Scheduling - 6 days on, 8 days off

I did it as a new grad, due to visitation schedule with my kids and their dad. I did it that way for about a year and a half I think, and then I couldn't do it anymore.

Sounds like easy burnout to me. You're probably want to sleep the first two days off. Does your unit require any set amt. of weekends to be worked?

My job is self schedule as well but days have to work 2 weekends and nights one weekend.

We have to work 4 weekend shifts (for nights, it's Friday and Saturday nights) and one Sunday night.

I do that all the time. I love it. I also work night and working 5 or 6 nights in a row then having many days off lets me get much better sleep since I am minimizing the number of times I have to convert from NOCs to regular life days. I become truely nocternal and get great sleep after the first shift or two. Also having 6-8 days off in a row lets me really get involved in otherthings. I come back to work refreshed and ready to work. Working a couple days on then having a couples days off was killing me and buring me out quickly. I wouldn't go back.

Oh, I would love to have a schedule like that. I thought it was common to work five days in a row, not four? Somebody come back in and lemme know what's going on...?

Good info, PMFB! I think I'm going to go for it. I already work 4 days a week bc I do OT regularly. But with 8 days off, I can sprinkle in my OT days and still have a few days off.

Well, I signed up today for the 6 on, 8 off schedule. We shall see how it goes!

Well, I signed up today for the 6 on, 8 off schedule. We shall see how it goes!

Keep us posted.

Definitely.

So I didn't get a have to do a complete six days on. I worked one night, then was put on call the 2nd night and then worked 4 nights in a row. I definitely felt like I could have done another night but we'll never know. I'll try again when I start a new six days on this Friday.

I am still in the midst of enjoying my eight days off! In Florida now, visiting a friend and didn't have to use any PTO!

I'm seriously considering this as well. I'm 57 and have always worked nights - and only having to do that 'turnaround' day twice a month is very, very appealing to me. The thing I DON'T like is having to work every other weekend - right now I only work one Friday, one Saturday and one Sunday per four weeks' schedule. Hmmm...........

Yes, that is the part that sucks. But seeing as I have no social life and I normally work lots of weekends for the weekend diff anyway..it works out fine for me. There is definitely pros and cons