A 12-hour shift refers to a work schedule where an employee works for 12 consecutive hours in a day, typically in industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, emergency services, or certain types of customer service. Here are some key points about 12-hour shifts:
Duration: A 12-hour shift typically lasts for 12 hours, including breaks and meal periods. However, the exact structure can vary depending on the industry and organization.
Schedule: 12-hour shifts commonly follow either a day shift or a night shift schedule. In a day shift, employees may work from morning to evening, such as 7 am to 7 pm. Night shift schedules usually run from evening to morning, for example, 7 pm to 7 am.
Shift Rotation: Many organizations employ a rotating schedule for 12-hour shifts. This means employees alternate between day and night shifts, often following a pattern like two or three days on, followed by two or three days off. Rotation schedules can vary depending on the organization's needs and employee preferences.
Overtime: Since a 12-hour shift exceeds the standard 8-hour workday, it often qualifies as overtime. Overtime pay rates and policies may vary based on local labor laws and company policies. Some organizations offer additional compensation or benefits for working extended shifts.
Work-Life Balance: Working a 12-hour shift can have implications for work-life balance, as it involves more consecutive hours on the job. While employees may have longer periods off between shifts, it can still be challenging to manage personal responsibilities and downtime effectively.
Fatigue and Rest: Extended shifts can potentially lead to fatigue, especially if they are frequent or if there are insufficient rest periods between shifts. It's crucial for both employees and employers to prioritize rest, breaks, and adequate time off to mitigate fatigue and maintain employee well-being.
Efficiency and Continuity: One advantage of 12-hour shifts is that they provide longer periods of uninterrupted work time, which can be beneficial for certain tasks and industries. It allows employees to have more consecutive days off and can lead to increased continuity in work processes.
It's important to note that specific policies and practices around 12-hour shifts can vary between organizations and regions. If you have further questions or concerns about working a 12-hour shift, it's advisable to consult your employer or relevant labor regulations in your jurisdiction.
The use of 12-h shifts for nursing staff has become common in many healthcare settings, including tertiary hospitals, due to its potential benefits such as reduced handover time and increased continuity of care. However, there is limited research on the experiences of nurses working 12-h shifts, particularly in the context of Qatar, where the healthcare system and nursing workforce may have unique characteristics and challenges. This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurses working 12-h shifts in a tertiary hospital in Qatar, including their perceptions of physical health, fatigue, stress, job satisfaction, service quality, and patient safety.
Methods: A mixed method study design was applied consisting of a survey and semi-structured interviews. Data was collected from 350 nurses through an online survey and from 11 nurses through semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk test and the difference between demographic variables and scores were examined using Whitney U test and Kruskal- Wallis test. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative interviews.
Results: The results from quantitative study revealed nurses perception in working 12-h shift has negative impact in their wellbeing, satisfaction as well as patient care outcomes. Thematic analysis revealed real stress and burnout and experienced an enormous amount of pressure going for work.
The study provides an understanding of the nurse's experience working 12-h shift in a tertiary level hospital in Qatar. A mixed method approach informed us that, nurses are not satisfied with the 12-h shift and interviews revealed high level of stress and burnout among nurses resulting in job dissatisfaction and negative health concerns. Nurses also reported that it is challenging to stay productive and focused throughout their new shift pattern 1).
The impact of neurosurgical resident hospital coverage system, performed via a night float (12-hour shifts overnight) or a 24-hour call, on resident neurosurgical training and patient care is unknown.
Design: Retrospective review comparing night float and 24-hour call coverage on trainee surgical experience, elective time, annual program surveys, patient outcomes, and length of stay.
Setting: The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Neurosurgery residency program, Columbus, Ohio.
Participants: The neurosurgical residents from 2016 to 2019.
Results: Monthly cases performed by junior residents significantly increased after transitioning to a 24-hour call schedule (18 versus 30, p < 0.001). There were no differences for total cases among program graduates during this time (p = 0.7). Trainee elective time significantly increased after switching to 24-hour call coverage (18 versus 24 months after the transition; p = 0.004). Risk-adjusted mortality and length of stay indices were not different (0.5 versus 0.3, p = 0.1; 0.9 versus 0.9; p = 0.3). Program surveys had minimal change after the transition to 24-hour call.
Transitioning from a night float to a 24-hour call coverage system led to improved junior resident case volume and elective time without detrimental effect on patient-related outcomes 2).