Day vs. Night Shift

PANurseRN1 · Oct 13, 2006

>>>>>
I felt the exact same way about orientation on day shift. I was on day shift for 3 weeks, but I am now on evening shift, my permanent shift, since the beginning of this week. Days are different. My nurse manager isn't there to watch over my shoulder, but there are a lot of other older RNs who were constantly breathing down my neck, even the LPNs do it. I do not mind if they are constructive criticisms but if all they say is "you should know this already" or "you're an RN, you should know this" or "you're an RN, you should be thinking critically" or "you have to move faster or you'll never get out of here on time" then I'd rather not hear it. It did feel like on days, everyone is watching over your shoulder. Eve shift is more laidback and everyone is so helpful. The other orientee felt the same way about day shift and we're now both on eves, still orientees though at least until end of November. Eves are just about as busy as days but there is a different feel to it. Maybe it's the setting of the sun that calms people on eve shift, or maybe it's just the people. WHo knows???
Goodluck to you and all the other new grad RNs like ourselves out there.

Again, another post that is rude toward older nurses.

ashley_michelle · Oct 13, 2006

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling bummed about days. But, I can tell you that my Clinical precepto left me alone on wed and just 'checked' my work after I did it.. and I did SO much better. I carried 5 pts and at the end of the day I asked her what I needed to change for next week... and she admitted that SHE was part of the problem yesterday.. being in 'my' way and breathing down my neck.. making me behind and disorganized. YAY! haha. It was actually good to hear that. I just didn't know how to do first time things.. so once someone shows me.. I can pick it up. And I thought it'd be better to ask than to just do it and 'hope' its right. So anyway... things on Wed went much better.

I am looking foward to nights again. I love the people on night shift... and even if my body hates it... I'll be glad to be working that shift again. Everyone is SO willing to help you or show you somethin.. or walk you through something if you've never done it. ( and ask you if you wanna do some first time things if they have somethin you've never done)

I'll be happy when I don't have to look in my box every 5 seconds for changing orders!

I do agree that days are busy.. and nights are a different kind of busy. I"ll stick to nights for awhile... until I work on another floor/department.

ItalianRN, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2006

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling bummed about days.
I do agree that days are busy.. and nights are a different kind of busy. I"ll stick to nights for awhile... until I work on another floor/department.

I have been working for 1 year, only 6 months in Cardio & I'm still running like crazy on days. I have never worked nights but I've decided that I have to try it to keep my sanity. Days are just non-stop. I don't even have a chance to read the charts. I get slammed with Orders all day. The morning & again between 6-7p are usually the busiest times for Docs to write orders. Constant tests & the families endless questions. It's made me hate floor nursing. That is why I'm considering transferring to the OR. I just want to have at least a full year in Cardio before transferring.

How are nights "a different kind of busy"? What about the sun-downers? On the whole, aren't nights usually quieter than days? I can't imagine that they're not.

Thanks.

ashley_michelle · Oct 20, 2006

My experience with nights... being a 'different' kind of busy.. is that you're not constantly checking your box for orders.. but checking the pts. Not that pts don't go bad on days.. but with me, it seems like people like to throw PE's and have complete mental status changes and be tachy at 170-180's ... and that's what I've dealt with on nights. ....and not having the doc's there all day long.. You've gotta pull together and take care of the pt. On our floor we keep busy... pretty much as a steady pace... but most of the time we have the time to chart and get to know the pts a little bit better. We do the lab draws in the morning.. and then do the first change in orders between 6 and 7. I dont feel like Im getting pulled 50 thousand directions when I work nights.. The busiest hours for nights are 7-11 or 12ish.. and then things settle down.. you chart.. and then start your assessments again at 4.

Tomorrow is my last day.. and I"m back to nights on Sunday!!!! I can't wait. My body sure can.. but that's the only thing thats made this week bearable. =)

Nurse`Chief~Chickie · Oct 20, 2006

wow, i guess i'm the only one who prefers days. i've been on noc since august and i'm soooo not into it. i love the bustle of days, it helps me to stay organised, if i know that i have to keep a certain pace, everything goes well. on nights i get distracted, bored, tired no matter whats going on. i came from a shift that consisted of the hardest working, helpful, greatest crew, to a noc crew who could care less whats going on, ''that's not my patient'' not to mention the cnas on my shift don't do a d*** thing without specific instructions and timeline. i can't trust them to do any cares without initiating or demanding. i do prefer to be involved in the hands on care, but it's their job and they flat don't do it. i would gladly give up the hourly diff to get back to my old crew in a heartbeat.

am17sg05 · Oct 20, 2006

it is busier during days(except er) because of a lot of people like doctors and visitors and procedures are done day shift so sometimes you don't see your patient the whole day without you realizing it until the end of the shift.of course, you got a normal sleep pattern if you work days.so it really depends on the person.with me, i work night shift and i'm just gone from home while my kids are sleeping and by the time they wake up, i am there already.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Oct 20, 2006

Ok, I have a different experience that most of you, I guess. I spent the first half of my orientation on days (hired for nights). I really adapted well to the patient care, tests, visitors, therapies, everything for days and HAD TIME to talk with my patients, teach them, meet with family, and even enjoy meal breaks. And then I went onto nights. And I RUN for hours on end, putting out fires (pumps, PCAs, meds, assessments, restraints, admits, people going nuts because of disorientation, and the PILE of paperwork that goes on because "we have time on nights"! The constant pace (9 patients is the norm, sometimes up to 12??) and there's NO time to get a meal break: you'd better shovel down something you brought from home while charting.

Daytime I always had staff around willing to help and to teach. I felt useful and productive, like I was HELPING not only the patients but the staff. Preceptor was GREAT. Nighttime I feel like I'm an annoyance to the staff, as if they're wondering why they have to show me anything. They mostly make me feel like I'm taking up their time, instead of easing a burden. Understaffing seems a way of life, but instead of being happy anyone new is there, they seemed more content to complain about being overworked!

I need the nighttime schedule for personal reasons. But I felt like I was a better NURSE on days. Well, everyone says it'll get better. I hope so!

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Oct 20, 2006

How are nights "a different kind of busy"? What about the sun-downers? On the whole, aren't nights usually quieter than days? I can't imagine that they're not.
Thanks.

They're literally "quieter" because you don't have visitors after 9, students and residents and MDs are gone, like that. But with much fewer staff to handle the assessments, meds (we do alot of pain meds), admits, STUFF and paperwork (LOTS of that) you don't have a spare minute. I was far less stressed about just even GETTING to everyone during the day.

ashley_michelle · Oct 20, 2006

I wish we didn't have visitors after nine =) But our floor is a little bit different I guess. Family is allowed to stay with the pt.. so there's at least one always camping out.. and if they're a new admit.. the whole family is usually there. So we still get to deal with families.. we just dont have daughters/sons/nieces calling during they day to check on dad/mom.. whatever. And the residents are usually floating around... but it's not the whole team rounding.. which is MUCH nicer. haha =)

AuntieRN · Oct 20, 2006

My 'lovely' nurse manager changed me from night to day shift to start out with my preceptor. :angryfire
What are some honest pros vs. cons with Day vs. Night Shift

My nurse manager did the same thing. She told me I had to precept on days for at least 4 weeks. Then I can go to nights. I hate getting up so early in the am. Oh well....guess I will survive it. Good luck to us all!!! :nurse: We finally made it