If you look at any nursing blog, you will likely see nurses debating whether a 12-hour shift or an 8-hour shift is better. Since every person operates differently, it is hard to make an objective statement on which shift is in fact better. Some people work better during long shifts, while others feel exhausted after an 8-hour shift. Every nurse has their preferences, but what are the real positives and negatives of these long shifts. Are nurses who work 12-hour days more susceptible to nurse burnout? Do longer shifts adversely affect patient care? Some say yes, others say no. 

The Positives

Shorter Work Week

Newer nurses are often fascinated by the flexibility of working 3 days and having 4 days off. Even if those 4 days aren’t in a row. These nurses like the idea of having 3 tough days but then having many days off to go out with friends, sleep, travel, etc. This allows you to have more opportunities to travel as opposed to a job that requires you to be there 5 days a week. Want to take a 3 day trip to Vegas? No problem! The idea of a better work/life balance entices people every year to have a career in nursing. A traditional job only allows 2 days off a week which is not as much time. 

Less Commuting

If you have a long commute (think an hour plus) to your hospital, this aspect may be enough to overcome the exhaustion. Some nurses like the 12-hour shifts because they spend less time each week commuting to and from work. That is time that could be spent with family or friends. Instead of driving to work 5 days a week, they only have to drive in 3 days a week. For someone with an hour-long commute, this may be enough to squash the negatives. 

Less Patient Turnover

With nurses at the hospital longer, there is less patient turnover and fewer handoffs. Instead of the same patient seeing many different nurses, they only see 1 or 2 nurses. This makes the patient more comfortable and prevents communication errors among nurses. When a patient is being handed off between nurses, there is reporting to do as well. This is one of the main arguments that nurses have against the 8-hour shift, there are too many handoffs, which leads to confusion. 

The Negatives

Nurse Burnout

While “only” working 3 days a week sounds nice, the truth is, you have no life on those 3 days and feel exhausted on the days off. On the days you do work, you won’t be able to see your family, or your friends, or go to the gym. Your body is running in a way that is unnatural. If you are working those 3 days in a row, the odds of making medical errors go up in comparison to someone working an 8-hour shift. Nurses were also reported to have experienced higher levels of burnout and stress after working that many hours. 

Poor Sleep Schedule

Since you are working maniacally for possibly 3 days in a row, by the time you have a day off, you probably want to spend all your time sleeping. If you normally work the night shift, then you are sleeping all day. This makes it difficult to coordinate plans with friends or family. Especially with people in your life who aren’t nurses. People who work more traditional hours with the weekend off have a more normal sleep cycle. You are able to sleep 7-8 hours a night and then work until 5. With nurses, they sometimes only get around 4 hours of sleep between shifts. This can lead to slower reaction times and less sharp memory. 

Your Mental Health

After spending 12-hours in a high-stress mode, your mind can have trouble relaxing and sleeping. Nurses who work the night shift are likely to experience shift work sleep disorder, which according to the Cleveland Clinic, can cause difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Everyone knows that when you are on very little sleep you are more likely to be irritable and unhappy with your present situation. This can affect your personal relationships outside of work, especially with spouses or partners. 

Do You Have A Choice?

Not all nurses have control over what hours they work. This is especially true with nurses right out of nursing school. Most are happy to just have a job and be making money. In terms of your hours, hospital management usually controls the schedule and the hours set. Certain hospitals may require nurses to work only 12-hours shifts with 8-hour shifts not being allowed. Depending on the person, they may enjoy the benefits of a 12-hours shift, or they may be overwhelmed by the disadvantages.