Working schedule what's best?

[Jollynursy]

Here is a schedule that seems to keep a lot of nurses fatigued and cause sick calls to happen a lot.

I would like to get some other options for schedules. Any submissions or examples would be greatly appreciated. There are a lot of great minds here so I am sure I will get lots of ideas!

KEY N- 12 h night, D- 12 h day, x- off

Presently here's a schedule:

Team one has 4 nurses ( 4 week rotation )

wk 1 NN xx DDD xx NN xxx

wk 2 DD xx NNN xx DD xxx

wk 3 NN xx DDD xx NN xxx

wk 4 DD xx NNN xx DD xxx

Team two has 5 nurses ( 5 week rotation)

wk 1 xx DD xxx NN xx DDD

wk 2 xx NN xxx DD xx NNN

wk 3 xx DD xxx NN xx DDD

wk 4 xx NN xxx DD xx NNN

wk 5 xx DD xxx NN xx DDD

Part timer ( casuals who are not often avail. ) fills in the deficit on team one

As you can see two shifts between nights to days very often and its the D return shift that most struggle with.

I have tried to think of changes and sat down to change it but with the numbers it has been challenging. Most don't want to do DDNN off 5.

[brownbook]

Hard for me to exactly understand the schedule. But if it means nurses are switching between working 7 am to 7 pm several days, then a few days off, then working 7 pm to 7 am a few days.... that is crazy.

There is a lot of evidence based research proving switching shifts is harmful to employees physical and mental health.

I'm surprised any 24/7 business is still doing it. Maybe you could present these articles to whoever makes your schedule.

[JKL33]

You've got to be kidding.

Which team are you on?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

This seems like switching between nights and days way too frequently for me. Are these the only schedules that are offered to people? Or is it an option to work and entire schedule (month) of nights, entire schedule of days, etc.? That would seem to be a bit more palatable to me if I had to rotate.

Also, why are there 14 days in a week in your schedule?

[Luckyyou, BSN, RN]

This is insane. Either do full weeks of days/nights for 2-3 weeks or determine who wants to be straight nights (yes these people exist) and who wants to be straight days.

At some point these poor employees are going to stop calling in sick and start calling in dead.

[mtmkjr, BSN]

Our hospital pays a sweet shift differential to attract nurses to nights/weekends so we don't have to force people to work nights... they choose it.

[verene, MSN]

Rotating day/night is terrible. Any reason why your facility can't be straight days and straight nights for people? I understand per-diems may have to flex between the two shifts, but it would seem easier to staff if you can offer people a predictable schedule (all nights or all days). Not to mention safer and a lot easier on bodies and brains.