what do you all think about 12 hour shifts?

[emmycRN]

I personally miss the days of normal 8 hour days. I find myself craving a normal 5 day work week. I have been considering leaving acute care for this reason. So what do you all think? Has 12 hour shifts increased the stress of nursing and contributed to nurse burnout?

[anniev]

I love 12's yes I am beat the first day off but I have a life now!!

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

I work 12 hour nights, and wouldn't do anything else. We self schedule (within reason) so that I can get the days off that I need, and work extra occasionally.

[catslave]

I like working my 12 hour weekend shifts. I do work an 8 hour shift on Monday 7-3 in order to be considered full time with benefits. Would prefer 16 hour weekend shifts if available in order to forgo the Monday shift. I am exhausted on Tuesday but it's worth it.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I would have loved to have it, but at the moment, they are not offering this shift to LPNs at my job. While I was in school, I looked forward to it, but when I heard that it was only available for RNs, and then they offered me to go back to my clinic where I worked as an aide, I got adjusted to working 5 days a week, no weekends, no holidays. At this moment, it is easier for me to work this way, because I have steady days off, and work for an agency doing home care on Saturdays.

At this moment, the only thing keeping me away from 12 hours is that the days off will not be steady (I am counting on the agency money to catch up on bills). If I see where I would be at a definite advantage to have steady work at my agency, I would not walk, I would RUN to 12 hours, the 7p to 7a shift...pronto!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I don't work as a nurse yet, but I cringe when other nurses in my area talk about work 5 12-hour shifts a week. Eek! I am sure the money is amazing working 20 hours of overtime a week, but 60 hours a week??

That's nothing! One time I worked four 16 hour shifts in a row at my main job, for a total of 64 hours that week. At my other job, I worked two 8 hour shifts that same week. Altogether, I had worked 80 hours that week between two jobs...

[icuwant2rn]

That's nothing! One time I worked four 16 hour shifts in a row at my main job, for a total of 64 hours that week. At my other job, I worked two 8 hour shifts that same week. Altogether, I had worked 80 hours that week between two jobs...

Commuter, you are insane!! lol

[grace90, LPN, LVN]

I did 5-8's for 2 years on nights, and it was hard having so few nights off. Now I love having more nights off now that I've been doing 12's for 11 months. The first night back always kicks my butt, though. I've been known to pull in to my garage the next morning, turn off the car and fall asleep. The 2nd and 3rd nights back are easy. I have to eat something at least a couple times during the shift, too, and drink at least a little water, or my brain gets fuzzy.

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

I did 5 nights a week for 4 months. This also meant doing every other weekend!

Never again!

I love my 4 nights off a week

[southerngirl67]

I personally don't mind 12 hour shifts, but I think 3 in a row should usually be the limit.

[PrivateDuty]

Personally, I love 12's. I have always preferred 12's to 8's in nursing. i always feel I can get more done for some reason.

[leslie :-D]

i've always done 12's and do 16's as often as possible.

i've never minded doing w/e's so my schedule is always flexible.

i'm so much more productive working the longer shifts and don't feel as stressed, trying to cram everything into an 8 hr shift.

leslie

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

i'm so much more productive working the longer shifts and don't feel as stressed, trying to cram everything into an 8 hr shift.

leslie

I don't understand this. Do you not have to do assessments, I and O's, treatments, etc., every 8 hours? If so, how do you have so much more time to get your work done. Our unit does 8's and 12's. I'm an 8 hour person and the day they tell me otherwise, I'm gone. I can't go that long; it's physically too much for me.

And I see 12 hour people (we come in at three) and those who must stay till 7 will try to change their assignments so that we get all the hard stuff "because we've already been here 8 hours." Tough toenails: you wanted this shift so work your assignment for that full 12 hours.

Maybe it's different if everybody does 12's, but we started out as an 8 hours shift facility and as long as our union is as strong as it is, the 12's are considered "innovative" and 8's are the norm. Thank goodness.