Need opinions: pro's & con's of 2nd shift

Sarah-

Very creative username.. Nice

Yeah you will probably have to work holidays being the new person but I look at it this way, it's time and a half!!

I love second shift... I'd probably be working it if I didn't prefer 12's.

Pros are:
-you don't even have set your alarm clock
-you can get things done before you go to work each day, like working out, housework.
-running errands like grocery shopping is super easy, stores are never crowded at noontime.
-making appointments is also super easy, because you never have to ask for late in the day, it can be pretty much any time.
-when you get home it's not all that late, so you can relax a little before going to bed.
-you make more money (3.25-7.50/ hour where I work)
-you only have to feed patients one meal
-PM care is a lot less involved than AM care
-PM med pass is usually way less involved too
-Day shift has to park offsite in a lot of places, evening and nights rarely do.

Cons are:
-You are only home for dinner a couple times a week
-Family members usually visit after work hours (but you can kick them out when visiting hours are over)
-you get more admissions on evening shift
-if you had kids, it would be a tough shift to work when they are in school

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I also love 3-11: it's a slower pace, patients are usually winding down towards the end of it, less meds to pass, less management to deal with, more money, and most important: no rush-hour traffic. I have no patience for traffic.

The downside is that when I get home, everyone's asleep...but it'll take me a couple of hours to wind down. So I'll get to bed around 1:30-2 only to get up a few hours later because the rest of the family isn't on 2nd shift. Also, you do have less of a day for yourself than you'd have if you worked 1st shift--you just have the morning, really, because 3pm really means you have to be there at 2:30pm or so, so you have to start getting ready for work around 1-1:30.

Overall though...I like it.