What do you think of 12 hour shifts?

[Joe V]

12-hour shifts have been gaining in popularity among nurses and hospitals ... Do you think this is a good idea? Do you find it more dangerous to work a 12-hour shift vs a 10-hour shift? Would you prefer sticking to the standard 8-hour shifts?

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[Gem0607]

I left 12hour shifts because of my husband's schedule and having a toddler it just didn't pan out when daycare closes at 1800. I took a job with 8hr shifts no weekends and no holidays and my starting pay was more than the hospital. I honestly do miss my days I used to have during the week because I was able to run errands and clean. Now working the 8hrs I have no time unless its during my lunch hour to run errands and on the weekends. I can say I do love having an hour for lunch vs hoping to get 15 mins at the most sometimes. At this time in my life, 8hr shifts is what helps my family function well but when my child is older I may very well consider the 12hr shifts. Especially when we go on our vacations and I only have to use PTO for 2-3 days vs a full week if I plan my days correctly.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Doing F, S, S days. Love it. Love my 4 in a row off during the week. I worked 8s before and I felt like I was never home. Between travel time and never getting off on time, it was awful. I like the 12s better.

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I didn't mind working 12hr. shifts just knowing that you'll be off for 4 days it's worth it however, when your working the 12hr. shift it seems like those hours go by so slowly, specially if you're working them during the weekend...Aloha~

[Nurse_Jessie]

I'm a new nurse (6 months into my first job) and I love having 12 hour shifts. The extra days off are really worth it to me, and I generally stay busy enough during my shift that the time goes by pretty quickly. However, I am a single woman without kids, it might be different if I had family responsibilities as well.

I love my 12-hr shifts, 3 nights per week.

I love it even more when I work 1 or 2 more nights per week because I go off at time-and-a-half... cha-ching.

I'm positively ecstatic when I can stay over for 4 hours and pull 16 because then I'm going off at double-time for four hours... Cha-CHING.

I grossed over $1,300 for my last shift and have several times grossed over $9,000 for two weeks.

What's not to like?

[Mauletta]

I worked 12 hour shifts for years, and always thought that I would be glad to get away from it. Now, I work a semi-flexible monday-Friday 8a - 4:30 p and I can't stand it. Two days off a week, blegh; not time to run errands during the week, yuck; have to arrange Dr. Appointments around meetings and other work obligations, gross. Most of all, I don't have more time with my family in the evenings like I thought I would. I get home just in time to run around and toss dinner together, assembly line showers and teeth brushing, a story, a kiss and goodnight. I'd much rather go back to 3 12-hour shifts with some occasional overtime.

[sneeds]

I dont like how family unfriendly the support is for those who work 12 hr shifts. I love having 4 days off. But in reality, waking up at 430, getting to work at 6 to realistically research my patients before rush hour equals to a 14 hr day not including traffic time. I don't like BSing my way through rounding and I seem to fall behind when I don't have all my info. Hospitals need to pay for when you actually get there. When I worked salary in a different career, I was there by or before 8am (traffic made me wake up at 6) and I stayed after work too,which equaled 14 hr to 16 hr days so this is better. I have more control over my time/pay in this career - at least right now. There seems to be a need for before and after hours daycare for families working these hours too. The kind of childcare quality that can be trusted. I have friends who are burning out from this scene. Maybe I can start a biz there. You also have to include the zombie day after working some days in a row too. I feel like I'm always "ON" when my days are separated by a day or two so I try to get my days in a row with 4 days off. With education/meeting mandates, i feel like im doing a 4 day work week nonetheless. There is no time to realistically do education during the shift. With pressures not to have overtime..... the whole "get this done, but don't take too much time doing it" scene is a farce. whatever... It really puts into perspective that the bottom line is most important and is reflective of the times and how management/admin is performing or not.

[ToyaB]

I don't think I would necessarily mind the 12hr shift. I think it all depends on what's going on in your life. I have two young kids, but I don't think three days of seeing me for only a couple hours would hurt anything. They'd have me all over them like white on rice for four whole days!

About all of this falling asleep stuff, I think it's a matter of common sense. I mean, a normal person is up for at least 16hrs per day anyway. A twelve hour shift shouldn't have a normal person nodding at the wheel.

We have to be responsible to make sure we're getting enough sleep, you know, taking care of ourselves. And I'm under no illusions. I know we don't all sleep the recommended 8hrs, me included, but if you're that beat after a 12hr shift, which is entirely possible, maybe even likely, go to a lounge and take a power nap before you head home... something!!!

I hate to blame the dead, but driving when you're that tired is just as bad as driving when you're drunk. If you even suspect that you're not going to make it, Take a nap. Nobody can be mad at your for that. It's simply irresponsible to drive tired like that! You're putting everybody at risk with your tired self! Go lay down somewhere before you hurt something! -- (in my mama voice)

[jmll1765, ASN, RN]

I work 3 on 2 off 2 on 3 off 1 on 3 off. I would love to work the same 3 days every week and then have more days off in a row. I have never worked 8 hr shifts but I don't think I would like them, I don't relish the thought of being at work 5 days a week! Three is quite enough! I agree with the poster that said a 12 hour shift inevitably ends up being 13 or 14.

[NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

I would LOVE to work 8 hours! But I can't do five in a week....not at my hospital job. I just won't have it!. Come to think of it, the only thing I do 5 days a week or more is breathe and bathe.

[Aurora77]

I love my 12 hour shifts. I can't see going back to 8s any time soon. Talk about family unfriendly.

[wyogypsy, RN]

I much prefer 8 hr shifts with regular days off, I hate every other weekend to where the days off are split. In some areas 12 hr shifts might be OK, but I know in Hospice and LTC they are the pits. Falls and deaths and admissions happen at shift change and you are there much longer than 12 hrs. Yes, some of the work can be passed off to the oncoming shift but if you have a fall at the end of your shift there isn't much you can pass off as they didn't see it, didn't assess the pt, and wouldn't be able to answer any questions the family or doctor had. I like my 8 hr shifts.