Night shift scheduling!

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Specializes in Cardiovascular.

Hi fellow night shifters! I am a new grad and just came off of orientation. I haven't worked nights in about 3 years since I oriented as a tech, so I can't remember the most efficient way to schedule myself for nights. Do I want to do 3 in a row? 2 off 2 work 1? Rotate on-and-off. I currently have no obligations to make me flip flop between day shift and night shift, so I was just wanting to get everybody's input on how they do their schedules!!

:)

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I like 3 in row when I worked nights. Loved having 4 days off together

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Specializes in Cardiovascular.

So did you schedule yourself like S-M-T, off W-Th-F-Sa, and continue with that? (As an example)

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Specializes in ER.

I'm a big fan of 6 on 8 off. Work Thursday through Tuesday and then Wednesday through Wednesday off.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

The older I get, the more I struggle to work three 12-hour night shifts in a row. However, working the same three nights in a row usually ensures you have the same four days off in a row.

My personal favorite schedule was Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday because I never worked more than two days in a row. In addition, the weekend differential added a nice chunk of change to my pay.

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never liked 12 hr shifts, especially nights. yeah you get 4 days off...spent recovering/sleeping. it's exhausting.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I like to alternate between three-in-a-rows and one on, one off, two on.

Straight three in a rows wipe me out. But I need at least 3 off to feel like I'm participating in human life.

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Specializes in Oncology.

At my hospital we don't self schedule, but the night shift manager is awesome at giving us a great skeleton schedule. Thurs/Fri/Sat, Sun/Mon off, then Tues/Wed/Thurs on. That way we get six days off every other week. Some people choose to split up their days because of family/kids/etc.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

The only thing I would caution you against is the abomination that is one on/ one off/ one on / one off. It's terrible for your body. If I had the stamina (and I currently don't) I would totally do six in a row followed by eight off. Or at least do my three together. Then you only have to turnaround to days once a week. Assuming you switch to a day schedule.

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Specializes in ICU.

If you don't switch your sleep around, working night shift becomes no different for your body than working days. It's the flipping back and forth and interfering with your sleep schedule that causes so many problems, not what time of day you're awake.

If you absolutely MUST flip back and forth, I would recommend doing as many in a row as possible so you have the most days off in a row, minimizing the amount of times you have to flip your sleep around per week.

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Specializes in ER, Med Surg, Ob/Gyn, Clinical teaching.

For me our schedule is just not comfortable in my own opinion.. We have a long week and a short week. Long weeks we work everyday from Monday to Sunday except Wednesday and Thursday. Then the following week, which is our short week,we are off everyday and work Wednesday and Thursday. So it kinda flips. We're not allowed to make our own schedule.

Ngysun...

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Specializes in Pedi.
never liked 12 hr shifts, especially nights. yeah you get 4 days off...spent recovering/sleeping. it's exhausting.

That's how I feel now that I don't do them, that's not how I felt when I was working in the hospital.

3 in a row was my preference for nights, but not days. Days 1 on, 1 off, 2 on, 3 off.

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