Am I the only one who hates 12 hour shifts??

9 Based on some things I've read on this website, I know that I'm not, but I just cannot STAND how 12 hour work days consume my life! There is no time to do anything besides work on those days and prepare for the next work day. I would be so much happier if I could switch to 8s or 10s or even some combo of 8 and 12s... I need to be able to exercise and take care of myself in order to be happy at work!

Mostly I just needed to rant because I know I can't address this yet as a new grad, but has anyone else felt this way and taken action to get a better schedule? Better hours would make work a billion times better!
You may not necessarily see an overwhelming preference for 12 shifts when it comes to day shifters, it's working nights where 8 and 12 hour shifts schedules aren't even comparable. Because of this, most day shifters have to yield to what's better for nightshifters, even if that means working 12 hour shifts so nightshifters can also work 12 hour shifts, which helps them live longer, get enough sleep, get adequate recovery time, stay sane, etc.

Working 3 12s gives you a guaranteed 4 days off every week. Working 5 8s puts you in the rat race of commuters more often than not, not to mention only having 2 days off to do my personal favorite "absolutely nothing". I'll admit that the 3 days can be hell (especially if they're back to back), but that just makes having those 4 days off that much sweeter. If you have any control over your schedule, you'll be able to work the first part of the week, take 8 days off in a row, and come back and work the last 3 days of the following week, without taking a single day of PTO. Of course, this only happens if your boss is an angel, and there's adequate staffing to do so. Give it some time, it'll be ok.

Working 8's and 10's enables me to be able to a mother as well as a nurse on the days I work. 12's would NEVER work for me due to my situation with 3 BUSY kids in various extra-curricular's. It just all depends on your lifestyle and commitments. I couldn't do 12's simply because the only thing I would be able to do on a work day is work. There would be no such thing as "after work" it would just be "bedtime" Lol I like having a large block of time after work even if it means having only 2-3 days off. To each his own though.

I love, love, love 12-hour shifts. Try to pry them from my cold fingers!As a bedside nurse, I simply do not want to see needy patients or their demanding family members five days per week. I do not want to see the faces of my managers or coworkers five days per week. I simply do not want to be at the workplace five days per week.I'd rather work a compressed schedule of three 12-hour shifts to have four days off per week. I also liked working two 16-hour weekend double shifts to get five days off in a row every week.But five 8-hour shifts per week at the bedside? That would be hell on earth for me. I wouldn't want to do it unless I was on the verge of homelessness.Quote from jdubs99I need to be able to exercise and take care of myself in order to be happy at work!

Quote from TheCommuterI love, love, love 12-hour shifts. Try to pry them from my cold fingers!

I love/hate them but mostly love. I don't want to do 5 days a week at the bedside...just no!

I would be much happier with 8-hour shifts. Imagine being able to go out to eat, make a dentist appointment, grocery shop or *gasp* SEE YOU FAMILY and work- on the same day!

I work as a Nurse Tech, and I absolutely hate it! It burns you out and makes you hate too come to work to deal with that 12 hour shift. Some of the nurses I work with are beginning to hate being a nurse due to that fact that they feel over work and under paid.

I've been working 12 hr night shifts for over two years now and I still enjoyed them.

Come to the OR. We do 8s. And I love them. I switched to 12s when I took another job and I wasn't too fond of them myself. Working 8s I still get to see my kids everyday and eat dinner with them every night, etc.

I never liked 12-hour shifts. By the time 0400 rolled around, I was so exhausted that I almost wished all the patients were dead so I could go home and go to sleep! Obviously that is NOT the right attitude to have, so for my own sanity I switched to four 8's per week. A little less money, yes, but well worth the cost.

Quote from jdubs99Based on some things I've read on this website, I know that I'm not, but I just cannot STAND how 12 hour work days consume my life!