what is ment with first shift??

Instead of two twelve hour shifts you have three eight hour shifts. First is typically 7am-3pm Second is 3pm-11pm, and Third is 11pm-7am. It leads to less hours a day but more days a week. I think I would much rather go back to working 12 hour shifts and get the three days on three days off again.

What about hand over time? Don't you get any?

Kay the 2nd :)

We have thirty minutes to give report, or hand over time. If the shift is 7 to 3, then you would be giving report until 3:30 pm. The pm shift would begin to take report at 3 pm. You get 30 minutes for lunch in most facilities, that you do not get paid for. The same is repeated for each of the other shifts.

Hmmm, interesting............. most hospitals in Australia and NZ has 8 hour shifts 0700-1530, 1430-2300 and 2245-0715, 30mins handover, 30mins meal breaks and 10-15mins (small breaks) for morning, afternoon and some time in the middle of the night shift too. These 'small breaks' are called smoko or morning or afternoon tea. We still get paid for these small breaks. Oooops, sorry..........I've gone on a tangent :chuckle ...........Anyway, it's interesting info:rolleyes:

In fact a lot of hospitals in Australia work an 8/8/10 roster: 0700 - 1530, 1300 - 2130, and 2100 - 0730. Handover takes place in the overlapping half hour, and ward meetings/inservices/morale building/union meetings/appraisals are held during the double staffing time.