Mary H.

I have been an RN for 26 years. During some times of my career, 8 hour shifts worked better. I worked graveyard, and I had time to be involved with my daughter's school, go to school myself, or just play. During some times of my career, 12 hours worked well. Some 12-hour schedules are like having a week off every 2 weeks!! I feel the continuity of care is the same in most settings, although in units or areas with a 2-3 day average LOS, the continuity may be better with 12s, as the patient could potentially be cared for by fewer staff. The options are one thing that's really nice about nursing as a career. You can usually go anywhere you want to go and find a job, many times with the schedule you want, and at a pay rate that allows you to support a family.