UCLA shifts....One month day, one night?

CA CoCoRN, RN · Jun 18, 2004

I've never worked at UCLA, but when I worked at Torrance Memorial Medical Center back in 2000, on one of their units they did the same thing. There was a core group of nurses who were permanently either night or day...but the rest of us "shifted". It was mainly the newer, either new grad or new hire (no seniority) nurses, who were subjected to this. It was a hard thing to do...to adjust your sleep and life cycle to. At the time, my son was pretty young-ish, so it didn't bother as much. But I'd not do it now that he's school age.

I think that they do this so that they can keep the night shift staffed. There is an overabundance of nurses who prefer to work day shift. Of course! Day shift (usually) keeps your life like "normal" 9-5ers.

Nowadays, only nowadays, that would be convenient to me, as my life has turned topsy turvey. BUT, it would still present other problems.

LydiaNN · Jun 18, 2004

So i went on a tour of UCLA today and it was great. But there is one problem, I was told there is a mandatory one month of days and one month of nights on and off! This seems strange to me and I have never heard of it. I am a single mom and really dont think i can deal with it. Do any of you have experience with this or work at UCLA?
Pearl :uhoh21:
Ps. I am a new grad.

I don't know anything about UCLA, but didn't realize there were hospitals going back to this method of scheduling. When I was a new nurse (many years ago), it was done all the time, at least in the hospitals in my area. We worked what they told us to work, and it didn't matter if one nurse wanted only nights and another wanted only days- even though it would have made so much sense to accommodate our schedules, they wouldn't do it. Just one of many reasons I left hospital nursing... I guess there might be some who prefer the day/night alternations. It would allow time to make appointments, etc but I sure wouldn't want to go back to that kind of schedule.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 18, 2004

I worked that schedule (with 8-hour shifts) back in the late 1970's when I was a new grad. I loved it because you didn't "bounce back and forth" between the day and night shifts as you sometimes do with rotations. With a month of one and then a month of another, it gave your body time to switch from one cycle to another. Of course, the key was to keep on a night schedule on your off-days while you were on the night portion of your rotation -- much as people who work permanent nights do.

I can see that it would be a lot more difficult with kids than without -- but that is true for any job with rotation shifts. At least with a month of each, there is some consistency to give your life some stability.

I can see that not everyone would like it, but as a single woman, I liked it a lot. By the time I got tired of the shift I was working, it was time to rotate to the other shift for a month! I guess it is all what you make of it.

llg

youngRNstudent · Jun 22, 2004

I work @ UCLA, but not as an RN yet!

I do know a lot about what they offer and everything and I know that it depends on what unit you are working on.

I know you do have to rotate shifts. This is pretty typical as a new grad. (I am not looking forward to it either!) Most units at UCLA make you work 1-2 weekend shifts a month, and 1-2 night shifts a month. It is only for the 1st 6 months I believe.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate! I have been working there as a Care Partner (like a nurse's aide) for 6 months and will be starting as a new grad there in February!

welz26, LVN · Aug 15, 2004

I have been a employee at UCLA for 5 years as a LVN. What I have noticed is that if a particular shift is short, then that is when the rotating shifts apply. It also goes by senority. A nurse that has been there for 5 years vs. a new grad, well of course the new grad will have to do the night shifts. Most of the time you get the shift that you request like I mentioned before it only applies when a shift is short.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Aug 15, 2004

Fascinating scheduling.

I would think the biggest advantage is the elimination of shift in-fighting. Hard to carry on at the other guys when you switch places q o month lol.

begalli · Aug 15, 2004

This is how the scheduling works at my hospital as well.

I work cardiac surgical ICU in No Cal and we have a huge staff. The only people who work permanent days are people who've been there for 20 or so years. The rest rotate 12 hour nights and days - a month of each. It's very common in hospitals around here.

A couple a times a year a 2-1 rotation will become available. Two months of days and one month of nights. These positions are filled quickly by folks with middle of the road senority (like me).

I've been at this unit for 4 years now. I chose straight nights almost right away because of the rotation. It was killing me! Now, straight nights is starting to catch up to me as well--it's so unbelievably unnatural!

I LOVE my job but I think I'm at a crossroads, trying to decide if I want to go to PACU just for a decent schedule, but I don't want to work 5 days a week and I don't want to leave my incredibly awesome ICU job!!

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2004

As a traveler, I have seen it done any many places.

It is also well known to be a factor in many health impairments.

I personally won't work swing shifts like that, plenty of hospitals that do not require that.