Working full-time at the Cleveland VA means working 40-hours a week. As a full-time registered nurse at the VA in Cleveland I know firsthand the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. For individuals like myself that work at the bedside, we work 12-hour shifts. 12-hour shifts allows for only 2 nurses to have to cover a 24-hour period. However in order to meet the minimum hours required for full-time status, a registered nurse must work one additional 8-hour shift in a two-week period. This additional 8-hour shift puts a strain in the work flow for coverage/continuity and is a stressor in nurses personal lives. The burnout, low morale, and low nurse retention rates and other negative impacts on the units at the Cleveland VA can be partly attributed to the extra 8-hour shift required. 12-hour shifts are supposed to allow for continuity of care and allow nurses the work-life balance needed to stay at their best in a stressful work environment. Allowing three 12-hour shifts (36 hours) to be full-time status is preferable to allow for optimum work-life balance. Each persons home life has their own unique demands and responsibilities and nurses need to be allowed the flexibility in their work schedule to take care of their home life all while providing quality care to our veterans when in the workplace. By allowing a 36-hour work week for full-time status, we can ensure that nurses are well-rested and able to deliver the best possible care. This change will improve job satisfaction, reduce turnover, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes. Please sign this petition to support our hardworking nurses and improve healthcare for our veterans.