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?

Click Like if you enjoyed it. Please share this with friends and post your comments below!

[eroc]

I have worked 7 days/16 hour days for months...yes I think 12 hours for three days a week is very nice.

[Elle23]

I hate 12 hour shifts. It's one reason I left hospital nursing. They were exhausting, and I hated being away from my family for that long in one stretch. And I hated those days when I literally did nothing but sleep and work.

I work 10p-6a now, and I love it! I will never go back to 12s again if I can help it.

[Elle23]

And I live 10 minutes from my job, so I leave for work at 9:45, and I am home by 6:10!

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I love my 12s.

[deyangrey]

12 hours shift it's really stressful! :?

[Butterfliesnroses]

I work 12s at both my jobs. I really enjoy it. I could do 8s too. I'm pretty easy peasy. I see benefits and downsides to both.

[westieluv]

I would only ever work twelves if I got back into floor nursing. Working three days or nights a week is great because with four days off it sometimes feels like part-time. Eight hour shifts would mean doing bedside nursing five days or nights a week, and I think that nursing is too stressful to be there that often. Besides, eight hour shifts are like twelves in that you rarely get out on time, so would you rather work five nine hour shifts a week or three thirteen hour shifts a week? I know which one I would choose!

[whealer]

What sort of nursing roles involve 12-hr shifts versus 8-hr shifts? Does it depend more so on the facility, your responsibilities, etc?

Thanks!

[Pachinko]

I used to love 12 hour shifts but they really wear me down now (I'm forty and have been a nurse for six years). I am so worn out by the end, especially if it's a night shift. I find myself having to recover for a day or two after a twelve hour shift. I'm in NP school for primary care now and will probably be moving to a Mon-Fri 9-5...we'll see how long I can tolerate that before missing my 12s again!

[Gem0607]

I am a school nurse so M-F 8-5 here. I think clinic jobs are 8 or even some health positions. When I was a home health nurse I would work about 8hrs a day. It was 4hrs with one client and then 4 with the other.

[AshlieV]

I don't like them myself. I did them in nursing school & was exhausted after them. I'm more of a 9am -5 pm clinic type nurse. I think they can be dangerous as well. About 2 years ago, a 28 year old nurse in my town, was killed in a car accident after pulling a 12 hr. shift at a local hospital. She had only been an RN about two years. She fell asleep on her way home, crossed the double yellow line in the road, hit another car, then an embankment. Fortunately the other driver was ok, but sadly she passed away at the scene. I think if she had not been so tired from her 12 hour shift, she would probably be here today.

ugh thats rough

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

I love my 12 hour shifts. I work MTW one week and then WThF the next. That gives me alternating 2 day and 6 day weekends. I am able to travel for vacations or to visit friends/relatives without using any PTO. If I pick up an extra shift then I'm soon into overtime, ca-ching!

My DW is also a nurse but she works 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and loves it. She loves working no nights, no weekends, and no holidays.

I'm glad there is such variety in nursing that we can move about to maximize the things we love whether it's the shift, facility, client base, or type of nursing.