[Blackcat99]

I work night shift now. I have worked all the shifts. I think my body does best on the evening shift.

[pie123]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Good luck. New grads survive on day shift just fine and you will too.

Thank you so much for those encouraging words .

[shyne]

I think it all depends on if the person is a night or day person. I'm a night person so it works out great for me. Day shift was too busy and hectic, but what made it worse was that I came into work with only 1 hour of sleep. Now that I'm working nights I'm getting 7-8 hours of sleep before work.

[BIRTHDAYRN]

To PIE123,
Happy sleeping!! I think you'll also find more experienced/senior nurses on day shift that you can draw on their experience and learn alot, too. Good luck to you.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Blackcat99

I work night shift now. I have worked all the shifts. I think my body does best on the evening shift.

Honestly, my body did the best when I worked 3-11, not too early, and not too late. It was just so socially isolating for me, so it wasn't a good idea. Now I like the 12-hour shifts too much.

[GooeyRN]

I work night shift even though my body hates it and I am unable to sleep. I like how there are less "suits" around, less pt, ot, activities, etc. It gets frustrating not being able to find your patient when you have a med or treatment due!

[jenrninmi]

Even though I enjoy working 3rd shift, (3 12's a week), if given a choice, I'd work days (7a-7:30p). There just simply are not day shifts available here - especially for new grads.

[Jessy_RN]

Also not a nurse but I had to work graveyard shift for a year and I was miserable. I could not reconcile any sleep during the day no matter what I did or tried. It depends on the person I guess.

[county162]

Pie, I am in the exact same boat as you. I work the night shift in the emergency room and when I get home from a horrible shift you would think that I would be able to knock out right away. Well, unfortunately I only get appx 2 hours of sleep and wake up feeling horrible. I tried Lunesta, but is doesn't work. The regular ambien does work very well, but it is not for long term use , so I am going to ask my doctor to place me on ambien cr. I'm hoping that once I get off of orientation my manager will let me go to a mid shift, otherwise I will have to find a new job.

[nursemike]

I think my natural clock runs for 3p-11p shift, so 7p-7a hasn't been too bad an adjustment. Some days I don't sleep as well as I'd like, but those are rare. If I have to be up at 7a, getting to sleep the night before is a bear.

I do think nights are a bit better for a new nurse. Not so much easier, necessarily, but certainly fewer distractions. I work every weekend, too, and our weekend crew is pretty much set. Nights in general and weekend nights especially seem to have a bit more camaraderie--at least on my unit.

But I can certainly see advantages to day. I had today off, but spent it sleeping. Hard to go back to a daytime routine.