Would 8 hour shifts help alleviate burnout?

[OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN]

I work in a LTC facility and most LTC facilities in my area have 8 hour shifts only, while acute care is almost all 12's.

So, my question is, would having 8 hour shifts in acute care help alleviate burnout?

Yes, it would then take 3 nurses to fill a 24 hour period and not 2, but would more nurses be inclined to stay in the field knowing they wouldn't be subjected to 12 hour shifts?

On the flip side, do most nurses like 12 hour shift so they can do their 4 on then 4 off?

Even though I do 8 hour shifts in LTC, all the fulltimers do 4 on, 2 off and 6 on 3 off. So less days off in between, which would not be appealing to some.

I would personally be working in acute care if I could get 8 hour shifts instead of 12. Not so much that I can't handle 12's, but it would be far too hard on my family and children (5 and 8). They would vitually not see me during a block of 12's.

Thoughts?

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

12 hour shifts are not always 4 on, 4 off. I never work more than 3 in a row, and it's usually two in a row. This week, for example, I work Tues and Wed, then Sat, Sun, and Mon, and then I'm off till next Friday.

I wouldn't want 8's. I'd MUCH rather work the longer hours while I'm there and NOT do 5 in a week (or six in a row!). That would kill me.

[uscstu4lfe]

yeah i agree. 12 hour shifts suck, and working 3 of them in a row really suck. but, having a several days off after that is what makes it worth it.

[kohana]

I am currently part-time so I work odd shifts and hours and I must say I do prefer 8 hour shifts over 12 hours. Its nice to have time after work to run errands and 8 hours aren't so grueling. On my unit, if you are working 12 hours you have to pick up an extra assignment during shift change at 1530 which puts you at 5 patients, which I really dislike as well.

[FroggyMama]

I've worked both, and prefer 12s. I could not STAND to be there 5 days a week! This way, I work 2, off 2 or 3, then work 2 more. At least I get a break that way.

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

I did 5 8s before and it was AWFUL.

[angel337, MSN, RN]

i do 12's and i really don't like it. it cuts into my family time too much, but when i work 8's i feel less tired and i am able to go home and feel normal. as my family grows i plan to eventually work just 8's or part time. you have to do what works for you.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i love my 12 hour shifts! i sure wouldn't want to be there for five days every week!

[RNperdiem, RN]

I used to work 7-3 5 days a week. I would never go back to that. The busiest time of the dayshift is the first 8 hours and then things slow down a bit from 3-7. I like 12's because I have that quieter time to catch up on charting and all the tasks put off till later.

I never scheduled my self more than 2 days in a row, so I felt I had plenty of time to recover between shifts.

[TopazLover, BSN, RN]

I hate 12s. there are a number of reasons beyond the tiredness I feel after the 3 in a row.

Patients like the consistency of care. There is a lot to be said for watching someone recover and get better.

Nurses in their first year have more opportunities to get better at basics without being so tired that they make mistakes and get to hate nursing due to the pressures. They get better at creating routines for themselves.

When you have overlapping shifts there seems to be a sense of not wanting to pick up after the previous person and the previous person needing to stay late to chart anyway.

When you are sick it is hard to return to work half sick for a 12. You might make it through an 8 hour shift but not the extra. It is harder to cover the 12s. Look at the amount of mandatory OT that people complain about here.

Our responsibility at work is our patients. I don't feel like I am able to do as well for them when I need to catch up on new directives from admin. each cycle.

Bottom line for me has been that when I work 8s in a week I feel like it is a regular job, even if shift work and changing days off. When I work 12s I feel like I am out of sync with the rest of the world.

I have done both and like the idea of extra days off, but I found with 12s it was like I only had 3 days off due to the tiredness. Never worked split days off with 12s so don't know how that works

[inthesky]

5 8s is really draining *yawns* and I feel like I spend far too much time at work.

[Quickbeam, BSN, RN]

I LOVE 8 hour shifts and the loss of them drove me out of acute care. I had a career before nursing so working 5 days a week? No big deal to me. I worked 8 hour nights for about 10 years. 8 hour shifts allowed me to get the sleep I needed in order to be functional. I KNOW they are not popular. I have seen 8 hour shifts get a standing ovation at seminars on older nurses so maybe some of us fossils only have 8 hours in us.