Under Discussion:

EP Lab Work Schedule
Our EP lab will be going to 8-hour shifts, 5 days a week in a couple of months. This is a decision that is widely unpopular with our nurses and techs. I am wondering if any other EP labs work 8-hour shifts (all 7-3:30) 5 days a week, and if so, what has been your experience with this scheduling format? Any pros, cons, suggestions?
Lee Henry, RN
(To reply to this question, please type Work Schedule in your subject line.)

We consider ourselves 8-hour shifts Monday through Friday, but we cannot leave until all cases are completed for each day. Rarely is our day only 8 hours, hence, overtime every day. We have no second shift, nor any replacements, so it is the same four staff members (two RNs, two techs) that complete each day, no matter how long it takes. Having someone call us "8-hour shifts" just makes us laugh.
anonymous

Our cath lab likes the 10-hour shifts for scheduling. Our EP lab does 8-hour shifts because there are not enough trained people in EP to be able to do 10-hour shifts and allow someone time off for doctor appointments, vacations, birthdays, or whatever. EP has to borrow from the cath lab for personnel. EP has more desire for time off than a 10-hour schedule.
Dana St. John, RN

We work 10-hour shifts because of the busy caseload here. About two or three nurses work 6:30-4:30, two nurses work 7:00-5:00, one nurse works 7:30-5:30, and two work 8:00-Late (whenever). We typically schedule 6 to 8 nurses a day. We used to work 8-hour shifts (6:30-2:30) and the Late nurses working 8:00-Late. This schedule caused enough overtime to cause administration to finally listen to us and change to a 10-hour shift. This type of shift also caused procedures to be put off until the next day, which we all know doesn't work anymore because of length of stay issues. I think that depending on the volume, 8-hour shifts don't belong in a procedural area. We need to be able to accommodate the patients who need these procedures 10-14 hours a day, not only 8 hours.
name withheld by request

I am not sure what you are asking/what the real issue is here (the hours the lab is open or the scheduling of the staff), but the hours for our lab have always been 0700-1530 (although we are frequently here later than that) 5 days a week. We have seven EP physicians who do cases in our lab, and all cases are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Our lab does an average of 13-15 cases per day, so there is no way we could get everything done otherwise. Most of our techs and nurses work the 0700-1530 shift, but we do have some who work 10-hour shifts (0700-1530) and only work 4 days a week. The flexible scheduling allows our staff to take classes, arrange child care, etc.
We have a "call" team that stays until cases are done for the day; there are three teams, and each takes call for a week. If someone normally works 10-hour days, they work 8-hour days during their call week. Our staff members do not carry beepers once they leave the lab. The EP lab is not open weekends or holidays.
I am not sure if this answers your question or not, but hope it was helpful.
Sue Deck, BS, RN, RCES, EP Educational Coordinator, Lancaster General Hospital

Our EP staff works 5 days a week. This allows for EP procedures to be done all week. No EP wants to work past 4 pm in the lab.
name withheld by request