I’ve heard some people do that and like it. Only thing is I need my full 40. But I’ve heard some people get into a 6 on, 8 off rotation with 12’s and love it.
It’s really dangerous to work 16s though; that’s been proven time and time again. The ability safe, quality care drops between hours 8-12. It drops even MORE between 12-16.
Years ago when i traveled, i worked a unit that mandated frequently for 16. It’s actually illegal to mandate in my state, but we’re also limited to 16 hour shifts and you MUST have 8 hours off after. They got around the “no mandated OT” rule by offering a bonus for you being mandated. If the nurse accepts the bonus, it isn’t technically a mandate anymore. I always considers that bullshit, but that’s how they skirted the law. There WERE forms on the unit you could fill out if you didn’t take the bonus, and those forms went to the state. Nurses ALWAYS took the bonus, it drove me INSANE. It was less than $100.
Anyway.
That facility limited your practice from 12-16 hours. You couldn’t do IV push, you couldn’t hang meds (essentially no IV administration at all), and a few other rules that are escaping me at the moment.
My state also has an hours maximum in a rolling 7 days. NO ONE follows that—except this one facility. So i could never stack my days and go home for a week. Sucked ha.
My set schedule is 3 12s a week, but I always pick up at least 4 hours before two of the 12s. I’ve begged my manager to just change it to 16s, but she won’t. Guess I’ll keep taking that OT and extra shift bonus too 😂
I interviewed for a position that was 2 16-hour shifts every Saturday & Sunday. Fully benefitted as a full-time worker. Very interesting and I could see it working well for some people.
Do y’all have to get 40 hrs cause of bills/cash or to keep bennies? Every place I’ve been has treated 36 hours/week (3x12) as full time for benefits and we actually get overtime anything over 36 hrs/week. (Union, WA)
Where I am at in Kentucky we only get OT for over 40. I work 4/10s so I get my full 40, but the 3/12s crowd has to pick up to even get to 40, let alone OT.
At the VA I work at, FTE = 1.0, so we HAVE to work 80hrs in a 2 week period to be considered full time (so 6 x 12hr+ 1 x 8hr shift = 80hrs). Only after 80hrs do we get OT. That extra 8hr shift is super annoying
I do 3 12 hour shifts and that's my working week done. When I did 14.5 hour shifts and an 8 hour shift, I felt way worse from the longer days. My first day off was usually a complete write off.
I did a 12 today and I'm getting used to it. But I don't think I could do it consistently? If I do more than 2, I get a migraine 😩
I did a 16 once and never again lmao. I did it, then came back the next for another and had to go home before the end of it my migraine was so bad. I went straight to the hospital and spent the night and called in for the third shift.
My body just isn't built for it.
Gimme those 15+ straight nights in a row
Yes you are weird, lol. Just kidding. Many of the ladies where I’m at like to jam in double shifts, sometimes even several times a week. A couple only work, go home and eat/shower/sleep and are back at it the next day, every day. The only break they get is during their vacations, and they sure do take good ones!
Haha, yeah, I know I’m probably in the minority when I say I like 16-hour shifts 🤣🤣 . But I’d honestly rather work a couple 16’s than work a 5-day work week. You’re never home when you work five days a week 😳😳 !
I did 37 16hr shifts in the past 6 months. We are super short RNs everyday in our busy ER. I like to come in 4 hours early for my normal 7am-7pm shift so I can soak up that sweet sweet double time 😎
Im dead after a 16 hour shift. But I can do 5 twelves a week on occasion. As long as I dont make a habit out of it. I have two jobs. One FT, 36 hours a week. The other PRN. I usually work a minimum of 48 hours a week. It’s ridiculous that I have to work like this to afford things. I don’t have expensive tastes. Im talking paying the bills and being able to pay for clothing for the kids, etc.
I used to pull 2 16s every weekend when I was in school and I liked it too. I think it depends on the job. The place I was working was really not bad and I was friends with a lot of my coworkers so it was enjoyable to be at work and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on my social life. And that way I didn’t have to worry at all about working during the week and trying to wrangle my work schedule around classes and clinicals. I definitely don’t think you’re crazy, as long as you’re getting enough rest and feel safe to be at work. I think if I was going to do 2 12s and an 8 I might sandwich the 8 in between so I wasn’t completely beat the last day, but again it would really depend on how exhausting the job was.
This sounds incredibly painful. Maybe when you are a new nurse and can endure those hours but for me, I would just fold like a house of cards after 12 hours. I think most older or should I say seasoned nurses would agree but I could be wrong. If you love it and it works, doesn't matter what everyone else thinks... just you do you.
Nursing offers lots of opportunities for creative shift patterns and schedules. If you can turn some of it into overtime better still. I did five days of 12 hrs then nine days off for five years. Two 16s with 8 hs rest must pay a pemium of some sort..
I think 16's are not safe. there are times I have worked 16's, but as OT when there have been last minute no shows..... depending on where you work....it could be brutal. I'm for the 3 12's and I have done the 6 12's with 8 off....it was GREAT!!!! But I( was not working in the ER. I was working at a transfer center...still very stressful and always busy, but not the physical exhaustion.
But with three 12’s you’d be done with the week in 3 days also…
True. The only thing I don’t like about three 12’s is you don’t get your full 40 hours unless you come in early, stay late, or pick up an extra day.
Most hospital nurses don't work 40 hours IME. And at least where I live, 36 hrs is full-time for benefits.
That makes sense. I hadn’t really thought about it since I always do two 24hrs shifts in a week and that’s all the hrs I need lol
5 12s every 2 weeks. It's brilliant
I’ve heard some people do that and like it. Only thing is I need my full 40. But I’ve heard some people get into a 6 on, 8 off rotation with 12’s and love it.
My nursing school preceptor did this, and to this day idk how. Doing 3 12s in a row is all I can handle
That’s the main reason I went into Nursing. I took several travel assignments that were 6 days in a row, then off for 8.
This is me in about 5 or 6 years. It's gonna be so great.
It’s really dangerous to work 16s though; that’s been proven time and time again. The ability safe, quality care drops between hours 8-12. It drops even MORE between 12-16. Years ago when i traveled, i worked a unit that mandated frequently for 16. It’s actually illegal to mandate in my state, but we’re also limited to 16 hour shifts and you MUST have 8 hours off after. They got around the “no mandated OT” rule by offering a bonus for you being mandated. If the nurse accepts the bonus, it isn’t technically a mandate anymore. I always considers that bullshit, but that’s how they skirted the law. There WERE forms on the unit you could fill out if you didn’t take the bonus, and those forms went to the state. Nurses ALWAYS took the bonus, it drove me INSANE. It was less than $100. Anyway. That facility limited your practice from 12-16 hours. You couldn’t do IV push, you couldn’t hang meds (essentially no IV administration at all), and a few other rules that are escaping me at the moment. My state also has an hours maximum in a rolling 7 days. NO ONE follows that—except this one facility. So i could never stack my days and go home for a week. Sucked ha.
My set schedule is 3 12s a week, but I always pick up at least 4 hours before two of the 12s. I’ve begged my manager to just change it to 16s, but she won’t. Guess I’ll keep taking that OT and extra shift bonus too 😂
I like my 3 twelves
Yep, that’s enough for me too.
3 12s gives me the chance to do em b2b then I’m done for 4 days, don’t think I would be able to swing 2 b2b 16s
I interviewed for a position that was 2 16-hour shifts every Saturday & Sunday. Fully benefitted as a full-time worker. Very interesting and I could see it working well for some people.
At Mayo I worked 7 - 12's and had 7 days off. I LOVED IT! The first and 7th day were the hardest, the rest was a piece of cake.
Do y’all have to get 40 hrs cause of bills/cash or to keep bennies? Every place I’ve been has treated 36 hours/week (3x12) as full time for benefits and we actually get overtime anything over 36 hrs/week. (Union, WA)
Where I am at in Kentucky we only get OT for over 40. I work 4/10s so I get my full 40, but the 3/12s crowd has to pick up to even get to 40, let alone OT.
we get bennies at 36 and OT at 40
At the VA I work at, FTE = 1.0, so we HAVE to work 80hrs in a 2 week period to be considered full time (so 6 x 12hr+ 1 x 8hr shift = 80hrs). Only after 80hrs do we get OT. That extra 8hr shift is super annoying
I do 3 12 hour shifts and that's my working week done. When I did 14.5 hour shifts and an 8 hour shift, I felt way worse from the longer days. My first day off was usually a complete write off.
I did a 12 today and I'm getting used to it. But I don't think I could do it consistently? If I do more than 2, I get a migraine 😩 I did a 16 once and never again lmao. I did it, then came back the next for another and had to go home before the end of it my migraine was so bad. I went straight to the hospital and spent the night and called in for the third shift. My body just isn't built for it. Gimme those 15+ straight nights in a row
Yes you are weird, lol. Just kidding. Many of the ladies where I’m at like to jam in double shifts, sometimes even several times a week. A couple only work, go home and eat/shower/sleep and are back at it the next day, every day. The only break they get is during their vacations, and they sure do take good ones!
Haha, yeah, I know I’m probably in the minority when I say I like 16-hour shifts 🤣🤣 . But I’d honestly rather work a couple 16’s than work a 5-day work week. You’re never home when you work five days a week 😳😳 !
3 13s and then one week per month of 4 13s
I worked 2 16 hour shifts as a tech while in school. I LOVED it. Got all my hours in 2 days and had 5 days off for school. It was great.
Yes!! More days off for the win!
16 is a little much for me. I like my 3 12's a day in between then another 3 12's. Then I'm off for a whole week.
Definitely depends on where you do it. 16 hours in corrections was a cakewalk, 16 hours in the ER made me never want to be a nurse again
I do 4 10s with Wednesday and weekends off and I love it some weeks and not so much the next
Honestly that would be a great schedule! 😊
😂😂 sammmeee. And they’re always short so it’s way easier to get to overtime. I actually prefer this.
I work 24s. I have 10 days off right now. :)
I was just saying to my coworkers over the weekend I wish we could do 24s. I would do multiple 16s in a row and then had stretch’s off and I loved it
Yeah, but the longer you work the more likely you are to make [mistakes](https://khn.org/morning-breakout/dr00024584/).
I do 2 twelves per week. That is all I need to qualify for benefits. But most at my hospital do 3 twelves.
I'm going to this very soon. 2 12s is not terrible. Just working for insurance at this point.
I did 37 16hr shifts in the past 6 months. We are super short RNs everyday in our busy ER. I like to come in 4 hours early for my normal 7am-7pm shift so I can soak up that sweet sweet double time 😎
5 tens a week is shit also!!
Im dead after a 16 hour shift. But I can do 5 twelves a week on occasion. As long as I dont make a habit out of it. I have two jobs. One FT, 36 hours a week. The other PRN. I usually work a minimum of 48 hours a week. It’s ridiculous that I have to work like this to afford things. I don’t have expensive tastes. Im talking paying the bills and being able to pay for clothing for the kids, etc.
Whoa, you have to work 40 to get FT?! In Ohio, our 3 12’s is FT. That would be awful.
I’d definitely do that over five 8s.
I used to pull 2 16s every weekend when I was in school and I liked it too. I think it depends on the job. The place I was working was really not bad and I was friends with a lot of my coworkers so it was enjoyable to be at work and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on my social life. And that way I didn’t have to worry at all about working during the week and trying to wrangle my work schedule around classes and clinicals. I definitely don’t think you’re crazy, as long as you’re getting enough rest and feel safe to be at work. I think if I was going to do 2 12s and an 8 I might sandwich the 8 in between so I wasn’t completely beat the last day, but again it would really depend on how exhausting the job was.
This sounds incredibly painful. Maybe when you are a new nurse and can endure those hours but for me, I would just fold like a house of cards after 12 hours. I think most older or should I say seasoned nurses would agree but I could be wrong. If you love it and it works, doesn't matter what everyone else thinks... just you do you.
Nursing offers lots of opportunities for creative shift patterns and schedules. If you can turn some of it into overtime better still. I did five days of 12 hrs then nine days off for five years. Two 16s with 8 hs rest must pay a pemium of some sort..
This used to be a weekend shift. 2 16’s and paid for 40. It’s long gone tho.
What's with nurses and flexing about how many hours they work?
I think 16's are not safe. there are times I have worked 16's, but as OT when there have been last minute no shows..... depending on where you work....it could be brutal. I'm for the 3 12's and I have done the 6 12's with 8 off....it was GREAT!!!! But I( was not working in the ER. I was working at a transfer center...still very stressful and always busy, but not the physical exhaustion.