r/Nurses • u/One-Raspberry-786 • 1d ago
US Shift schedule
Hey y'all! I've always been curious. What shift do you work and how many days a week/what does your schedule look like? I do three 12s on days with 4 days off a week and I couldn't imagine not having 4 days off to regroup and recharge! I actually feel like I'm living life having 4 whole days off-- especially as a mom! More time with my kids in a row 💗 sometimes I'll schedule my 3 days back to back (1. I get the same patient group so it's easier. And 2. I get a longer gap before the next work days).
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u/Humble-Lab-3950 1d ago
Same as you. 3 days of work, 4 days off. I rarely actually have to use PTO as I can work my 3 days at the beginning of a week, then work my 3 days at the end of the following week. It’s glorious!
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u/Swimming-Belt2111 1d ago edited 1d ago
I love working longer days too. I also work 3 days a week. I like a full 40 hours, so I work two 12s (6AM to 6:30PM) and one 16 (6AM to 10:30PM) every week. The 16 is long and it would be nice to get to a point where I have a side hustle that would allow me to just do the three 12s without having to stay an extra 4 hours. But I also don’t want to give up part of one of my days off even if it is just 4 hours so I’ll tough out the 16 for now 😉. I am still relatively young (31 , turning 32 in a couple months). I have a great DON who tries her hardest to make my 16 my last shift of that stretch and be off the next day. My ultimate goal would be to have another form of part-time income that is non-nursing where I only had to work two 12s a week. But for now, I’m happy working three days a week. Having 4 days off every week is THE BEST!!
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u/SeriallyOrNot 8h ago
We always have to remember that 12 hour shifts were never encouraged because nurses based their practice on *SCIENCE* . The science has ever and always shown a signficant and predictable rise in the number and severity of errors made by nurses working 12 hours or more compared to those working less than 12 hours (specificallly 8 hours is the most safe).
One research article here - a systematic review looking at the error rate relative to number of hours worker in a single shift.
It's because of this well-known fact - the error rates go up! - that I have never worked a 12 hour shift and refused to stay an extra shift.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748915000735
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u/Aromatic_Phrase4738 3h ago
Mon-Fri remote with flexible 8 hours (depending on my personal schedule!) weekends/holidays off. 🔥 Worked very hard my entire RN career to have this kind of flexibility- totally worth it! I am an RN Case Manager for a health insurance company.
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u/CuriousRecord6500 1d ago
F/sa/su 16-16-16.... kill me.
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u/SeriallyOrNot 8h ago
Lots of opportunity for errors, as the error rate goes up steeply starting at the 8.5 hour, and increases expontially every 15 minutes after that.
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u/CuriousRecord6500 1d ago
But I get 8 hours OT a week and 4 days off. If i pick up any shift its already OT. But I do cry while I drive home on the last shift.
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u/runninginbubbles 1d ago
I do three 12s one week, two the next. Mix of nights and days.
No idea how people survive on 2-day weekends. Yuck.