A rotating physician scheduling system is exactly how it sounds: physicians are scheduled for a specific shift, like a night shift, and then they rotate with other teams of doctors that work the day shift for the following set scheduling period.
Some emergency medicine scheduling rotating shifts will change by day, week, or even quarter, while others will change by the hour. In a traditional rotating schedule, each staff member. changes from one shift to another weekly. However, this isn’t always possible in dynamic environments, like emergency departments.
Below are common types of rotating shifts, all of which can be scheduled via a physician scheduling system:
DuPont Shift Schedule
The Dupont shift schedule is a popular work schedule and ensures adequate coverage 24/7 by using four teams and 12-hour rotating shifts. The physician's schedule, during a four-week cycle, will look similar to this:
• They'll work four-night shifts consecutively
• They'll take three days off
• They'll work three-day shifts consecutively
• They'll take one day off
• They'll work three-night shifts consecutively
• They'll take three days off
• They'll work four-day shifts consecutively
• They'll take seven consecutive days off
Pitman Shift Schedule
The system for "every other weekend off" also involves four different teams that work 12-hour shifts. They work on a two-week cycle similar to this:
• Team 1: Work two shifts (day), take off next two days, work three shifts (day), take off next two days, work two shifts (day), take off next three days• Team 2: Work two shifts (night), take off next two days, work three shifts (night), take off next two days), work two shifts (night) and take off next three days• Team 3: Take off two days, work two shifts (night), take off three days, work two shifts (day), take off two days, work three shifts (day)Team 4: Take off two days, work two shifts (night), take off three days, work two shifts (day), take off two days, work three shifts (day)
• On the Pitman schedule, physicians will work approximately 42 hours a week and will take off every other weekend. They also don't work over three days consecutively. But, they will still work 12-hour shifts.
2-2 3-2 2-3 Rotating Shift Schedule
This rotating shift scheduling system is a variation of the Pitman schedule. It's a four-week cycle using two 12-hour shifts and four teams. The teams will work either night shifts or days shifts for a couple of weeks and then will rotate to the opposite shift for a couple of weeks.
For example, they'll:
• Work two shifts (day)
• Take off two days
• Work three shifts (day)
• Take off two days
• Work two shifts (day)
• Take off three days
• Work two shifts (night)
• Take off two days
• Work three shifts (night)
• Take off two days
• Work two shifts (night)
• Take off three days
There are other types of rotating schedules, including slow rotation schedules, oscillating schedules, and partial rotation schedules, but these are some of the most common. Regardless of which schedules work well for your team of physicians, you’ll still want to incorporate a scheduling system using physician scheduling software, like ByteBloc Software, that will help you manage your schedules more effectively.
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