More hospitals are eliminating the traditional 8 hour shift and replacing it with the 12 hour shift. The aim of this study was to review literature about the effects of shift length on nurses and patients. Cedarville University\u27s OneSearch was used to collect the 12 articles reviewed. Some studies indicated nurses working 12 hour shifts were at a greater risk of experiencing burnout compared to nurses working 8 hour shifts. Nurses working 12 hour shifts were more likely to experience chronic fatigue related to inadequate amounts of sleep. Furthermore, when a nurse’s shift exceeded 13 hours, patients became more dissatisfied with their hospital care. Further research is still needed before a change in policy is recommended. Implications for the present include education and modification of the 12 hour shift to make it more manageable
