Published
Way, way back a long time ago (when IV bottles and chest tube containers were made of glass...), I worked for 14 days straight (8-hour evening shifts) as a nursing assistant while I was in college. Now that I'm old(er) and working 12 hour shifts, I've done 4 in a row. That about killed me; I could probably do more than that if I needed to, but I really wouldn't want to.
Six with two weeks off between.
I did this for a few months. I did think that if I died during those six in a row that I was going to be very annoyed at myself for having lived like that with no life during the stretch of six in a row--------nights.
I think I was after the two weeks off. It was not worth it. Nights are just so hard. I was trying to make sense of it. Never did.
8 12 hour nights. Was in the countryside where there was only one casual day shift RN and on of the full time RNs had to be medivac'ed to Sydney and another had broken her arm so everyone was helping out............the DON was on the floor for 2 shifts........and because I was agency and lived right next door she kept phoning me with stupid questions.....but I got call in pay so not so bad! The community RN did a few shifts and one girl came off maternity leave to cover! That is how small that the staff was (15 WTE RN) and how close the people were.
I first started at the VA last year and wanted to keep my other job for extra income. But I was weekend option at that time. So while I was going though orientation (takes a month) at the VA, I would work Sat and Sun at the other job until I finished off a month of obligation to them, so all in all it was about 3-4 weeks without a day off between the two.
Nightingale11
148 Posts
The title was difficult to word
but if you work 8 or 12 hr shifts, how many days straight have you worked and not had a day off?