Rotating Shifts??

meownsmile, BSN, RN · May 30, 2008

Some are 2 weeks of days and then you move to 2 weeks of nights. Maybe a day/evening rotation,, usually divided in 2 week periods.

TazziRN, RN · May 30, 2008

It means that you'll work all shifts, not be assigned to a particular one. Some facilities have all their nurses work rotating shifts......a block of time on days, then nights, etc.

RN1982 · May 30, 2008

Where I work, I do two months of days and rotate to a month of nights. So I do four months of nights in a year. I like my schedule.

interleukin · May 30, 2008

Rotating shifts actually means a shorter life span.

I wish it were only a joke but the research confirms this--however impossible it is to truly verify the finding.

I'll never understand how some people don't mind it at all. I suppose I am simply jealous of those who are able to titrate their circadian rhythms with such ease.

The only thing that truly bugs me are those facilities that pay meager premiums to those who subject themselves to such a schedule.

When was the last time you saw the CEO or DON doing a night shift?

Were I King, all night nurse would get a minimum of 50% premium for turning their lives on their heads.

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · May 30, 2008

It means you can work a variety of shifts. I would like to hope that it means a BLOCK of shifts at a time, however, reality is many places will rotate you thru a variety of shifts in a week or pay period based upon whatever staffing need they have that week or that schedule.

Some people love it because they don't always work one shift or another, others despise it. It's purely a personal choice much like day vs. night shift.

PiPhi2004 · May 30, 2008

I think there are some good points and bad points to rotating shifts. For one, its GREAT for new people because you see what happens on both days and nights. You have to work for at least a year to convert to all nights, and maybe 15 or so years to go to all days. Some things I hate about it are not having a good rhythm, but you really get used to it after awhile. I do weeks where I do both AM and PM shifts, sometimes one right after another. You kind of get used to it. I also think you should get compensated for doing rotating but yeah right lol!

RN1982 · May 30, 2008

I don't mind rotating. I worked straight nights at my last job then when I started at another hospital ALL new employees either rotated or worked midnights. Straight days had to be earned. I like both shifts so I chose to rotate. I'm glad they don't make me rotate every other week, that's crazy.

NatashaFromOregon · May 31, 2008

You have to work for at least a year to convert to all nights, and maybe 15 or so years to go to all days.

Wow....seriously??

You mean that new grads or those who have not been nursing too long don't get a shot at day shifts, period?

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · May 31, 2008

Wow....seriously??
You mean that new grads or those who have not been nursing too long don't get a shot at day shifts, period?

Not true where I am, we had quite a few new grads get days off the bat, most work AM/days w/ a rare 'off shift' to an evening, no one on my unit rotates weeks days/nites etc, the "rotate" may be 2 or 3 off shifts in a schedule,(or less) we pretty much have perm noc/PM people so not much coverage needed :nurse:

casi, ASN, RN · May 31, 2008

Most shifts were I work are rotated day/evening day/night evening/night. I don't like it at all, if you want a straight shift it's easier to find straight nights. Thankfully I got a straight nights position.

The really bad thing about this is in a two week pay period you might work 3 evening shifts and 4 day shifts. It's not blocked in large time periods.