What is the Panama 2-2-3 shift pattern?

The Panama schedule is a 14-day rotating pattern using two crews. Each crew works 2 days on, 2 days off, then 3 days on — alternating between day and night shifts over a 28-day super-cycle. It provides every other weekend off and averages 42 hours per week.

How many hours per week is the Panama schedule?

The Panama schedule averages 42 hours per week on 12-hour shifts. Over a 4-week super-cycle you work 14 shifts, split equally between days and nights.

Can ShiftFlowr handle a Panama 2-2-3 pattern?

Yes. ShiftFlowr includes a built-in Panama preset. Set your anchor date, choose whether you start on days or nights, preview the full calendar, and apply it across as many months as you need.

Panama 2-2-3 shift pattern

Build your Panama rota once.
Apply it every month in seconds.

ShiftFlowr has a built-in Panama 2-2-3 preset. Set your anchor date, choose your starting shift, preview the 14-day cycle, and fill as many months ahead as you need.

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What is it?

How the Panama 2-2-3 pattern works

The Panama schedule uses two crews alternating across a 14-day cycle. Within each two-week block you work 2 days, rest 2 days, then work 3 days — then the pattern flips for the second two weeks, alternating between day and night shifts. The result is a 28-day super-cycle where you get every other weekend completely off.

It is common in emergency services, nursing, fire services, and any 24/7 operation that wants to give workers regular long weekends while keeping consistent cover.

The 14-day cycle (Week A example)

Week 1

Mon D Tue D Wed Thu Fri N Sat N Sun N

Week 2

Mon Tue Wed D Thu D Fri Sat Sun

Then the second half swaps days for nights. ShiftFlowr tracks exactly where you are and applies the full cycle automatically.

Who uses it?

Common industries and roles

🚨 Emergency services

Paramedics, control room staff, and call handlers frequently run Panama. The regular weekend-off structure makes it easier to plan life around the rota.

🏥 Nursing

Panama is popular in A&E and critical care units that need 24/7 cover with a consistent day/night split across a small team.

🚒 Fire & rescue

Some UK fire stations run Panama-style shifts as an alternative to the traditional two-twos rota, allowing easier crew rotation.

🏭 Continuous operations

Chemical plants, utilities, and data centres that need 24/7 staffing with predictable night-shift rotation use Panama for its regularity.

How ShiftFlowr handles it

Three steps to a filled calendar

1. Pick the preset

Select Panama 2-2-3 from the pattern library. Choose whether you start your cycle on days or nights and set your shift times.

2. Set your anchor date

Tell ShiftFlowr the Monday your current cycle began. It works out exactly where you are in the 28-day super-cycle and projects forward.

3. Preview and apply

See every day and night shift on a grid before committing. Apply it to as many months as you like — existing shifts are never overwritten.

Common questions

Panama 2-2-3 FAQ

How many hours per week is Panama?: On 12-hour shifts, you average 42 hours per week — 14 shifts over 4 weeks. ShiftFlowr's salary calculator works this out with your day and night-shift rates, including any weekend uplifts.
Do I always get every other weekend off?: In the standard Panama schedule, yes — you get every other full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) off. The exact weekends depend on your crew's position in the cycle. ShiftFlowr shows all of them on the calendar before you apply.
My team has four crews, not two. Does that work?: Yes. You use the same 14-day cycle — just tell ShiftFlowr which crew's schedule is yours (Crew A or B), and it fills your personal calendar accordingly.
Can I track both day and night shifts in the same month?: Yes. ShiftFlowr supports mixed shift types within the same applied pattern, so Day and Night shifts show up in different colours on the same calendar month.

Stop re-entering your Panama rota every month.

ShiftFlowr builds the 14-day cycle once and fills months in seconds, as far ahead as you need.

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Other rota patterns in ShiftFlowr

More shift patterns

4-on-4-off Hospital 3-week rotation DuPont schedule Pitman (2-3-2) Continental 7-on-7-off 3-2-2-3 Weekly alternating

Build your Panama rota once.Apply it every month in seconds.