Anyone else hating morning shift?

Nurses New Nurse

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I just got a positon in med-surg in January and I just completed orientation. I love, love, love the people that I work with. The nurses are very nice, helpful, the techs are awesome and for the most part many of the doctors are very pleasant.None of them have cursed me out yet. lol. I love working 12 hour shifts but hate first shift. It is just too busy and hectic for me.

In the middle of giving meds dressing changes doctors are calling to talk to me. Radiology, cat scan calling, family memebers thinking I am their loved ones personal private nurse, pharmacy calling, the lab, and tons of new orders and of coorifice infiltrating IVs and who knows what else will pop up I feel so overwhelmed at times. I know I have to learn how to prioritize better and I will improve as time go on I just not liking days right now in med-surg.

When I first accepted the position it was for nights but the nurse manager begged me to go on days because 2 travel nurses were leaving soon so I went. Right now the nurse patient ratio is 6to 1 but that will soon change to 4 to 1 because the nurse manager has hired 14 more new grads. I am learning a lot but damn this is to much. Does anyone else feel this way?

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Yeah...I'm not a fan of day shift either, mostly because I'm seriously not a morning person. I was hired for evening shift, but for the last month and a half, I've been on day shift because they wanted me to get used to how things run on day shift, and I guess it's good training for me to be organized and all that stuff. I absolutely hate getting up at 5AM, but I'm kind of over it, and it really doesn't help that I'm getting a whole lot of sensory overload first thing in the morning. It sounds like things will be getting a bit better for you once your new grads are all trained. I'm starting on evening shift this week, and I am totally thrilled about the prospect of not feeling all groggy at work. Anyways, I hear you. Funny thing is I kind of got put into a day/evening position which I'm totally cool with. I guess day shift sort of grew on me, that and my hospital's coffee.

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Specializes in ER, Rural Nursing, Public Health.

I LOVE night shift personally. Days seem to drag on for me... I used to do nights, but my manager had only day openings on the new unit I am on...

Let me tell you something - even though days was such a struggle for me at first, because of being tired and the things you mentioned (I am in the ICU, so things get overwhelming fast) , I am so glad I did it... I have been a nurse for almost 2 years and I have learnt SO MUCH more on days, hands down then I ever did on night shift (when I was medsurg). I pick up some night shifts in the ICU here and there, but I get bored because I am not using my brains as much as on days.... this is me personally guys. I rarely see a physician on nights - no new orders, rarely any tests, less admits, no family bombarding you with questions, pharmacy not calling you every 5 min......

All I am saying is, I know it seems like He** right now, you probably will look back on it as valuable experience. I always appreciatd the comraderie on nights though...

Chou

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Specializes in ACNP-BC.

I've been an RN for 8 months now on a med/surg/tele unit & I am working the 3-11 shift which I really like a lot. When I was orienting, I spent my first 2 months on the 7-3 shift, so I could really learn how things operated. I did learn a lot, but having 6 patients (some on tele too) on that shift is too nutso for me to handle. Me and the other new grads were always running around stressed out. I'm so much happier on the evening shift, even though we get so many admissions on our shift some days. But overall, I like the evening shift so much better. Plus I love being able to sleep in until noon if I want to! :)

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I wish our hospital would do some 8-hr shifts- I think 3-11 would be the perfect one for me!! I can't decide whether I like 12-hr days or nights better. I've never been on my own on days- always had a preceptor or someone with me; it does seem like you'd be busier and crazier a lot of the time; I think each shift has its advantages and difficulties, it's hard to figure out which one you really want.

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Specializes in Peds - playing with the kids.

i have to admit it...i'm a night shift girl;) ;) . so is my best friend (in nicu). i always say that we would turn to dust if we had to work in the light of day :nono: :nono: (which i did do for many years).

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.

I am a new grad (Dec 05) and work in the MICU. I LOVE the shift I just got this week! 11:30 AM to midnight. No staying up all night, no getting up early :lol2: These are my body's natural hours! I have been on day shift the last three months learning the day shift protocol and am thoroughly tired of getting up at 5:00 AM. BOO to day shift!

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Specializes in NICU.

Gosh that would be rough for me too. I'm a total night-shifter, I love it!! At my last job I was on orientation on days (for about 2 months) and I HATED it, I would just cry every day, it was awful. I'm just not a morning person at all. I moved to nights and it was great. I'm starting a new job next week though, so I'm crossing my fingers I can orient on nights.

Good luck to you! If you're a nightowl, I know how hard it is to work days. You couldn't pay me enough to take a day shift. Maybe try talking with your NM to see if you can move to nights (if more travelers come in or whatever). Most people prefer days, so I don't think you'd have a hard time finding someone new coming in to switch with you. Hopefully sooner than later. Good luck!

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm all about the night shift! I am NOT a morning person, and tend to stay up very late, so when I was orienting on day shift last year, I was going to bed only a few hours before I needed to get up. Plus, night shift doesn't have all the docs rounding, or patients going for tests, and there are fewer parents, and I can just focus on patient care! Speaking of night shift...time to leave for work!

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in Australia as far as i know we have a 3 shift day 0700-1500, 1430-2200 and 2130-0730 some hospital vary slightly. i hate the morning shift, a billion morn meds and showers being the worst!! not to mention early rises...

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Specializes in Medical, Surgical.

before i started the AM shift....i already knew that it was going to be hectic and i was right...i work on a post-op surgical floor which is also a regular med-surg unit so you can imagine. we have to oriented 6 weeks on days and 6 weeks on nights. eventually i will end up on nights. i worked the night shift primarly for 6 years before i became a nurse and love it. i can concentrate, the families are gone home, not many doctors running around, 3 pts arent coming back from surgery at the same time, and the patients "try" to sleep. on the positive note, i am glad i am being "broken in" on days because i am truly learning alot. the new grads on nights are taking 2 patients and i am still on my one but i help my preceptor with hers doing whatever needs to be done.

but DAYS + NICOLE = DONT ADD UP LOL!

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Specializes in Surgical Telemetry.

I too hate day shift. I have tried it and cannot adjust. I have to get in bed at 8pm and still feel like a zombie when I get up in the morning. I can't stand it and I don't drink coffee or any of that stuff to get me going in the morning. When I interviewed for the position I start next week as a new grad I made it clear that I would work any shift but days because really no one wants to put up with me at that time of day. I would love to work 12 hours, it's not set in stone whether I'll be working 3p to 3a or 7p to 7a. I've been working night shift for a while and like it. I also liked working 1030a to 7p. That was a nice shift for me. When I start my new job though I have to orient on day shift for a time and then finish my orientation on nights. I'm not looking forward to the day shift thing, not at all.

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