You're working HOW MANY shifts?!

catlady, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2006

I live for my days off but I've known a nurse or two who'd go a couple of months without a day off. They each had an agenda which motivated them--buying a house, etc. It didn't see to bother them but it would have made me go nuts.

RobCPhT · Sep 2, 2006

I worked 8-8 for about 2 months no days off earlier this year.

anc33 · Sep 2, 2006

31. Yes, one month straight. Mostly eights, some tens but also some days when I had to work 0700-1530 then come back 1900-2100 for special procedures. Overtime is great but not that great. My second longest run was 25. There are many times when I have worked two weeks straight.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2006

The most I have worked is 5 -12 hour shifts in a row in my 14 year career(and that was within my 1st 5 years of career) as an RN. I believe there should be a limit as they do in the airline industry for pilots-fatigue could play a roll in errors.....

rknauber · Sep 2, 2006

I worked for 18 weeks straight. 11p-7a monday to friday and 7p-7a saturday and sundays. I was in my first year out of college doing a job I loved and I was desperatly needed to fill in. There were big bills from school to be paid and a lot of personal issues in my home life at the time. Working was an answer to the $ issues and an escape from a bad marriage. I will never work that way again!

nurse_clown · Sep 2, 2006

[color=dimgray]my record is 15 shifts in a row between my two part time jobs. i just finished nine nights in a row. before that, it was ten nights in a row with one day off. but, my motivation was getting a new car, babysitting, school supplies, new clothes.... and the list goes on.

but i think i'll stop for a while and just stick to my part time schedules. i'm getting way too tired for this....

allnurses Guide · Sep 2, 2006

The most shifts in a row that I have ever worked in my life is 14, and I wasn't even a nurse then. I was a cashier in a convenience store, and those were night shifts.

My current position is so NON-demanding physically, that I could stand to probably work quite a few nights in a row. I could really use the overtime, that's for sure!

My last position was med/surge, working 12 hour shifts, and I'm telling ya, they were LUCKY if they were able to get me to work any overtime. Such a grueling job, mentally and physically. I just couldn't stand to work much more than my three twelves a week.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2006

I'd tell you, but that's personal and I like personal detachment on a message board. hehehe........

To the average Joe like myself what you're doing is rather unusal and I probably would have looked at you askance the same as that person did. Lately I can barely handle 2 in a row, sometimes 3 like recently right before my vacation. I had a financial goal of moving from NC to FL and I worked 8 12-hour shifts in a row, 3 day shifts and 5 night shifts.

dorrybnursing · Sep 2, 2006

I work M-F 11-7 at a NH, and I do Private Duty Sat 7-7 and Sunday 11-7. I have done this since March. I did take a week of vacation in July.

I work with some nurses that have worked 16 hours per day for weeks at a time.

MarySunshine · Sep 2, 2006

Not me! The most I've ever worked is 5 twelves in a row and that just about killed me! My job is really demanding, both physically and mentally (I think most nursing jobs are, though) -- I just couldn't hack it. I'd have a breakdown at the end of such a long stretch and never be able to work another nursing shift for the rest of my life!

anc33 · Sep 2, 2006

Well I guess I will never again complain about working for a month. Months on end? How does one survive that?