military time?

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

I've been a nurse 18 years and have worked for 2 hospitals and 2 agencies, and military time has always been standard. My current agency says we can no longer use military time! And the director said that many places are getting away from military time. Is this accurate? Do you use military time where you work? It seems strange to me not to use military time...To me there is less chance of time confusion with military time.

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Specializes in ER.

What? No military time?! This is new to me. What time of agency is this?

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Specializes in Psych, med surg.

We have always used military time. I can't imagine not doing so. As far as I know, no plans to change it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

At one facility I work for militray time is standard accross the board, at the other however it is not. I had sent a lab specimen timed for 16:00 and it was returned for "incorrect" time. I was shocked to say the least.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Home Health.

I would feel lost if I couldnt use military time!

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So now all of the timing interpretation will depend on how clearly one writes "am" or "pm"...or I guess more specifically "a" or "p"?

Nope...I'd bet a days pay that it will never happen...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

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Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

I received my medical training in the military so of course I think military time should be the standard. Furthermore, other countries use military time as the standard. There are good reasons why the military and so many other countries use military time. Unfortunately, there are those who, imo, fail to see the big picture, and would rather have a large number of people change to an inferior standard, because of confusion caused by a few who instead of giving it a try would rather dismiss it as too difficult to learn. IMO, if you cannot learn military time, how in the world are you going to perform dosage calculation or anything else that might require a lot more memory and processing power.

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Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

sounds suspicious. As in...someone in a suit has too much time (pun intended) on their hands and too little sense in their heads. Just my two cents.

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Specializes in LPN , CNA, Counselor..

I just started a new job, and they dont use military time, WHY??? Because some employees dont know how to use.........:banghead:

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Specializes in Adult Acute Care Medicine.

Yes, we use military time where I work.

As your post suggested...it seems dangerous not to!!!

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Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

Thanks for the confirmation everyone! It is nice to know that it is just not me to think it is ridiculous to stop using military time. My agency is idiotic! They are blaming the state.

One reply said that "...someone in a suit has too much time (pun intended) on their hands and too little sense in their heads." This is very likely it! Sigh! Suits cause so many issues.

The director of the agency told me that some nurses are confused by military time so this is one reason to switch. But like another reply said, "... if you cannot learn military time, how in the world are you going to perform dosage calculation or anything else that might require a lot more memory and processing power." -- I totally agree! Scary indeed!!!!!! If you can't learn military time, can you be trusted to do med calcs or have critical thinking skills in general???

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I received my medical training in the military so of course I think military time should be the standard. Furthermore, other countries use military time as the standard. There are good reasons why the military and so many other countries use military time. Unfortunately, there are those who, imo, fail to see the big picture, and would rather have a large number of people change to an inferior standard, because of confusion caused by a few who instead of giving it a try would rather dismiss it as too difficult to learn. IMO, if you cannot learn military time, how in the world are you going to perform dosage calculation or anything else that might require a lot more memory and processing power.

Kind of like some countries clutching on to imperial when metric is obviously the better method right?

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