Night shift advise needed

Hi

I am a new nurse just got off of orientation on a med surg floor that is usually very very busy with hard pts. I have 2 school aged kids and am in 44. I do not generally mind nights the pace is slower and it gives me time to think things out. But I work four 8hr shifts a week which includes everyother weekend. I was thinking about asking to change to two 12s and a 8. I use to work 12 hr shifts as an aide in LTC and it was hard but I did that on the weekends while in school. I just feel that I am either sleeping for getting ready for work. I do sleep when kids are in school so it does not affect them except the weekends but they don't seem to mind my schedule. Not sure if the 12s will help. Or I can quit and go back to working LTC full time

[Eirene, ASN, RN]

Personally, I would LOVE this schedule. You'd have an "early" day to get some errands ran and 3 days off after that!

[emilysmom,RN]

The only thing is it changes every week some weeks I have one nite off work 3 then off 2. THen another I will have one on one off. So it changes week to week. I have a very hard time when I work 3 in a row by the 3rd nite I am too tired and have a hard time at work.

Thanks

[southernbelle08]

I do 12 hour shifts, but I can't do three in a row. I tried it at first and I just couldn't do it. I, personally, love 12 hour shifts because it is one less day I have to go in. When gas was so expensive, that extra day would have been a big deal. I space my shifts out. I will work two 12's in a row then be off for 2-3 days and then work one or two more. As long as I get my three shifts in per week, they haven't had a problem with me spacing them out. I have worked 8 hour shifts a couple times and I don't know, there wasn't as much to do on my floor from 11-7, but I felt more rushed.

[catlady348]

As a single mom of school age child, 12 hr nite shifts have worked better than any other schedule!