What are OSHA's restrictions on shift length for Nurses?

[icb1977]

What are OSHA's restrictions on length of shift for a RN?

Also, does OSHA restrictions get waived during special circumstances? i.e. Blizzard?

Basically is a RN allowed to work for 24+ hours straight with no relief?

I feel this is a risk not just to the RN, but to the patients as well, considering fatigue could lead to medical mistakes.

Also, in your opinion, in an understaffed environment (night staff of 3 RNs seeing as the storm hit late at night) is it the responsibility of the RNs on-site to find their replacements, which would take their attention away from the patients, or would that be the responsibility of the administration?

[bonestAx]

How or why did this happen? I once worked in a ER in which we were under a state of emergency and even our generator lost power a few times and still no one worked over 16-18 hrs! You did 16 then went and took a nap for a few hrs then came back.

So, what were the circumstances that lead to this? It just seems so, unforgivable for any management to have let this happen. I don't know the exact agency that needs to be notified. But they need to know, yesterday.

[shiccy]

I was going to say I don't think this would be a federal issue but more of a state one. I know that our 'rules' (I don't know if it is state or just our hospital system) has a max of 16 hours for each shift. Anything over that is against our rules. IIRC an 8hr minimum is required between shifts, as well. Probably what would happen is you would start flexing shifts (ie- 4 hours on 4 hours off) if something like that were to have happen. This way you at least would get some rest. The extra patients would just be flexed between other staff, just like you were down a few nurses or something.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I thought it was 12 hrs, with 8hrs between shifts. Maybe that's if you're union.