NurslyPitman Schedule Explained: The 2-2-3 Rotation for 12-Hour Shifts
The Pitman schedule is a 14-day rotation of 12-hour shifts: 2 days on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off. It’s also called the 2-2-3 schedule. You never work more than three shifts in a row, you get every other weekend off, and you average 42 hours a week.
Want to see it for your own dates? Open the 12-hour shift schedule generator with Pitman, pick your start date, and print the year.
The Pitman pattern
Then it repeats. Over two weeks you work 7 shifts and have 7 days off. In week 1 you work Friday to Sunday; in week 2 you have a 3-day weekend off.
How hospitals use it for 24/7 coverage
A unit that needs nurses around the clock usually runs Pitman with four teams: two teams work days and two work nights, each pair on opposite halves of the cycle. That way someone always covers each 12-hour shift, every day of the year.
Many units keep each team on fixed days or fixed nights. Others rotate between days and nights every two or four weeks — a variation sometimes called the 2-2-3 rotating schedule. You can preview both in the generator.
Hours, days off and weekends
| Pitman (12-hour shifts) | |
|---|---|
| Cycle length | 14 days |
| Shifts per cycle | 7 |
| Average hours per week | 42 |
| Shifts per year | about 182–183 |
| Days off per year | about 182–183 |
| Weekends off | every other weekend (26 a year) |
Pitman and overtime
A 42-hour average doesn’t mean 42 hours every week. In the US, overtime is usually counted per 7-day pay week, and with Pitman most pay weeks alternate between 36 hours and 48 hours. For example, with a Sunday-to-Saturday pay week and the cycle starting on a Monday, you work 3 shifts one week and 4 the next.
The 48-hour weeks usually mean 8 hours of overtime every other week — around 208 overtime hours a year. That’s why hospitals don’t always use Pitman for staff nurses, and why some contracts handle it differently: some use a 14-day overtime period (Pitman has 84 hours in 14 days, so 4 hours over 80), and union contracts may have their own rules.
To see what a 48-hour week pays with your night and weekend differentials, use the nurse overtime calculator. If you’re not sure how differentials affect overtime, read what shift differential pay is.
Pros and cons of the Pitman schedule
Pros
- Every other weekend off, as a 3-day weekend.
- Never more than 3 shifts in a row.
- Half the days of the year off.
- A predictable pattern — you can plan months ahead.
- The 48-hour weeks often bring overtime pay.
Cons
- 12-hour shifts are tiring, and three in a row can be hard, especially on nights.
- Weeks alternate between light and heavy, which can make childcare and appointments tricky.
- Days off are spread out: you only get 2–3 days off in a row, never a long break like DuPont’s 7 days.
- On rotating variations, switching between days and nights disrupts sleep.
Pitman vs other 12-hour schedules
| Schedule | Cycle | Avg hours/week | Longest stretch on | Longest break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitman (2-2-3) | 14 days | 42 | 3 shifts | 3 days |
| DuPont | 28 days | 42 | 4 shifts | 7 days |
| 4 on, 4 off | 8 days | 42 | 4 shifts | 4 days |
| 3×12 (self-scheduled) | 7 days | 36 | varies | varies |
Put your Pitman schedule on your iPhone
In Nursly, open Add Shift → Rotations and build the 14-day cycle once — Day, Day, Off, Off, Day, Day, Day, Off, Off, Day, Day, Off, Off, Off (or Night instead of Day). Choose the date your cycle starts and generate the next 4, 8 or 12 weeks. Each shift appears in your calendar with its pay worked out, including overtime and differentials, plus reminders and a shift alarm.
Prefer paper? Download the free printable 2027 nurse shift calendar.