Over worked ER Nurses

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.

I could have swore I read somewhere that ENA recommends no more than three 12 hour shifts as an ER Nurse. Has anyone else heard or read this? And if you have, can you give a reference?

Our ER currently has us working four 12 hour shifts a week. Sometimes two days off and then scheduling another 12 hour shift.

I am getting old and tired fast.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

That's a lot of overtime, no? Why don't they hire another nurse?

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

4 12's???

I routinely pull 6 straight.

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EmergencyNrse - I worry about your future wellbeing.

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Specializes in ER.

The Texas BON was considering an amendment to the Nurse Practice Act that stated that if a nurse made a mistake while working overtime (>36 hours/week), the fact that he/she was "overworked" would be held against them in their hearing before the BON. Does anyone know if this passed?

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I've been scheduled to work 6 straight (no request of mine) twice in my nursing career. This was not overtime as it was 3 for the previous week and 3 for the current week. I just about died both times. By day six everyone knew it was day 6, and I had no desire to be at work. I lacked compassion and caring. I realize sometimes there are scheduling difficulties, but that was awful. If I ever get that again I am calling off or trading a day with someone on one of those. It is not safe; it's not for me. The max number of 12s I can do straight is 4. When I schedule myself for overtime I only do 8hour shifts, they're a piece of cake for me.

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