The 12-Hour Nursing Shift: Preferred by Staff, but Good for ... : AJN The American Journal of Nursing (2024)

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The 12-Hour Nursing Shift: Preferred by Staff, but Good for ... : AJN The American Journal of Nursing? ›

Regarding staffing, researchers have found that a majority of nurses and hospital administrators prefer 12-hour shifts as a means to achieve continuity of care, ease of scheduling, and for nurses, work–life balance.

Advantages of Working 12-Hour Shifts

Depending on their employer, nurses may or may not have much of a choice when it comes to their schedule. But, working three 12-hour shifts has several advantages, including fewer patient handoffs, greater flexibility, and less commuting time.

Working for twelve hours straight can be exhausting, and there are times when your shift may run longer. An extended workday and irregular hours, like the night shift, can lead to burnout.

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For some, the night shift is a preferred choice, as it offers nurses the opportunity to have free time during the day hours. Like the other types of shifts, night shifts have a 12-hour shift, which may be scheduled between the hours of 7 pm and 7 am.

During their three to four consecutive days on duty (with 12-hour shifts), shiftworkers tend to concentrate more on their jobs. On 12-hour workdays, employees are more likely to avoid major social events, excessive alcohol consumption or physically taxing activities in their fewer hours of free time.

In general, clockwise shift rotations should be used (day–evening–night). Ideally, a rotational schedule should include no more than 3 night shifts in a block, with 3 days of recuperation after the night shift work. In general, 8-hour shifts are preferable to 12-hour shifts.

To mentally get through a 12-hour shift, try the following strategies: Sleep matters: Get proper sleep before your workday to stay alert and sharp. Eat well: Fuel yourself with a healthy meal and snacks to sustain your energy level and stay focused during the long shift.

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The Journal's mission is to promote excellence in professional nursing, with a global perspective, by providing cutting edge, evidence-based information that embraces a holistic perspective on health and nursing.

AJN The American Journal of Nursing.

With eight-hour shifts, nurses have three handoffs in a 24-hour day. Maintaining 12-hour shifts cuts that number to two handoffs. That often means fewer errors and better patient care and outcomes. The longer shifts improve continuity for patients, too as they have the same nurses with them for a longer time.

There may even be advantages to 12 hour shifts in terms of lower stress levels, better physical and psychological wellbeing, improved durations and quality of off duty sleep as well as improvements in family relations.

A study of over 22 000 hospital staff registered nurses (RNs) from 577 hospitals showed that 65-80% of the nurses work 12-hour shifts, with the 8-hour shift weighing in at only 14-30%.

Twelve-hour shifts have been a mainstay of nursing schedules since they began as a staffing strategy in the 1970s, but debate continues about their effect on nurses' health and ability to safely care for patients. Studies have examined both aspects of the issue.

Evenings are typically quieter.

The slower nature of the graveyard shift means you'll have more uninterrupted time to focus on your work and your patients.