Portera23

Thank you everyone. I have a meeting with my director tomorrow and some other nurses who advocated for me. Any advice?

I would keep applying locally. Some of those 8 hour shifts will turn into 9, and then you still have 2 hours of driving which would eventually get very tiring. And as a new graduate there will be days where you will stay more than 1 hour extra because of the unexpected events that are hard to handle for only because they are new. Keep on trying for the closer job. It will come.

Feed/Information Wanted. I am a new graduate RN who has been part of a residency program for the past 4 months. The hospital I was hired in offers this program for all new nurses in order to help them with the transition from class to work. I have come upon a dilemma and I would like to acquire information about this issue. I currently work in a unit that has the following schedule 5 12 hour shifts in a row, 2 days off, 2 days on and then 5 days off. I expressed to my director that after working 3 shifts of 13 hours or more I become mentally exhausted. I explain that we never work 12 hour shifts but rather 13 hours, 14 hours or 15. I also expressed that I felt it was an unsafe situation as far as patient safety. I offered to work 3 shifts in a row and have one day off and then work 3 more. My concerns were completely dismissed. As a new RN how can express my concerns about safety and work? Is there an organization that can provide advice, suggestions or information? Thank You. http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/23/4/202.full