12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Katie B — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 02:43:05 GMT

[quote user="salliee5"]

[quote user="Katie B"]

I work 5 days a week, about 60 hours a week. 3/4 days I wish!

[/quote]

Sorry! I then misunderstood your original post, I thought you said you only worked 3-4 shifts a week?

Anyway I do have to agree though, I have worked all manner of jobs and although I do find Vet Nursing the hardest and most demanding, because you have gone through so much to get there and it is your brain that is underpressure the long hours just fly by! AND you get that sense of achievement - well somtimes!!

[/quote]

No offence taken hun, it did write like that but unfortunately doing four 12 hour shifts and one 8 hour shift. The boss is horrible, he shouts at you in front of staff and is just awful. You can ask him a question and he just flies off the handle. Just thinking about September and finally starting my training. I have my placement now and will be so happy to finally start. Scary how much I want to say I am a qualified Vet Nurse. Just wish I had done it when I was 18 lol!

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

salliee5 — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:41:41 GMT

[quote user="Katie B"]

I work 5 days a week, about 60 hours a week. 3/4 days I wish!

[/quote]

Sorry! I then misunderstood your original post, I thought you said you only worked 3-4 shifts a week?

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

FINNIGAN — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:20:23 GMT

can i just say my daughter is rest manager in lge hotel, normal folkes haha, like us etc have to supposedly stick to eu working regulations, this states we only work to a certain amount of hours each week (i know this doesnt always happen) but apparently it is not the same with the catering industry they are for some reason excempt from these rules as the job is classed as unsociable hours, i know a lot of you will say its the same for us nurses, but am just trying to make a point, i have looked into my daughters hourly week , which for a young girl is quite horrifying, she can do up to 80 hours a week and over 12 hours a day with just a short break, im afraid they are allowed to get away with it, if its not for you then change jobs.

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Steph Phillips — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:07:08 GMT

[quote user="Katie B"]I understand that nursing is difficult but it is my DREAM job, so running around nursing and doing OOH I will absolutely love[/quote]

AMEN!! thats what I was getting at.. but some people took it the wrong way .. in no way did I was to imply that waitressing was harder .. cause I know it's not, there is more to think about in nursing, more responsibility, more hands on etc etc.. I was simply saying that for ME (not everyone else) running around waitressing was more draining (physically - not mentally) than Nursing - because 1) I hated it & didnt want to be there 2) I did far more hours & my butt never touched a seat - Nursing though.. yes we are a quiet practice, but we do have our busy days and I LOVE them.. So, again, I was simply suggesting that maybe Katie felt the same way as I did back then!

It does get you down when your working in a place you hate - and lifts your mood when doing what you love! Simples

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Katie B — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:10:55 GMT

Thanks everyone for the advice. But I wasn't debating about nursing or anything. I am a grafter and always have been. My boss is hideous but I will try to my keep my lips shut and think of September. I understand that nursing is difficult but it is my DREAM job, so running around nursing and doing OOH I will absolutely love, especially if I am working for a charity hospital (thats the dream!) I don't doubt you all work hard. I just can't wait to be doing these type of hours in my choosen career, rather than working for some ignorant, rude man who has no respect for his staff and the type of hours we do.

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Katie B — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:57:21 GMT

[quote user="salliee5"]

Hello,

For every 6 hours you work, you are entitled to 20mins break, so your employer is doing no wrong from what I can see I am afraid - but I am happy to be proven otherwise!. (http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/workingtime.htm)

If you are only working 3-4shifts a week, that is 36-48 hours a week and I think most VN's will admit those hours look pretty similar to ours!!

Obviously the best scenario is for you to leave this job and get another 'better' job with less hours that is better paid but hard to come by no doubt!

If you can bear it, stick with it, the fact that you only work 3-4 days means that you have 3-4 days OFF a week, this is way more than a usual 2 days!! Make the most of all this time you have together, go for long walks with the dog and boyf together?

Best of luck,

Sal x

[/quote]

I work 5 days a week, about 60 hours a week. 3/4 days I wish!

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Claire Cameron — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 20:59:11 GMT

[quote user="Steph Phillips"]the hours katie is doing waitressing is far more draining than the hours nursing.. def not saying the job is harder, cause it's not.. just more physically draining - you are constantly RUNNING around![/quote]

I wish I could say I've worked in a practice where all my time as a VN isn't spent running around.

I have been a waitress and it was DEFINITELY not more draining than nursing. In my current practice my feet barely touch the ground.....I have to strongly disagree with you Steph

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Sal the 1st — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:24:50 GMT

ok having read this

these are jobs that I have done that have entailed sometimes working a 12 hour shift

restaurant/bar work, factory work in food and textiles ( and dont you believe the hours are strictly regulated because they arent especially if you are on piece work, cleaning, working in an industrial laundry/textiles repair shop. Maybe I have been unlucky in the practices that I have chosen but from my point of view nothing has been as physically and mentally demanding as veterinary nursing.

I do feel that as keen as prospective trainees are that many of them come into this job with totally unrealistic expectations of what this job entails, which is probably why the drop out rate is so high - and that is what I was hinting at in my original post.

I do hope Katie can find something better to tide her over but I fear when she does start her training within a placement she may find the conditions of work will be at least on par with what she is experiencing in her current job - unless she is very lucky.

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Steph Phillips — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:35:36 GMT

[quote user="niknoks"]Sorry but have to disagree with you steph, i worked as a waitress before i became a VN and can say in my job now im running round even more so than i was as a waitress!! Im on my feet all day, only occassionally get lunch and rarely/never get to sit down. By the end of most days at work my legs and feet are killing me. I agree Katie will probably like the job more than the waitressing job but as for it being less tiring, unless your in a pretty quiet practice it will probably be just as tiring.

[/quote]

Yup - we are a quiet practice lol.. so for me the waitressing was far more tiring - I guess it all depends on individual practices - so can't really compare to ALL vet practices.. just what I know from experience

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Nikki Graef — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:02:42 GMT

Sorry but have to disagree with you steph, i worked as a waitress before i became a VN and can say in my job now im running round even more so than i was as a waitress!! Im on my feet all day, only occassionally get lunch and rarely/never get to sit down. By the end of most days at work my legs and feet are killing me. I agree Katie will probably like the job more than the waitressing job but as for it being less tiring, unless your in a pretty quiet practice it will probably be just as tiring.

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

salliee5 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:00:17 GMT

[quote user="Steph Phillips"]

Might have read it wrong, (apologies in advance if I have!) but I don't think that it's fair to imply that Katie should find a more suited job - hours wise if she can't handle what she's doing now.. Purely because that this job (waitressing) is only to tie her over til september, and given her enthusiasm on wanting to become a VN - being busy, doing 12hrs as a VN she'd probably love!

[/quote]

Nope not what I meant at all!! I was merely suggesting that in an ideal world this would be a perfect solution!

But we are not (sadly) in an ideal world and from reading Katies other posts her boss seems like a bully with whom she cannot speak to! I also understand that financially they need as much as they can get.......so I was just saying, that 12 hours a day is not hideous compared to nursing, and that actually only working 3-4 days a week means that those 3-4 days of free time can be used to their full advantage!!

But if I am to be honest, which is what this forum is all about, and put myself in Katies shoes from what she has told us, I would need to sit and think long and hard as to whether the shouty boss, long stressfull hours were worth the heartache, maybe there is a more suitable job out there!?

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Selena Carnell — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:54:41 GMT

I've done 13 hr days before with say 15 mins to wolf down some lunch before passing out. most practices will insist you do have a break but then you do get days when you are understaffed and work wth a broom up your bum too.

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Steph Phillips — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:53:08 GMT

With all due respect to the two Sal's.. the hours katie is doing waitressing is far more draining than the hours nursing.. def not saying the job is harder, cause it's not.. just more physically draining - you are constantly RUNNING around! I know cause I was a restaurant manager for 9yrs and did waitressing before that, and I sometimes help out at the restaurant where my sister works..

Katie - I think you ought to speak to your manager, Simply ask if you do the hours agreed at the time of interview (30hrs), and don't be affraid to say 'no' if they ask you to work overtime.. yeah the tips are brilliant, thats what I miss most lol... but see if your manager will sit down with you & the rota and work something out between you?

Good luck xxx

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

Sal the 1st — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 09:51:11 GMT

I would agree that this is pretty much what you can expect in the veterinary world as well hours wise and more plus on call if your practice covers its own emergencies - the only difference is you would no way be taking home tips (unless it was the odd bunch or flowers or box of chocs if you are very lucky). Not wanting to put you off but I feel you should know about this before you start your training and commit to something that might not be to your liking.

Re: 12 hour shift with half hour break, wrong?

salliee5 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 09:40:06 GMT

Hello,

If you are only working 3-4shifts a week, that is 36-48 hours a week and I think most VN's will admit those hours look pretty similar to ours!!

Obviously the best scenario is for you to leave this job and get another 'better' job with less hours that is better paid but hard to come by no doubt!

Best of luck,

Sal x