Most consecutive 12's worked in a row?

seven · Nov 19, 2001

WHAT??

40-60 12's?? that is obscene...i am a nsg student, young, in good health and that scares the crap out of me as a future nurse and as one of your potential patients (hey, who knows?)....

am i alone in this?

aggggghhhhhhhh!

Adrena · Nov 22, 2001

No way you're not alone Seven!

I think 21, 42,... are insanity... I can't even imagine how tired I'd be. 3 is the limit for me definetly. I know people that routinely do 4 in a row though and it works for them.

kaycee · Nov 22, 2001

I the mid 70's when I was younger and just starting out I worked in a SICU. We frequently worked 9-10 days in a row to be able to get a 4 day weekend on occasion. The problem was sometimes in that 9-10 day stretch you would work all three shifts. They didn't do 12 hr shifts back then.

Now I work steady 3-11 with 2-3 11a-11p shifts thrown in. That's a killer shift, busiest time in an ER. I'm exhausted after 2, dead after 3. I don't know how you guys can do all those 12's.

I would probably end up being the patient instead of the nurse. Hope whoever takes care of me isn't working more then 3 12's. HA_HA:eek:

-jt · Nov 23, 2001

what is the matter with you people?? Why are you working 4, 5, 6, and 7 or more 12 hr shifts in a row? Is that your choice? Mandatory overtime? Strikebusting? For money? What?

Those kinds of hours are not safe for you or your pt. Its not responsible or professional to be putting them at risk like that. Or your license at risk like that.

Our contracts specify that 3 shifts in a row is the limit. And we usually only schedule that once a month.

Dayannight · Nov 23, 2001

Hey, you can only do so many 12 hr shifts in a row before you do get to a point where the potential for making a med error increases considerably and patient care is jeopardized. The first time I made a med error was while working the seventh in a row of a stretch of 12's. So, now I won't ever do six or seven straight in a row. However, four in a row works just fine for me. (My regular schedule is 3 on, 4 off, but like Nilepoc, I find it hard to turn down that extra shift when it's time and a half or sometimes double time. So I've been doing four 12's for quite a while now.)

kennedyj · Nov 24, 2001

I dont like more than 3 in a row. We work 42hrs a week with 2 or 3 days in a row. I have worked up 4 days consec before but only about 3-4 tikmes

I hope those of you who work over 4-5 days in a row, get a week off or want to get the extra hours in. for me 42 hrs a week is plenty. Gotta have my time for the parties, running around, giving people a hard time etc....

skybird52 · Dec 4, 2001

I've also worked 21 12-hour shifts in a row. :eek: Lived to tell about it, but also learned that i won't do that again. Ever!

ZAROZINIA · Dec 6, 2001

Hi, I used to work 7 on & 7 off, but that was before I had a kid. Now with a toddler I work 3 a week & occassionally 4. Sometimes I end up working 5/6 12 hs over 7 days which kills me, this is due to off duty problems. As long as I get 8 hours sleep each night I can cope with these shifts. But if the other nurse goes sick then I find it difficult .

My problem is that I am expected to do rotation constantly, ie - 5 nights and 7 days per month all mixed up. I am even expected to do a 12 hr night, sleep that day then go in for a 12 hour dayshift on the following day. How does everyone else managed quick returns?

skybird52 · Dec 6, 2001

This is how I dealt with rotation shifts like that...as well as working split shifts on 2 or more units. I quit, and did not ever look back, except to wonder why some facilities still work their people so bad like that?

RTaylorrn · Dec 7, 2001

I may hold the record with 23 12 hour nights in a row. Working two jobs in the ICU - one part-time one full-time in preparation of buying a new house. After about 6 - 8 days it just became automatic. My average for that year and half was 11 - 13 at a stretch. I don't think I could do it again.

skybird52 · Dec 7, 2001

That's exactly why I had worked those 21 in a row. I was buying a house that year.:)

NurseDennie, BSN, RN · Dec 8, 2001

Zarozinia -

"My problem is that I am expected to do rotation constantly, ie - 5 nights and 7 days per month all mixed up. I am even expected to do a 12 hr night, sleep that day then go in for a 12 hour dayshift on the following day. How does everyone else managed quick returns?"

I think you should get another job! Study after study have shown that rotating shifts is much too stressful on your body to maintain. It also sets you up for making mistakes. Sounds perfectly HORRIBLE.

Love

Dennie