Which is best 3p-3a or 7p-7a

Specialties Emergency

Published

So I'm currently waiting to start a ER night position either 7pm to 7am or 3pm 3am, I'm not sure which one for sure. If I take the 3-3 I'm not that worried about sleep. Its the 7-7 that scares me. If I get home at 8:00 how long should I sleep to? I can fall asleep in the day easily when I work doubles, just not use to doing it consecutively.

Specializes in Trauma/Critical Care/ED.

Worked 7pm-7a and loved it and then the manager decided to place me on the 2p-2a shift cause we were so short. HATED IT! Like others have said, you're busy the moment you walk in the door and things have barely even begun to slow down (if at all...) when you leave. And in my ED, day shift was notorious for giving you random rooms throughout the ED so that the day shift nurses had their section of rooms altogether. For example, I'd have rooms 1, 12 and 15 (room 1 being on the hallway across from 12 and 15). They'd also wait to give you 3-4 pts all at once (most of the time pts were in rooms before you even got there and weren't worked up and nothing was done). I'm glad the 2-2 was just for once schedule cause I have to say I love my night shift crew. I also think that working night shift is a lot more manageable as far as lifestyle once you get the hang of things. Good luck!

I like 3p-3a because you can get better sleep. It is a much busier shift than 7p-7a though. I like busy though. I'm moving to 11a-11p.

Specializes in Critical Care.

I find both to be busy, the afternoon is busier than the early morning but I don't really find that outweighs the benefit of being asleep at 0400, which provides me with far better sleep than any amount of sleep during the day.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

One thing about 7-7 is that in the winter, here anyway, you're driving to work in the dark and driving home in the dark...

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