What shift schedule promote the best quality of life?

[Guest ERCat]

I work 15 shifts a month in ER, and I am there anywhere between 8-10 hours. I either work a morning to late afternoon shift, or late afternoon to late night shift. I now am in charge of scheduling and, provided I work as many of the night shifts and weekends as everyone else, what's the best way to schedule myself to ensure the best quality of life?

Right now my schedule is haphazard but I am thinking of scheduling myself two hard weeks and two light weeks (I.e. One week I work six shifts, then the last four weeks I work three shifts a week)?

Important points - I don't have kids!

[MT2PA]

You're in charge of scheduling everyone?

My only advice is to keep it fair, beyond working the same # of nights and weekends.  Don't leave everyone else with a haphazard schedule just to give yourself the schedule you want; they probably want a balance just as much as you do.

[Guest ERCat]

Right - wasn't planning on screwing anyone over to make myself have a good schedule. I instead was thinking about alternating heavy and light weeks which would be easy to do without affecting anyone.

[True Anomaly]

That's a question each person is going to answer differently.  For myself, I know working more than 3 ER days in a row is pretty draining, and although I don't request that in my schedule, if I was to schedule myself I would make sure I don't work more than 3 days in a row

[EMEDPA]

I would rather work all nights than bounce all over the clock so have always been the group nocturnist wherever I work.

lots of advantages to this. generally you get a night differential, lower volume, and sicker patients. also no admin folks around at night so you get night shift rules(coffee at the desk, listen to music, etc). at a slow facility you may even get a call room and a chance to sleep on the clock. getting paid to sleep is awesome.

I also don't love more than 3 in a row, unfortunately most months I have a 7 day run with long stretches off on both sides.

[camoman1234]

22 hours ago, EMEDPA said:

I would rather work all nights than bounce all over the clock so have always been the group nocturnist wherever I work.

lots of advantages to this. generally you get a night differential, lower volume, and sicker patients. also no admin folks around at night so you get night shift rules(coffee at the desk, listen to music, etc). at a slow facility you may even get a call room and a chance to sleep on the clock. getting paid to sleep is awesome.

I also don't love more than 3 in a row, unfortunately most months I have a 7 day run with long stretches off on both sides.

You better have a lid on that coffee! :) When I worked at a corp. UC we could have drinks at the desk, but HAD to have a lid on them. Right before I left there a few years back, they said you cannot have any drinks at your desk. For me, all these dumb corp. rules don't settle well for me and I do not like admin. always walking around checking on if your name badge is on. So, I agree EMEDPA, if I would ever work in the corp. world, I would work night shift.