[cindib]

I will be graduating in about 2 weeks and interviewed for the intern program. The internship is night shift and I have never worked at night and I don't know how I will react to the change. I know that I'm new and should not be so picky and take what I can get but I really don't want nights. How did some of you adjust to nights? How do you like it? Please give me some advice. Thanks.

[MintyKorn]

Congrats! Bet you're excited to start working. Night shift isn't so bad. I started nights as well after graduating, and I actually prefer it now. Day shift there's too much people (students, other staff, visitors) that take up your time. Personally, I learned more during nights because my preceptor was able to spend more time with me one on one since it's more quiet...no distractions like with the day shift. I admit it does take a while to get used to, but in order to survive, you have to really make sure you get enough sleep during the day. I learned that coffee has no effect on me whatsoever . You'll still feel sleepy no matter how many cups of coffee you drink, so I give more importance on getting a good "day's" sleep. Pretty soon I'm sure you'll be buying some "black out" curtains and you'll be referring to your bedroom as "the cave" lolz. Good luck!

[melissah0927]

I started night shift 2 weeks ago and was scared to death....I have to say now I love it and wouldn't do day shift. You are able to learn so much more on nights, and it is so much calmer. It is busy enough that you dont get bored, nad you never know what you are going to get!!! We had a 24 weeker at 3 am yesterday

Learn to sleep during the day, turn the phone off, and enjoy the extra money you will make on nights!!!

[preemieRNkate]

I've been a nurse for 3 years, and have worked nights from the start. I always toy with the idea of going to days when I can, but I work OT on the day shift every so often and I really think I like nights better! It's quieter in the sense that there are less people around (NM, attendings, all the residents, interns, visitors, etc.) Excitement still happens at night in the NICU, babies don't know whether it is day or night when they choose to be born or code or perforate and go to the OR.

I think that nights is better for learning in the sense that a preceptor has more time to spend teaching something rather than worrying about which doc is going to come through to round on your patients and when the parents are going to be in with a bunch of visitors and when the PT is going to want to come and work with the baby and then the surgical (neuro, GI, etc.) residents are going to come to see the baby, I could go on and on. The one benefit to learning on the day shift is that more scheduled procedures happen and you may get the chance to take a baby for an MRI or CT scan or something (but this happens at night for us sometimes too).

Sleeping during the day can be tough, but if you make your bedroom dark enough, and you turn the phone off, you can adjust. The big topic of conversation with your coworkers will always be about how much sleep you got during the day, but you will get by. Good luck!!

[cindib]

Great news! I got the internship position in the NICU. I'm so excited. I knew the Lord would place me where He wanted me.

[EricEnfermero]

Awesome! Congrats!

[Gompers]

Congrats on your NICU internship! Welcome to the Neonatal forum!

As far as working nights, if you do a search on the main nursing board you'll find hundreds of posts about how to transition to off shifts. Most nurses have to do this at some point in their careers (usually the beginning) so there is a lot of information out there.

The number one thing is to protect and respect your sleep. Don't let friends or family interrupt your sleep or make you feel guilty for "sleeping all day long" when you are in the middle of a bunch of night shifts. Many nurses find it easier to group their nights together and their days off together, that way you can be in "night shift mode" for several days and then go back to being "normal" if you want when you're off. Be prepared to sleep-work-sleep-work-sleep-work-sleep, especially when working back-to-back 12 hour nights. Don't feel guilty about "wasting" a day sleeping - you will have plenty of days off to make up for it, especially if you only work 3-4 nights a week.

Good luck!