Overtime

shodobe · Mar 2, 2008

Why would you think a lawsuit is in the making? Voluntary means exactly that, you WANT to work OT and no one is making you. Now, mandatory OT is another subject. I work as much as I want to and no one is twisting my arm.

GeneralDogsbody · Mar 2, 2008

Do you have anything like the European time directive in the US? This is something we have to sign which states wether we want to work over 40 hours(I think). If people sign this then they can work as much overtime as they can get.However there is a rule that you have to have X number of hours rest between shifts,especially ,for instance,if you come of a night shift then do a late shift the same day.

Ms Mischief · Mar 3, 2008

Tired nurses make mistakes, that's why it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. It's a patient safety issue. You don't think 80 hours a week, week after week is excessive? I also happen to work for the state, where in many cases the state loses.

I'm not sure about time directives. I do know we need to have 8 hours in between shifts.

psychnurse1998 · Mar 3, 2008

Tired nurses make mistakes, that's why it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. It's a patient safety issue. You don't think 80 hours a week, week after week is excessive? I also happen to work for the state, where in many cases the state loses.
I'm not sure about time directives. I do know we need to have 8 hours in between shifts.

I agree Mischief I tried point out the same idea in 12 hr shift post. It seemed like most of the nurses responding, that work didnt agree on my post. After 8 hrs, I am tired ready to go home., and most of my co workers look tired. But some were signing up for 16 hr shifts.and even working on their days off. I still maintain, the high cost of lilving is the driving force, to get someone to give up, 8hr shifts and their days off. Wages are just not keeping of with the high cost of living.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 4, 2008

I love 12 hour shifts, and would not even consider working at a facility that did not offer them to me. I prefer to have more whole days off per week.

It depends on what one has to do when they get home from work and what works for them.

But to make a rule that there cannot be shifts longer than 8 hours per day because the 12s do not work for some is just pure crazy. That is why we have the variety that we do. And it is up to the nurse to decide what they feel safe with, each should know their own limitations.

I do not work 16 hour shifts anymore, and have not for sometime. But again, that is a choice that I have made and for someone to tell someone else that they cannot do it is just not how we do things here in the US. Each person takes responsibility for their own actions, and as long as the overtime is not mandated by the employer and the nurse wishes the overtime, then it should be something between them, and not anyone else.

Working a 12 hour shift, or even a 16 hour shift specifically has nothing to do with the time off between shifts. That is another matter as well, and has to do with the contract that the union has in your facility, if there is one.

Lawsuits should not even be part of this, but if the nurse feels that they can practice safely, and that is their concern, and theirs alone to make.

This is my opinion only and just generalized and not pointed to any poster here.

psychnurse1998 · Mar 4, 2008

I love 12 hour shifts, and would not even consider working at a facility that did not offer them to me. I prefer to have more whole days off per week.
It depends on what one has to do when they get home from work and what works for them.
But to make a rule that there cannot be shifts longer than 8 hours per day because the 12s do not work for some is just pure crazy. That is why we have the variety that we do. And it is up to the nurse to decide what they feel safe with, each should know their own limitations.
I do not work 16 hour shifts anymore, and have not for sometime. But again, that is a choice that I have made and for someone to tell someone else that they cannot do it is just not how we do things here in the US. Each person takes responsibility for their own actions, and as long as the overtime is not mandated by the employer and the nurse wishes the overtime, then it should be something between them, and not anyone else.
Working a 12 hour shift, or even a 16 hour shift specifically has nothing to do with the time off between shifts. That is another matter as well, and has to do with the contract that the union has in your facility, if there is one.
Lawsuits should not even be part of this, but if the nurse feels that they can practice safely, and that is their concern, and theirs alone to make.
This is my opinion only and just generalized and not pointed to any poster here.

sure why not let the truckdrives, air line pilots, train engineers decided what is best for them too..what a safe outcome we would have.

If it works for nurses why not for everyone...

shodobe · Mar 5, 2008

I guess after 30 years of OR nursing, where OT is basically mandatory because of call-time and 7 years before that as a Paramedic , where being on 24 hour call 3 and 4 days a week, this is basically a mute question. Some people can work long periods without it being an issue and others can't think beyond their 8 hour shift. I have worked as long as 20 hours straight and have been tired, but it has never been an issue with my critical thinking. Some can handle it and alot can't. Everyone needs to know their limit.

Ms Mischief · Mar 5, 2008

I really didn't want to get into a debate about this. I just wanted an answer, Thanks anyway.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 5, 2008

sure why not let the truckdrives, air line pilots, train engineers decided what is best for them too..what a safe outcome we would have.
If it works for nurses why not for everyone...

I do not make the rules or the laws, but I do know what works for me. And that is all that I was claiming. I never work more than 12 hours in a shift, and I do not vary my shifts and go back and forth between nights and days. I know what I can do and what I cannot do. I do not do 16 hour shifts any longer and have not done so for sometime. But as mentioned above, what works for some, does not work for others.

And then it also depends on what the person does when they get home. Are they going home and having nothing else to do but sleep, or do they have to see a spouse and take care of children? There is much that goes on in someones life and again what works for one, does not work for everyone else.

And as Mike mentioned above, it also has to deal with the type of work that you are doing and if call is required or not, such as the OR. Residents in hospitals have only recently had limits placed on the number of hours put in per week.

Again, all I did was state what worked for me with my schedule; it is not for everyone. But then working five days per week is not for all either, there are nurses that work 16 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday, so that they can be home during the week with their kids or go to school to further their training. This is not the place to say that one way is better than another, there is no reason for it.

Each has to take responsibility for their own license and know their limitations.

psychnurse1998 · Mar 5, 2008

I do not make the rules or the laws, but I do know what works for me. And that is all that I was claiming. I never work more than 12 hours in a shift, and I do not vary my shifts and go back and forth between nights and days. I know what I can do and what I cannot do. I do not do 16 hour shifts any longer and have not done so for sometime. But as mentioned above, what works for some, does not work for others.
And then it also depends on what the person does when they get home. Are they going home and having nothing else to do but sleep, or do they have to see a spouse and take care of children? There is much that goes on in someones life and again what works for one, does not work for everyone else.
And as Mike mentioned above, it also has to deal with the type of work that you are doing and if call is required or not, such as the OR. Residents in hospitals have only recently had limits placed on the number of hours put in per week.
Again, all I did was state what worked for me with my schedule; it is not for everyone. But then working five days per week is not for all either, there are nurses that work 16 hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday, so that they can be home during the week with their kids or go to school to further their training. This is not the place to say that one way is better than another, there is no reason for it.
Each has to take responsibility for their own license and know their limitations.

My point if you leave it to truck drivers, Nurses, Airline pilots, train engineers,, how many hours is best for them to work per day, you will not have safe outcomes., because everyone will do what is best to pay the bills. or other, but not what is best for the patient, or other. The animal nature within us takes over in some situations., and in some people.

Someone else pointed out, a 12 hr shift can easly turn into a 13 or 14, you cant just walk off after 12 hrs just because you have a 12 hr shift as it is with any nursing shift.