Why Can't Hospitals Offer Shifts Other Than 12 hr. 7 to 7?

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I am a single parent wanting to be home with my kids at a decent hour every day. I have been working 7p to 7a for the last 5 years. I am tired of it. Why do most hospitals only offer these horrendous 12 hour shifts?.. These hours are hard on families. I would love to be able to work 8 to 4 in a hospital. Why isn't that an option? Hospitals could offer 8am-4pm...then 4pm-12am and 12am-8am and maybe the nursing shortage wouldn't be so bad....:madface:

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Actually, I and most nurses I know love 12's, because of the extra time off, but I agree that it wreaks havoc with child care.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

When I worked at the VA as tech in nursing, that was their hours.

Most people, mothers included, want to have those four days off and are willing to be inconvenienced for those three days. So your question as to why most hospitals offer this, is because of the demand. We have both 8 hour and 12 hour shifts here and it can be a bit irritating. But I think at least they should have both. You can't please everybody.

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4 days off is great. I wouldn't work anything but 12s. Overtime oppurtunities are better as well. If you want 8s try ER, they are probably the only place that routinely has different shifts.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I never liked 12 hour shifts. By the end of 8 hours I was just about brain dead and wanted to be at home with my family enjoying dinner, not eating it cold, later, alone. I hated coming home so tired that I rolled into bed only to roll out, get up and do it again. I missed swim meets and ball games and karate tournaments more often than not. That was the last straw really. I just decided I wasnt willing to miss those things anymore. I wasnt willing to not exercise on a day I worked. I wanted to have it both ways. 8 hour days were just better for me and my family.

It's really a matter of personal preference and what works for you.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

1. Because Nurses like 12 hr shifts better.

2. Because it's easier to staff for 2 shifts than 3.

It's win-win for nurses and adminstrations.

Not everybody likes 12 hr shifts. But, enough DO and the advantages for administration are SUCH that 12 shifts are here to stay.

I love 12 hr shifts. I have to work OT to make ends meet. Working 4 shifts and being off 3 days is MUCH better than working 6 and being off 1.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Neonurse- I'm with you on this. I'm cool with 12 hour shifts but that's just because I'm a 25 year old gal with no kids/family. I started working 8 hour shifts and I realized how wonderful it is to have a life besides working, sleeping, and eating every day for three or four days straight. If I ever had three days in a row off, I spend one whole day sleeping anyways. I totally agree with you. If hospitals want to appeal to nurses they need to offer BOTH 8 and 12 hour shifts. Offering only 12 hour shifts is ridiculous. I think it demonstrates a lack of respect for nurses and the fact that we have lives outside of work....but there I go again on my soapbox. There are hospitals out there have both 8's and 12's, and I think that's how it should be.

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I personally do NOT like 12 hour shifts. I do not have the energy after six hours..hehe...I will be starting a new position in June working 8 hours per day...AND, as an added plus..I will be working from home! If the hospital I work at had offered 8 hour shifts, I would have never left. Maybe "most" nurses in certain areas prefer 12 hours...but I bet If they took a poll on the floor I work they'd see that we prefer 8's. Bet that poll will never happen though.

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Because it's better for the hospitals financially.

I have never worked 12 hour shifts and can't imagine doing so.

Not all nurses like 12 hour shifts.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Actually - it takes about the same number of FTE/PTE nurses to cover a 3 day a week 12 hour shift schedule as it does to cover day a week 8 hour shifts. They dont actually save money with 12 hour shifts - what they DO save is the incremental overtime when you have to stay over and finish - they have a four hour buffer if their nurses only work 36 hours.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
I am a single parent wanting to be home with my kids at a decent hour every day. I have been working 7p to 7a for the last 5 years. I am tired of it. Why do most hospitals only offer these horrendous 12 hour shifts?.. These hours are hard on families. I would love to be able to work 8 to 4 in a hospital. Why isn't that an option? Hospitals could offer 8am-4pm...then 4pm-12am and 12am-8am and maybe the nursing shortage wouldn't be so bad....:madface:

Working 8-4 is convienent for the dayshift workers to get their kids to school, and they don't have to get up super early for work. But then the nightshift workers don't get home to get their kids ready for school in time if they don't get off until 8. And most night shifters sleep after work and are up a long time before their shift starts, usually getting up when the kids come home from school. Its hard to stay alert until 8am when up all evening and all night. I worked at a place that had the hours set that way. Evening shifters and nightshifters were miserable with it. Dayshift was very happy.

What geographic area do you work in? In my area there are a mix of 8 and 12 hour shifts.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Our 8 hour shifts went 7-3, 3-11 and 11-7

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