Twelve-hour shifts are problematic for patient and nurse safety, yet hospitals continue to keep the 12-hour shift schedule. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine (Board on Health Care Services & Institute of Medicine, 2004) published a report that referred to studies as early as 1988 that discussed the negative effects of rotating shifts on intervention accuracy. Workers with 12-hour shifts experienced more fatigue than workers on 8-hour shifts. In another study done in Turkey by Ilhan, Durukan, Aras, Turkcuoglu, and Aygun (2006), factors relating to increased risk for injury were age of 24 years or younger, less than 4 years of nursing experience, working in surgical intensive care units, and working for more than 8 hours. As a clinician reading these studies, what would your next step be?

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The Answer is As a clinician reading these studies, my next step would be to advocate for changes in hospital scheduling policies. I would use the evidence from these studies to support the implementation of shorter shifts for nurses, such as 8-hour shifts, in order to reduce fatigue and improve patient and nurse safety. I would also work to educate hospital administrators and colleagues about the potential risks associated with 12-hour shifts, and the benefits of implementing shorter shifts. Additionally, I would encourage further research and collaboration with hospital management to find alternative scheduling solutions that prioritize the well-being of both patients and nurses.

Twelve-Hour Shifts Are Problematic for Patient and Nurse Safety, Yet