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Original poster

NHS staff- how do you manage doing shifts?

14 replies

Crystalblue13 · 17/01/2019 15:36

Hello,

Thank you all you wonderful people working in the NHS. I was just wondering how you find shift work and balancing family life? Do you get to see your children enough?
Do you feel like you are missing out and wish for a different career?

You are doing a great job. Thank you! 😃

OP posts:
Elllicam · 17/01/2019 15:39

My DH and I both work for the nhs so we can work round each other. I work 2 12 hour shifts and he works 3. I work set shifts though which is far from standard in the NHS.

Original poster
Crystalblue13 · 17/01/2019 15:45

Thanks for your reply! :)
What is your job if you don’t mind me asking? Do you like doing two long shifts and getting 5 days off?

OP posts:
x2boys · 17/01/2019 15:55

When I worked I the NHS dh was also.working shifts so we tried to work opposite each other, I only have ever worked 8-4 Monday to Friday for one year when i worked in a day hospital the rest of my 20 odd years of working were ward based , I found Monday to Friday quite restricting, how do you organise appointments etc it's what you are used to I suppose.

olympicsrock · 17/01/2019 15:59

I have to do a certain number of nights so do Friday and Saturday nights. I have to be at home weekday mornings so that’s dH can leave home at 6:30 to get to work. Basically the answer is to be very organised and do a lot of planning

DonDrapersOldFashioned · 17/01/2019 16:02

I hate doing them. My DH works 9-5 and works away sometimes, so it feels like I never see him some weeks. It also triggers my migraines something terrible.

happypotamus · 17/01/2019 17:31

I work 13hr days and 12hr night shifts, often a mix of both in the same week and I rarely finish on time. I have a DC in primary school and one will start school this year. The work life balance is hard for me, for DH who has to do the evening/ overnight/ weekend childcare as well as his full-time 9-5 job, and probably for DC though they know no different as I have been doing this job since before I had them. I know DH resents it sometimes as he doesn't get days to relax at the weekend and often has to spend his Christmas and Easter holiday looking after DC as I can't take holiday over Christmas. I don't know how it affects the DC and whether they will grow up resenting the days they didn't see me at all and I wasn't there, but also they wouldn't see much more of me if I had a 'normal' 9-5 job and that would mean I would never be able to pick up or drop off at school or go to any school events so there are some benefits. However, such long shifts, often without a break and no time to eat anything and leaving late all the time, exhaust me mentally and physically so I feel like I am not a good mum even on my days off because I am too tired. I also wonder if it affects or bothers them that my work is so variable as I work different days/ nights each week so they never know whether mummy will be at home or not. I love my job (I'm a nurse) and don't wish for a different career, but I do wish for a better work life balance somehow, and I am jealous of those of you who have set shifts.

Elllicam · 17/01/2019 17:36

I’m a nurse. I like have the 5 days off, I split my shifts so I do a Tuesday then a few days off then a weekend day. It works out well.

Original poster
Crystalblue13 · 17/01/2019 18:06

Aww it sounds so hard! I was a HCA for a little while, but part time 22 hours a week and I hated doing nights! I could no way do full time

OP posts:
Original poster
Crystalblue13 · 17/01/2019 18:08

I don’t know weather to go back to doing HCA jobs as it’s all I’ve known really or look into getting an admin position for family life ! X

OP posts:
Loobieloo27 · 18/01/2019 13:18

I do bank work at my local hospital as a HCA. I choose what shifts i do to work around my husband and kids. Works so much better for me

IhateBoswell · 18/01/2019 13:25

My DP is self employed and can work from home a lot of the time, so I never really relied on childcare. I stopped work two years ago to care for my son and will be going back part time when he starts school in September.

Stompythedinosaur · 18/01/2019 13:38

It worked for us as I was able to negotiate set shifts, and we worked around each other. They were meant to be 12 hour shifts, bit often ended up being 14-15 hour shifts, and I was just so tired after a few years.

Now I do a Mon to Fri 9-5 job (still NHS) as my dc are at school and I am much happier.

SockQueen · 18/01/2019 14:38

I work part time, 3 days a week, which includes some long shifts/nights and occasional weekends. My weekday working days are fixed so DS goes to nursery on those days and DH deals with weekends.

DH is non-medical and has a very flexible job so does drop off/pick up etc.

Towerofjoyless · 18/01/2019 18:10

I work four week days 8am to 430pm, DH is 12 hour shifts Thurs to Sat/Sun. We only get 2 or 3 days a month family time due to this but it works out well for childcare.
When I was nursing I was 12 hour shifts, don't think I could ever go back to that now.

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