NNP 24 hour coverage

I would be curious how this works as well; I'm in NNP school and I see "24 hour" shifts as part of an institution's scheduling. I assume you go to sleep when you want and wake up if there's an issue with the patients or run to a high risk delivery?

I am not an NNP, but have worked with several. Generally they do work 24 hour shifts. Although some do work 12 hour shifts as well. I think the small/medium community hospital NICUs use 24 hour NNP coverage. The neonatologist may only be there during the day. The bigger tertiary care type NICUs may have 12 hour shifts since they have 24 hour neonatology coverage. Usually during the day the neonatologists are there making rounds with the NNPs. The NNPs can sleep at night, but yes, they are called for any issues in the unit, any admissions, and any high risk deliveries so there is no guarantee of a full nights sleep :) I think for the most part it works out fine.

Ours used to do 24 hour shifts, but about 10 years ago opted to go to 12's. Too many times of absolutely no sleep due to really sick kids and really green residents. The fellows now stay in house. And if it was über busy they wouldn't get out on time.

I know this is old, but our NNPs do 24-hour shifts, as well. Usually what they'll do is be there and awake the entire day, and then go to the on-call lounge and sleep after things settle down at night. Usually they stay up till at least midnight or so. They're always there for an admit, emergency, or needed phone call though. We have a few who are strictly 12-hour day shift, but they are older. The girls who do 24-hours also do 12s. They just schedule it so they do still have some of a break.

I worked in a very large level 3 NICU with 24-hour NNP coverage. They rarely got more than an hour of sleep at night because there were too many things going on.