RNs if you could...

[PCGrad06]

could you please tell me what the life of a rn is really like in a 12 hour shift? i am really excited about l&d and er. however, i would love to hear from all of you. :)

[lab2004]

what is ed?

[ADNCyn]

Hello, excellent inquiry, which opens varying opinions to be considered. So here's my 2cents... As a new RN, I would lean more toward the traditional 8 hrs and see how that goes, and then as my confidence and experience build, I would re-eval my life situation and then decide if I could handle 12 hr shifts. It sounds real good to have more days off during the work week, but hey, I know there's dread going back in for 12 straight hrs. It's a personal choice of what you think is good for you, however. I just think one can become burned out too soon, facing more challenges than one would working 8hr rotations. Do your 8 and live your 16 daily and with whole days off in between. What you think about that? Think about it... God bless us all.