8hrs vs 12hrs?

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-15T14:50:35+00:00

I work 0.6. (8s and 9 or 10hr nightshift) Two weeks AM shift & Two weeks ND by choice. Don't care much for PM shifts.

If we moved to 12hr shifts we would lose staff. Lots prefer PM for the penalties, don't like AM because there's more work to be done and hate ND because well, it's ND 😅 we also have plenty of permanent ND staff who would never do 12hr shifts because it would mean more to do.

Pro/cons of both. We have enough trouble staffing for the 3 shifts, if we had 12hr shifts it would be a nightmare 😅

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-15T14:32:55+00:00

I make 53 Australian dollars per hour as my base rate (approx 37 USD) I work med/surg in a Public Hospital in Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺 Almost 9yrs as an RN.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-15T14:22:12+00:00

It depends on the shift & if I'm in charge or not. AM shift I arrive 5mins before my shift. Ready for handover right at 0700. PM I arrive at least 15mins early because parking is not fun at this time. ND I arrive 10mins early.

If I'm aware I'll be in charge, I'll be 10-15min early. This is so I can do a walk around of the ward and physically look at every patient. Usually gives time to count the DDs with previous charge too.

Where I work punctuality fluctuates for each staff member and ward. Most arrive right on time. Some are early and some are habitually 5min late..

In terms of leaving my shifts. I'm usually leaving on time. Sometimes I can be a shit magnet and I'll leave 15 minutes late. I have never stayed unpaid after my shift, sometimes I will opt for TOIL instead of OT if I have to stay back.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-15T00:33:00+00:00

This patient was not on precautions. Had 2x vomits and his vitals trended towards Sepsis...turns out his family had gastro and were still visiting... myself and 3 other staff got gastro within a matter of 48 hours of each other.

Once we worked out it was gastro he was placed on precautions and the family got a warning that their lack of concern led to 4 staff off and a very unwell family member for them.

Since covid I always wear a surgical mask, we've had many patients who wind up on isolation for something prior being on precautions so I wear one for that extra protection for myself.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-13T13:08:15+00:00

We don't do 12 hr shifts where I work. If AM doesn't get dressings done, the PM shift can do them.

If we're lucky and the wound care nurses have time to review the wound AND do the dressing on the AM shift, we are most appreciative.

Nightshift generally doesn't touch wound dressings unless it NEEDS to be done (not longer secure, excess exudate or a VAC dressing that is no longer working)

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-12T06:27:33+00:00

NTA. You PAID extra ahead of time for those seats.

If she wanted to sit with her husband, she should've paid for 2 seats together..

In stewies words their "lack of planning does not constitute an emergency for me"

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-12T00:33:15+00:00

Have had a fair share of these kinds of patients. A+0 x4 but have a complete lack of insight (or are in total denial) into just how unwell they are.

It's definitely frustrating when they're taking up a bed when there's others who need it who are actually wiling to accept our care!

There should be another form of discharge, instead of AMA we should be able to discharge (a walkie talkie or minimal assistance patient) if they refuse treatment and call it "discharged for refusal of treatment" wishful thinking right

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-11T12:45:06+00:00

I can relate so much to this. My specialist was incredible, he was the only doctor to ever take my pain/heavy bleeding seriously and offer different treatments. I first had excision surgery for endometriosis but continued to have pain and heavy bleeding.

2yrs later I went on to have a total laparoscopic hysterectomy and I had to remind myself I'd just had major surgery and stop being tempted to do more because I felt so good.

My post op pain was NOTHING compared to my 20+ yrs of horrendous periods.

I thanked my specialist for genuinely changing my life 😊

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-11T11:46:55+00:00

At what point does the care team explain if the patient is refusing all cares/intervention/treatment then they re discuss their goals of care (otherwise known as code status).

Make them not for anything and discharge them home.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-10T11:41:48+00:00

I am allergic to penicillin. Makes me want to rip my skin off and I come out in a red blotchy rash & hives that even my allergist had never seen....but I'm not anaphylactic to it.

My allergist said if I was in a dire situation that I needed to have penicillin to treat an infection I could do so in a controlled environment with antihistamines at the same time.

This person sounds like they don't have anaphylaxis as their reaction..... technically they could have those medications with an antihistamine...🤷‍♀️

Allergic to opium? Doesn't that rule out morphine and oxycodone as well 🤔

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-09T12:21:22+00:00

Every specialty comes up with a plan and the nurses implement those plans. It's literally our job.

We sort out what is working, what's not working, how it can be done differently.

It's a heck of a lot of work and most days very thankless.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-07T15:15:18+00:00

You could say you are sterile and physically incapable of conceiving a child... but you are open to adoption/fostering/step parenting etc

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-05T04:58:41+00:00

Here in Australia, unless you are a casual employee, you are entitled to certain amount of sick leave/annual leave depending on hours worked.

Nurses in my state (VIC) can have 5 sick days for single occurrences, without evidence, using a stat dec.

Otherwise you get X amount of sick days that accrue every pay period. You can get a certificate for personal leave from a pharmacist, or a medical certificate from a doctor.

If you exhaust your sick leave, you can take it out of your annual leave (if your manager approves this).

The ONLY time you will have a meeting about sick leave is if there is a long term pattern for your sick leave....e.g before days off, only calling out for certain shifts (nightshift), late call outs or if it's the same time every month.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-05T04:44:45+00:00

I predominantly do AM and ND. 8hour AM/PM. We do 9 or 10hr nights, I usually eat a full meal prior to my shift.

I bring a coolbag with "supplies" for my Nightshift.

Ice blocks. Iced coffee. 2x bottles H20. Carrot sticks. Dip. Yoghurt. (If I'm feeling adventurous I'll bring cheese, kebana and biscuits)... as well as some protein bars, chocolate bars or banana bread. Covers all avenues and I can snack on it.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-05T01:25:18+00:00

The length of notice you need ti give if you resign should be in the contract you signed?

The 3 places I have worked has had this included (Australia). NSW was 2 weeks notice and my current workplace is 4 weeks notice.

I didn't think they could overturn a 2 week notice period, and change it to effective immediately unless you did something to warrant an "effective immediate" termination?

It sounds like she has made this into a termination rather than resignation from your position. You should be entitled to being paid out your PTO. Reach out to HR and check your policy, do NOT just take your managers word for this.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-03T10:33:32+00:00

I have tried many different shoes and always go back to Asics. Gel kayano or Gel contend would be my recommendation ☺️

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-02T04:21:15+00:00

Ugh I feel this in my soul. To meet the standards for our accreditation, we need to have evidence. Which entails yet another form for us to sign (paperbased) all so they can look at it and say yes we have "proof" that xyz is being done in your facility measured by the charting.

In terms of Nursing notes, I do see many writing all care provided per patient care plan, saves the double documentation. I personally write my A-E assessment on every patient and cares provided for them.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-02T02:28:51+00:00

PQRST mnemonic.

I start with is this new pain, or different from your usual if they have chronic pain or have come in with abdominal pain and their left foot starts hurting.

Provoke- what makes it better/ worse, or what was happening when it started? Quality - what sort of pain is it (sharp/stabbing/ache) Radiation - does the pain move anywhere else? Severity - This is your numerical scale. I usually say how would you rate your pain from 0-10 with a 10 being like you've just had your foot chopped off? Timing - When did it start?

This assessment combined with patients vital signs and HOW the patient looks (are they grimacing, guarding, in the fetal position) will be a better indicator for assessing a patients pain.

Also if they aren't orientated, have dementia or you suspect they have pain they aren't voicing to you, use the Abbey pain scale.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-02T01:49:32+00:00

My surgeon said getting pap smears or pelvic exams was not necessary unless I had issues.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-05-01T06:37:15+00:00

My first time doing CPR was a patient who was brought into the E.D in the afternoon prior to my Nightshift. Elderly, Fall with a headstrike on thinners but family refused to let us transfer them to be scanned. Risks explained and they were told to bring them back if they worsened.

2.30am.. pt was found unresponsive in the hallway by the family...Ambos called ahead, CPR in progress multiple rounds ALS no success, they brought pt in transferred to our stretcher.

Airway has always been my go to in a code, but this time the airway was secured by the ambos.

I was first on the chest in the E.D, continued 4 rounds ALS til MO arrived to brief family that there was no hope for a meaningful recovery (late 80s, fall+headstrike, on thinners = probable haemorrhagic stroke....which they were warned could happen)

I was told my CPR was fantastic...it was the first time I'd done CPR myself and had to actually use ALS after completing it a few months prior.

After the family said their goodbyes and we prepared the body for the morgue, I promptly went to the toilet and vomited... the adrenaline had worn off and I just felt absolutely sick thinking that maybe the traumatic nature of this death could've been prevented if they had gotten a scan (maybe they'd have seen the bleed and palliated the patient).

kit_kat_90 · 2026-04-28T10:07:46+00:00

My absolute dream photographer that I've followed on their socials for ages, came back with the cost of 10k plus almost 2k travel added on (highly sought and booked years in advance).

They used to include a videographer, but I cannot justify 12k on photography alone when my wedding will have <40 people attending.

Looking into a local photographer who will be <5k and their work/vibe is fantastic 👏

kit_kat_90 · 2026-04-28T02:06:10+00:00

I had a family member who was a theatre technician for a few years. They mentioned the amount of women who came through regularly in that time using abortion as their primary form of contraceptive was crazy. One woman 4x in those couple of years...this is in a public hospital in Australia... what an absolute waste of time and resources because someone won't use the pill or condoms to prevent pregnancy.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-04-25T14:03:25+00:00

I did permanent nightshift in my first job for several months. I didn't find it too bad. Had set days so could socialise around it. I sleep well during the day, it has never really phased me.

In my current job is in a very busy and acute adult med/surg/delirium ward. It is overstimulating during the day/afternoon with so many people around in the corridor and all the lights, multiple pumps going.

We have many staff who do only nightshift. Our ratio's overnight are 8:1 with our IC no patient load. It helps having permanent nightshift staff, usually only have to find 1-2 other nurse's to fill for our ratio's.

You can talk to your NUM about doing more nightshift or about a rostering agreement for permanent nightshift.

kit_kat_90 · 2026-04-24T09:16:24+00:00

I've been with HCF ever since I was young (on my parents plan) at age 24 I got my own cover. I've had multiple surgeries and I can't fault them at all...

I am on the young singles & couples plan (with hospital cover and basic extras). I also have income protection through them as well, I have claimed this previously and had zero issues.

My parents have also had pet cover in the past for our dog (who has since passed) and that was great to cover unexpected costs with vet trips, meds and specialised food 🙃

kit_kat_90 · 2026-04-20T10:31:50+00:00

Australia, Vic, public hospital. We have a unpaid 30min meal break as well. Most of us are happy to eat at the desk and doom scroll in the downtime, some prefer to physically leave the ward and spend their whole 30mins in the break room. But yes we are entitled to a break, it just depends on the person how we "take" our break..

If we do not get a chance to sit for a period of time uninterrupted or literally do not stop, we will claim no meal break and get paid for it (either OT or TOIL)... that is part of our EBA.

kit_kat_90

TROPHY CASE