patrols of small towns of ASRs) one day, then the other platoons would take it so we would get a couple days off.

Sometimes we would get stuck on ops that took a couple weeks but generally we had tons of gym and call of duty time, especially when the dust storms would roll in. If an op took us more than an hour time away from a FOB they would scrap it because we couldn't get a casevac bird to fly in red air. It was like a snow day. I suppose I worked some crappy hours in the Army, and had many days longer than 16 hours, though so I get your point.

I was in as an RN and deployed as part of a CSH. Our operations were always ongoing. Between routine care/procedures, emergencies, traumas, and receiving incoming fire, we were always on call. There were times both shifts were at the hospital at the same time due to mass casualty events. Never minded the work caring for those doing what I considered the harder job, though. My initial post was meant as a joke.

ThursdayNight, CNA · Jul 8, 2021

What are those positions that are okay to stay out late?

Davey Do · Jul 8, 2021

4 hours ago, ThursdayNight said:

What are those positions that are okay to stay out late?

ThursdayNight, except when I worked as an administrator, I not was one to stay out late.

In the days of paper charting, I did not mind paperwork. I did not mind staying over to finish reports, staying a little late or coming in a little early if it expedited processes. And I knew that whatever was left on my desk would be there the next day, waiting for me, progress unchanged.

As a staff Nurse, I believed that I was a link in a chain and would, generally, pass on that which was not completed. I was a strong link in the chain, and in a 24/7 facility, I nearly always clocked out on time.

Middle-management administrators are typically salaried and are really a bargain to those who reap the profits of the facility, especially if they stay out late.

beachynurse, ASN, BSN · Jul 8, 2021

3 hours ago, ThursdayNight said:

What are those positions that are okay to stay out late?

As a school nurse, I rarely stay late. The only reason I may have to stay is if there is an IEP, or 504 meeting that is held right after school, or if a child becomes ill, or gets injured at the end of the day and is unable to ride the bus home. I'm salaried, so no O/T for me!

ThursdayNight, CNA · Jul 8, 2021

9 hours ago, beachynurse said:

As a school nurse, I rarely stay late. The only reason I may have to stay is if there is an IEP, or 504 meeting that is held right after school, or if a child becomes ill, or gets injured at the end of the day and is unable to ride the bus home. I'm salaried, so no O/T for me!

I hope that it's compensated somewhere else. Yes, I'm familiar with this. Got a few educators in the family. My brother works for himself when he's not in school.

I read these threads. Looks like people have been working a lot. I was a stay-in caregiver and babysitter for at least five years in my mainland. Anyway, yes, I had worked a 16hr-shift (up to 80hrs a week) during the lockdown. I did work until 18 hours because there were no CNAs coming in. Only one nurse came up for the AM shift, so was asked to stay until the second person came in. It was rough. These days, it feels like the pandemic continues.

I had bad experiences with the war in my country. It was an awful one. We hid for a few weeks in the wilderness. No fires or cooking was allowed. The hardest part to watch when a mother covered a toddler's mouth and nose, too. He turned blue and limp like jello. Our servicemen were getting exhausted.

I wonder if the military people got paid for those times they stayed awake a lot of hours.

ThursdayNight, CNA · Jul 8, 2021

9 hours ago, Davey Do said:

ThursdayNight, except when I worked as an administrator, I not was one to stay out late.

In the days of paper charting, I did not mind paperwork. I did not mind staying over to finish reports, staying a little late or coming in a little early if it expedited processes. And I knew that whatever was left on my desk would be there the next day, waiting for me, progress unchanged.

As a staff Nurse, I believed that I was a link in a chain and would, generally, pass on that which was not completed. I was a strong link in the chain, and in a 24/7 facility, I nearly always clocked out on time.

Middle-management administrators are typically salaried and are really a bargain to those who reap the profits of the facility, especially if they stay out late.

Some people made it sound to me that I would get in a lot of trouble if I'm not clocking out on time so was bugging my supervisor a lot when I got to 16hr. ?. He was like...Calm down. I was thinking it's impossible not to stay late because there were (are) chronic understaff. During the lockdown, I saw how hard it was. The administrator helped around, including passing trays and installing beds; DON, supervisors, and others who were in the position passing medications.

CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P · Jul 13, 2021

On 6/26/2021 at 7:54 PM, LovingLife123 said:

You lose. I worked 36 hours once, not in healthcare, but retail. And many moons ago.

This was a contest, right? ?

That ain't nothin'! I have done two 72 hour shifts in my life. (Fire/EMS) Contest on!!

SilverBells, BSN · Jul 17, 2021

Well, I'm already back to my old habits again. Just finished a 17.5 hour shift. I've done worse, but still far too long. Ended up completing another 68 hour workweek. Extremely frustrating. Who knew long shifts were so addicting or would be a habit anyone would have to work on breaking out of...

Ioreth, ADN, RN · Jul 17, 2021

This is not a contest I ever want to win.

About a month ago I had a day from hell. 2 rapid responses back to back, different patients. The second one required a trip down to CT and teleconsults that took me off the floor for over 3 hours. I came back to find all my meds were late and none of the cares done for the rest of my patients. (Charge was holding the phone for calls, but didn't look at what was coming, he was having a sucky day too and probably just couldn't). I scrambled like a madwoman to finish meds and cares, but hadn't charted anything at end of shift. During shift change report, one of my "bedbound" patients with every line you can think of stripped everything off naked and was trembling like a leaf trying to stand next to her bed, combative, confused, and trying to leave. Of course, she ripped out lines when she did that. It took me and a noc CNA over an hour to get her back in bed while the noc nurses were dealing with a new crisis down the hall. I didn't START charting until after 2130 that night and you can be sure that I ate my lunch first. I was charting until midnight, which included 2 incident reports that I didn't want to put off at all.

I NEVER want to do that again.

SarahMaria, MSN, RN · Jul 18, 2021

I have worked 20 hour shifts. I can be forced to work 16 hours, but after that, I have consented to work the additional 4 hours.

TriciaJ, RN · Jul 18, 2021

6 hours ago, SilverBells said:

Well, I'm already back to my old habits again. Just finished a 17.5 hour shift. I've done worse, but still far too long. Ended up completing another 68 hour workweek. Extremely frustrating. Who knew long shifts were so addicting or would be a habit anyone would have to work on breaking out of...

Seriously? Have you actually calculated what you make per hour when you do that?

Have you sat down and made a list of what you think you're getting out of this and what it's costing you? Are you avoiding something by staying tied up at work? Do you need a handy excuse for not having friends, hobbies, boyfriend, etc.?

I don't think this is a case of oops, my bad. This is a serious problem and you need serious help.

SilverBells, BSN · Jul 18, 2021

10 hours ago, TriciaJ said:

Seriously? Have you actually calculated what you make per hour when you do that?

Have you sat down and made a list of what you think you're getting out of this and what it's costing you? Are you avoiding something by staying tied up at work? Do you need a handy excuse for not having friends, hobbies, boyfriend, etc.?

I don't think this is a case of oops, my bad. This is a serious problem and you need serious help.

Yes. Depending on how I calculate it (based on hours worked overall this week versus during just one day), it ranges from $15-19/hr. I think a lot of it has to do with making sure people get what they need before I go home, otherwise, I stress out about who is not doing well. On Friday, I was having a particularly difficult day successfully getting help for people whom I knew needed more intervention or at least wanted to be seen by a provider. For the first 12 hours of the day (from 8a-8pm), I was unsuccessful in doing anything of value due to patient refusal. It wasn't until 8pm that I was finally able to convince one out of three patients that they needed assistance out of the facility. At 11pm, I was able to convince a second. I never was able to successfully help the third person. I know the first person is fine. The second is now actively dying. I'm presuming the third person is fine because I haven't been sent text messages from work otherwise.

I think what kept me there was wanting to make sure the right thing was done. I wanted to make sure that I had done my job as a nurse. Going home after 8 or 12 hours when no one has received needed help doesn't sound like doing my job. I was also worried about any legal ramifications if I knew that someone wasn't doing well and didn't do anything about it. With that said, I'm still worried about the second person as I wonder if we could have prolonged her life if she had accepted help sooner.