r/nursing • u/OGQueenofUSA • Jun 20 '25

Nursing Hacks 29 shifts in a row

I have a job but I sometimes try to make extra money on the side,I saw a tiktok where a nurse was working 29 shifts in a row and at the end she had a extra $14,000, a friend just got a roommate, another friend picks up PRN shifts at another hospital instead of doing over time I'm wondering what are some cool ways you guys.

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775

u/Gwywnnydd BSN, RN 🍕 Jun 20 '25

One of the units at my hospital has shifts for a break nurse. It’s a 6 hour shift, swan in at 11, take over a patient assignment for 30-45 minutes, repeat for every nurse on shift, remember to take your own lunch break, and go home at 6. It’s seriously a princess shift.

-53

u/Adistrength BSN, RN 🍕 Jun 21 '25

I've never understood the not taking your break. If you take your break, is someone going to die? No. Take your break. You'll get there when you get there.

91

u/Gwywnnydd BSN, RN 🍕 Jun 21 '25

You do know I am talking about inpatient nursing, right? Depending on how unstable a patient is, they might try to die when their nurse is on break. That's why we have to have someone covering our break.

14

u/Rakdospriest RN - ER 🍕 Jun 21 '25

Yesterday I was on break when my dude's CT came back.

Coworker texted me, dissection.

Guess who sprinted back to his workspace

12

u/Adistrength BSN, RN 🍕 Jun 21 '25

Im assuming you work icu. I've been there, seen it. "I'm taking my break. All meds have been given, and they are stable as of right now. The only thing you need to do is respond to a code which I will be at too since I'm in the break room" If you patient dies cuz you wanted to eat in peace they were alrdy out the door. Sorry for not sacrificing myself for my job. But you can and I respect it. You're amazing.

42

u/Scared_Sushi Nursing Student/BHT Jun 21 '25

I work ortho medsurg- we run into this problem. We're short with everyone on the floor. Our patients do not care and will try to get out of bed anyway. We don't have the staff for sitters. We're lucky if we get 1-2, when we usually need 3-4. One less person to respond to bed alarms is a real danger for us. They don't have to be on death's door to go out by clonking their head on the ground. Some will try. The telesitters are near useless.

My last day is tomorrow and I cannot wait.

6

u/Far-Media-9380 Jun 21 '25

I think I might be guilty of feeling the short staffing issues and trying too hard to alleviate them for my coworkers at the cost of my own health lol

I’m just a CNA to be clear and I know your work load is probably twice mine, but people talking about working 4 12s and what not people difficult is scary cause I’m going into nursing school, and I frequently work weeks and weeks of twelve hours and doubles on little sleep now, but if 3-4 is that bad for you guys I’m guessing it’s going to be impossible to work as much as I like.

31

u/r0ckchalk 🔥out Supermutt nurse, now WFH coding 😍 Jun 21 '25

Would love that to be reality, but in fact people do die whether you’re on your lunch break or not. Additionally, when you’re so overwhelmed with tasks that only the primary nurse can do, taking your lunch can put you even further behind if you’re already drowning.

-13

u/Adistrength BSN, RN 🍕 Jun 21 '25

Yeah people do die on lunch break but ensuring your patient is covered and won't need anything for an entire 30 min should be done. Take your fuckin break.

14

u/Interesting_Owl7041 RN - OR 🍕 Jun 21 '25

Ok, but then you’re going home 30 min later because all of the shit that you’ve put off for those 30 minutes still needs to get done.

22

u/r0ckchalk 🔥out Supermutt nurse, now WFH coding 😍 Jun 21 '25 edited Jun 21 '25

Should be done? When you’re already short staffed and everyone is out of ratio? When taking your lunch entails giving another nurse double their assignment? When you haven’t even started charting yet? I’d have loved to ‘take my fuckin break’ every single shift but in the real world that’s not always possible. I’d love to work at whatever fantasy hospital you’re referring to though. And not the overwhelming majority of non-union hospitals that are deliberately short staffed and over-ratioed as well as little or no support staff. Are they hiring? Asking for a friend.

15

u/dfrcollins RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Jun 21 '25

It would seem that outpatient dialysis is the fantasy hospital they currently work at so yes, their stable, largely self-caring patients aren't just going to cark it if you leave them for lunch.

11

u/r0ckchalk 🔥out Supermutt nurse, now WFH coding 😍 Jun 21 '25

I also saw that but wasn’t gonna go there, but I’m happy you did. 😂 any dialysis schedule makes way more room for lunch than any inpatient hospital schedule.

11

u/dfrcollins RN - Med/Surg 🍕 Jun 21 '25

Have 8 of your own med surg patients, plus keeping an eye on 8 of your buddy's is certainly a different ball game

5

u/r0ckchalk 🔥out Supermutt nurse, now WFH coding 😍 Jun 21 '25 edited Jun 21 '25

Or in HCAs case, TWENTY TWO patients 😡😡 (11 each of your own)

2

u/Penny3434 RN 🍕 Jun 21 '25

I’m in outpatient dialysis and I never get breaks either or my work doesn’t get done. Unlike when I worked at the hospital they don’t actually take the 30 minutes anyway though.