You work 3 days a week? MUST BE NICE!

Suninmyheart · Oct 26, 2008

Yep. And at the end of the 3rd day in a row, it takes a full 24 hours to recover. It is definately full time work. I do love the hours though. I also work nights and am quite hooked on the differential pay. Sometimes I put in 4 days in a row. 5 is unsafe for me. I get loopy.

lorilou22RN · Oct 26, 2008

:yeah:

gonzo1, ASN, RN · Oct 26, 2008

13 hours without a break too, a lot of the time.

13 hours with the thought in the back of your mind that any one of your patients could be dead by the end of your shift.

13 hours of trying to do too much as safely as you can with very little support

and last but not least the fact that a lot of us work somewhere else on those days off.

It is a glamorous and fun filled TV kind of life yeah right

and this coming from someone who actually works in a great environment with great people

I can't imagine what it is like for people that work in less, with less

daisydoll · Oct 26, 2008

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this! People who say this don't realize what my job entails and how physically, mentally and emotionally demanding it is. I have no time for myself those days, it is all about the patients. I go to work, come home and shower and go to bed then do it all over again. It does take a full day to recover from 3 12's. For me that first day off is usually a wasted day and I lack motivation and energy to do anything. I do enjoy the amount of days off however, and can get a lot done with a stretch of days off or take a trip. Sometimes I wish I worked 8 hour shifts, but I don't think I would like working 5 days a week and have less days off.

sarita279 · Oct 26, 2008

many a patient and/or family member has asked me about my schedule. i use it as a teaching opportunity. They are usually aware that we work 12 hours (when they realize-"gee she's been here a long time today!") I say, yes I work three days a week. Response: "That's nice., worth it, etc" My response-well yes, it would be nice if I worked the same days every week. But no- it's ever changing. On, off, on,off, on,on....etc.

And then they realize 3 days a week is not all it's cracked up to be.

Jen2002 · Oct 26, 2008

3 fun filled 12 hour shifts of cleaning up poop, vomit, replacing the IV of the Alzheimers lady a hundred times, dealing with drunks, drug seekers, whiners, Acute PEs, MIs, seizures, code blues, no breaks, no lunches, no bathroom breaks, etc, etc,. No we dont work hard or full time! Then to top it off, we get home and cant see our carpet, kitchen counters, a mountain of laundry, kids that cant find homework, forgot to get groceries, pay the internet bill, and so on. I would love to see my hubby walk 1 week in my shoes! And for some of us, there is still our own homework to do. Ugh! :cry:

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Oct 26, 2008

Anyone who has worked them knows 12 hr shifts are hard. A nurse I know has gone to 3P to 3A. She says so far it has safed her sanity and her job. She said about the time she really gets to feeling low, she is ready to do paper work for last 3 hrs of shift. Don't know but sounds like it could work on some units.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Oct 26, 2008

You know what? IT *IS* NICE! I wouldn't have it any other way. I'd much rather cram my work week into three days than have a M-F 8-5 job. BLECH.

PiPhi2004 · Oct 26, 2008

You know what? IT *IS* NICE! I wouldn't have it any other way. I'd much rather cram my work week into three days than have a M-F 8-5 job. BLECH.

I agree!! I love working the odd shifts because when I go to the grocery store, its empty!!! I hate when hubby has to go and we go on a sat-sun day and it takes 2-3 hours longer to do the same thing!!! Christmas time is right around the corner and I am loving the crowd-less shopping while all my friends complain about the stores being saturated already! I love my 3 12hr shifts and if someone offered me 5 8hr days I'd tell them to go hug it!

It IS work though and I feel exhausted after 3 12s. The day after is always just for relaxing and I never get anything done either. I really like working 2 12s, day off, 1 12, then off again. I don't feel that poo feeling I do after working 3 12s straight.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Oct 26, 2008

It IS work though and I feel exhausted after 3 12s. The day after is always just for relaxing and I never get anything done either. I really like working 2 12s, day off, 1 12, then off again. I don't feel that poo feeling I do after working 3 12s straight.

I like to split them up, too, but it doesn't work so well on nights...because then on your day off you recover AND try to switch back to being a day walker... but sometimes I do that anyway .. it's easier to know you only have two days if you have a cruddy assignment than 3!

MaryAnn_RN · Oct 26, 2008

I can not tell you how many times I get this response when I tell people that I work full time 3 days a week. They always say something like, wow, that's it? THAT's full time? What do you do with all your time off?
What people refuse to understand is that we work for 13-14 hours straight, walk around most of the time, usually stressed out, and then after our shift is completed we have to slip into a deep coma to recover.

Isn't that the truth, will only just be feeling normal by Wednesday when I am back in again. But it is lovely having the free days.