What is it like working 3/ 12 hr. shifts?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2007

I worked three 12 hour shifts per week for three years when I was a factory worker, and I loved having three days off weekly in a row. Now that I am in nursing, I work two 16 hour shifts per week on the weekend, and I now am fond of the fact that I always have 5 days off in a row. This schedule is flexible, and enables me to attend school full-time at my local community college.

jacsuzwin · Sep 20, 2007

I work 12 shifts and really enjoy it. After doing both 12's and 8 hour shift, I much prefer the 12's. Plus, I have found that I use much less vacation time. You can be scheduled to work a Sun, Mon, Tues one week and Thur, Fri, Sat the next. That's 8 days off in a row. Love it.

PINAYPOTO · Sep 20, 2007

nice to work 12 hr shift for 3 days in a week because you got more days off and you got a lot of things done especially if you have kids to enjoy with.

anonymurse · Sep 20, 2007

Not enough work. I didn't struggle through full-time nursing school to only work three 12s a week. I've worked some 4-shift weeks and really liked it. I'm going to wait until the next "help wanted" list goes up and round every week up to 4 days if possible, then go looking on other units for that 4th shift. And when I feel comfortable with a regular diet of that, I think I'll go for 5 a week.

I love nights. They're much more organized; they have a real rhythm. I get to put my kids on the bus and get them back off again. When I work days, they're asleep when I leave and are frequently asleep when I get home.

I really think of extra work as an economic equation. I'm going to spend the same amount in expenses per month (except taxes and a very small amount for gas and meals) whether I work a little or a lot. Maybe I'd even spend more just laying around. But at the end of the month when I subtract my expenses from my income, extra work gives me profit off my own labor. It lets me pay myself a little something.

Right now, looking at 4-shift weeks and having paid off my debts, I own nothing (except the usual junk like vehicles and furniture) but I owe nothing. Half my income will go to expenses. A quarter will go to taxes. And a quarter will get socked away in T-bills. In other words, I'm paying myself 25% of my paycheck, and I feel extremely deserving of it. No way I could get near those results on 3-shift weeks.

If I were to only break even as I did before I figured things out, I'd be working for NOTHING. It all started with the question "Do I deserve to get paid for what I do?"

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2007

I was working 3 12's at night and that wasn't too bad. However, with how hectic it is on PMs I'm glad that I work 2 12's and 2 8's. I don't have to be to work until 3pm on the weekends, and this leaves time for fun stuff, church, brunch, etc in the morning.

I think that it really depends on the person whether you like 12 hour shifts. Personally, I thrive on having a regular schedule, so working three days and then having four off (or sometimes working 3 in a row, having a week off, and then another 3 in a row) led to inefficiency on my part. I could never get into a routine, and when I worked so many shifts in a row nothing else got done (housework, homework, etc).

My ideal schedule would be 5 8's on days...

judyblueeyes · Sep 20, 2007

I like working 12's. I don't usually do all three in a row, though. I usually work two 12's three times over the 2 week pay period.

The 12 hour day is a long day that doesn't leave time for much else, but I really like having more days off to spend with the family.

Three 12's is a 72 hour pay period and most people like and/or are used to a 40 hour work week.

When I'm feeling poor, I just fish around until I pick up another 8 or 12 hour shift. These are not always available, but I'd rather spend more time with the kids than have a bigger paycheck. We are fortunate that our budget does not require a 40 hour work-week from me.

We have always lived below our income, budget wise, which I highley recommend.

missninaRN · Sep 20, 2007

I worked 3 12's this summer during my internship. I have to admit that I was exhausted on most of my days off; I'm not sure if this was because I wasn't accustomed to working longer days or if I'm just not cut out for it.

I guess I'll find out when I graduate in the spring. I plan on working 3 12's and am hoping that my body will adjust after a few months of it.

november17, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2007

I try to group all mine together. It's not that bad. Once you've had the same group of patients for several days in a row by the last day it generally goes pretty great. The only thing I hate is on the 3rd day at the end of my shift if the charge starts assigning me admits from the ER!! I'm usually pretty tired by then and that's the only thing I don't really like about 3 days in a row.

Shopgirl1 · Sep 20, 2007

Hi there,

I agree with everyone else, and love working 3 12s. I find that the first day is the worst because it's hard to get organized, but the 2 and 3rd days feel like a breeze. At my workplace we type our notes, and save them to our H drive, so if you have the same patient assignment for all three days, your notes are basically completed, just have to update. I worked Mon and Tues this week, had wed-fri off, and then I am working the weekend. One other great thing is that you have more time to get all of your work done, whereas with 8 hrs I feel pressured to get all my meds, notes, assessments, pt care, charting done in 8 hours.

I really love the 12 hrs, and your body gets used to working them.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2007

I love it, esp since I have some freedom to occasionally pick up a 4th OT shift. Would have to think long and hard before going back to something like five 8's.

lvnandmomx3 · Sep 20, 2007

I Really wish that in my area they hired LNV's to do 12's but they are hard to come my. I'm working 3 8's right now just part time and I'm about to start some clinic work 2 days a week and the hours vary. Idealy I would love to work 3 12 hour shifts. I did it when I was an admitting rep for a hosp and loved the long breaks between. Like op said you use less vacation and I even seemed to use less sick time. I was also more likely to work overtime when it was available on 12's, than working 5 days and coming in on a 6th day for OT(NO WAY).