Maximum Hours Worked

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Are there laws stating the maximum amount of hours allowed to be worked in a day? I have searched and searched and cannot find anything state or federal stating so. I live in North Carolina. Only things that state, must be paid overtime past 40 hours in a week, must have at least 8 hours to sleep before next shift, etc.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

The last time I checked....I think it was 24. (sorry, couldn't resist)

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I do believe that some states have limits. I've worked nearly 24hrs straight before. It was dangerous, but I was mandated to stay. I hope to never have to do that again. It was the most exhausted I have EVER felt in my life. My mind felt like mush once I got home and got settled in. Thankfully I didn't realize just how tired I was until I sat down at home.

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Specializes in ICU.

I think it may be 16 hours in NC. I stayed over to help day shift out earlier this week, and management finally told me when I was about to hit the 16 hour mark that I would be breaking labor laws if I didn't get out of there.

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I just read about this on Ohio Board of Nursing site. It said that if the nurse is not able to function safely they should not be working. So I guess when you reach that point you must start moving up the chain of command at your place of employment to be relieved of patient care.

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I once saw something on the labor site for my state that said something about split shifts. Minimum amount of time required between periods of working, but I don't recall the details. I would suggest a call to your agency that covers labor laws in your state and ask.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/LDRP/Ortho ASC.

Everywhere I have worked it's been based on a hospital policy...usually a max of 16 hours a day for nursing and 24 for EMS.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

It is 16 hours in my state.

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At my previous job in Ohio that maximum was 16 hours, with at least 8 hours in between shifts. Night shift people working 12 hours could not be mandated. The worst, in my opinion, was second shift people working 3p-11p could be mandated until 7a (how terrible!)

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At my previous job in Ohio that maximum was 16 hours, with at least 8 hours in between shifts. Night shift people working 12 hours could not be mandated. The worst, in my opinion, was second shift people working 3p-11p could be mandated until 7a (how terrible!)

If I do a 3-11 and get forced to stay overnight, you can bet that I will be doing the least amount of work possible.

I think it may be 16 hours in NC. I stayed over to help day shift out earlier this week, and management finally told me when I was about to hit the 16 hour mark that I would be breaking labor laws if I didn't get out of there.

You wouldn't be the one breaking the labor laws. It would be the employer breaking labor laws.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

My state I believe is 17 hours. Many of us work doubles at my job. I came in early one day and ended up working a double and management had to have someone come in an hour early to relieve me before I hit that 17 hour mark.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

No laws apply to maximum hours of work or maximum number of days in a row worked in North Carolina. Here is the relevant link to the NC labor laws: http://www.nclabor.com/wh/fact%20sheets/overtime.htm

Fortunately in WI I can't work more than 16

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