12 hour shifts, how hard are they to work?

Posts: 2 · Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 2 Location: California

Since there are many things that affect us going to work, you need to take a good look at yourself! Most nurses know you end up owned by your job if you really want to keep it. So when your relief doesn't show up or has an emergency, you end up staying, right? It seems that when you have 12 hour shifts, it's appreciated greatly when you have your off time so absenteeism is less. How about how close do you live to your job? Does it take an hour or only ten minutes to get to work? And how much is gas in your area (are you driving SUV or economy?). So many factors can influence you. The job is the biggest, because you can feel uncomfortable in the role you play, or you can be an adrenaline junkie waiting for your next ER or L&D fix! And turning our work week into 3 instead of 5 days really allows us the time to be with loved ones, even if it's only yourself! Having the majority of your time for other things than work is great!

Posts: 7 · Joined: 11 Nov 2006 Posts: 7 Location: columbia MO

Twelve hour nights is the only way to go. I have worked them now for the past 5 years and dont ever want to go back to 8 hours. I usually work 6 days in a row and have 8 days off. I try to schedule the days together so that they make up 2 weeks work. I believe you work much less and most hospitals give you the same patient load so you have the same pt's back night after night and only need to get updates.

Posts: 3 · Joined: 18 Aug 2005 Posts: 3 Location: Florida

LOVE 12 HOUR NIGHTSHIFT!!!!!
Been working it primarily since 1983...have tried 8hr shifts and dayshifts, and am a cranky perso.
11pm-7am, you have to wake your sleeping patients to assess them. And don't get to know them, or teach them anything. You just write #'s, baths and paperwork.
I feel you don't have any life working 5 days a week. If you know how to schedule yourself, you can have lots of days off here and there, without losing any paid time. You get more accomplished in 3 12 hr shifts, than many in 5 8 hr shifts. And in 8's, you never get out on time anyway. So many people are there 9-10 hrs anyway.
Nights, you get to think autonomously, meet your patients, care for them, and hopefully do some teaching. More one on one time with your patients. IF you enjoy that.
You can alleviate some of the fears of both the patients and the families, if you are confident with your own decision making skills. Dayshift is so task oriented, gossipy, and everyone is trying to impress the management , the doctors, or the families, the patient is forgotten about.
I would not mind 10 hr shifts, but then there would be no overlap of shifts for the shift to shift report, thus interupting patient care continuity.

Posts: 3 · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 3 Location: georgia

I have been working 12 hour shifts, 7p-7a, for 16 and 1/2 years. I love it. You do have to get used to them. We stay so busy, that time goes by pretty fast. Some nights, sleepiness can be a problem, though.

Posts: 3 · Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Arkansas

I've worked 12 hour day shifts for 2 and a half years now. There are a few drawbacks, but all in all, I really do like it. Its nice to have 4 days off a week. And its nice to have days off during the week, too. After working 8 hours, it really is no big deal staying a few hours extra: I'm already there, I already know my patients, I don't have to start over, just continue. Besides, the days can really get crazy hectic and having that extra time allows me to catch up on paperwork after things wind down, usually after 5. The only thing I don't like is that work does take up the entire day, I can't schedule anything before or after work. But I've learned to plan ahead. Also, I can't work more than 3 days in a row, 2 is OK, 3 is pushing it, anything more and I'm just too tired and downright cranky.

Posts: 2 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Newmarket

anglfaith1 wrote:

For thos RNs who work 12 hour shifts, do you like it? And how difficult is it for you to work a 12 hour shift?

Posts: 1 · Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 1 Location: KSA

It's very long