6 shifts a month2 people a night
Emergency departments
Emergency department shift planning
In an emergency department the problem is not building the rota but keeping it standing. Coverage cannot drop for an hour, and yet the schedule will change several times a month.
Example setup: an 18-person department · 3 shifts a day (08–16, 16–24, 24–08) · 4 people by day, 3 at night · 24 hours of rest after a night shift.
A typical setup
The day is split into three 8-hour shifts or two 12-hour shifts, each with its own headcount. Weekends and public holidays can carry a different staffing level.
Which constraints apply
- Mandatory rest after a night shift
- Limit on consecutive shifts
- Weekly hour ceiling
- Experienced staff present on every shift
Mid-month changes
When a shift opens up you fix that day or regenerate the plan instead of rewriting the month. Unfilled slots and broken rules appear as separate entries, so which gap needs closing is never up for debate.
How you set it up
- Define the three shift windows. Set 08–16, 16–24 and 24–08 as separate shifts, each with its own headcount. Day and night rarely need the same number of people.
- Vary headcount by day type. Weekends and public holidays usually need a different staffing level. Set those separately rather than averaging them.
- Add the rest rule that matters most. Rest after a night shift is the constraint that breaks most emergency rotas. Set it once and the generator will not violate it.
- Generate three options and compare. Each run produces three alternatives. Compare the distribution lists rather than the calendars — that is where the difference shows.
Common questions
Can staffing differ between day and night?
Yes. Each shift carries its own headcount, so you can put four people on days and three at night without creating separate plans.
How does the schedule handle public holidays?
You pick the country holiday calendar in settings and the holidays are applied to the plan automatically. You can still change the type of any single day.
Can someone be blocked from night shifts entirely?
Yes — set their night limit to zero. Their share is redistributed across the rest of the team automatically.
What if a shift cannot be filled?
It is listed as an error with its date before you publish, rather than being silently left empty. You can then relax a rule or fill it by hand.
Build your first schedule this month
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