Night Nurses-Pts think we sleep?

Nurses General Nursing

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I work 1800-0700 on a surgical floor. I am amazed at how many patients think we actually sleep at night. :icon_lol: I've even had them apologize for "waking me", and "gee, honey, I hope you can get some sleep." Explaining to them doesn't usually change their perception.

Not a biggie, but surprised me when it first happened.

Cheryl

me either. And I knew who to call for anything if we had a problem.

Please clarify: "Evenings is usually a newer to nursing staff in general." Maybe I'm just not reading it right but I have no idea what you are saying here. Thanks.:)
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Please clarify: "Evenings is usually a newer to nursing staff in general." Maybe I'm just not reading it right but I have no idea what you are saying here. Thanks.:)

Could be wrong, but the way I read it is the evening shift is usually staffed by newer nurses (less experienced). I have seen that trend as well. Those with seniority usually opt for days or nights. Days - for those who don't like being up all night or feel that they have to be "in the middle of the action". Nights - for those who feel that they would like to come in and do their job without tripping over therapists and physicians and managers and family members. The evening shift usually has the family members to deal with, orders to take off, the worst part of day, actually. Hence, why the shift would go to the new people - once you get some seniority, you get to go to a better shift.

Not many places even have 8-hour shifts anymore though. 12s are becoming the norm, for better or for worse. Personally, I hate them, but I know many people who love them because they get extra days off. I find that I get more done and enjoy my life more when I am working either 7-3 or 11-7. 3-11 and 12-hour shifts wreck the whole day for me.

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Could be wrong, but the way I read it is the evening shift is usually staffed by newer nurses (less experienced). I have seen that trend as well. Those with seniority usually opt for days or nights. Days - for those who don't like being up all night or feel that they have to be "in the middle of the action". Nights - for those who feel that they would like to come in and do their job without tripping over therapists and physicians and managers and family members. The evening shift usually has the family members to deal with, orders to take off, the worst part of day, actually. Hence, why the shift would go to the new people - once you get some seniority, you get to go to a better shift.

Not many places even have 8-hour shifts anymore though. 12s are becoming the norm, for better or for worse. Personally, I hate them, but I know many people who love them because they get extra days off. I find that I get more done and enjoy my life more when I am working either 7-3 or 11-7. 3-11 and 12-hour shifts wreck the whole day for me.

This is true where I work. I think one thing is that women with school age children can't work fulltime evenings and still be a Mom.

I work a 0.35 nights and a 0.25 evenings, for a total of a 0.6. I don't want to work too many nights because it would be too burdensome on my sleep and I don't want to work anymore than my 5 evening a month because of my kids, plus I like the night scene better. I want to try and get 2 of those evenings traded for 2 days, then I would work all three shifts!:smokin:

Where I work, they are pretty creative with shifts. We combine 12 and 8 hr shifts, with all the weekend ones being 12's and most of the weekday ones being 8's

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Could be wrong, but the way I read it is the evening shift is usually staffed by newer nurses (less experienced). I have seen that trend as well. Those with seniority usually opt for days or nights. Days - for those who don't like being up all night or feel that they have to be "in the middle of the action". Nights - for those who feel that they would like to come in and do their job without tripping over therapists and physicians and managers and family members. The evening shift usually has the family members to deal with, orders to take off, the worst part of day, actually. Hence, why the shift would go to the new people - once you get some seniority, you get to go to a better shift.

Not many places even have 8-hour shifts anymore though. 12s are becoming the norm, for better or for worse. Personally, I hate them, but I know many people who love them because they get extra days off. I find that I get more done and enjoy my life more when I am working either 7-3 or 11-7. 3-11 and 12-hour shifts wreck the whole day for me.

Thanks, that makes sense.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Night shift is the content, responsible ones. They show up without complaint, year after year. Do all the paperwork, restocking, cleaning of pumps, poles, wheelchairs etc. On many units they answer call lights as often as all other shifts. But no visitors for most patients and the management is asleep so they can just "do their job" without the politics.

The best place to work is a well oiled machine with the best staff for each shift.

Ya must not supervise OB is you think visitors only come on dayshift. We get as many at NIGHT where we are.

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Ya must not supervise OB is you think visitors only come on dayshift. We get as many at NIGHT where we are.

And talk about psycho/social issues...:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Home care, assisted living.
Yes, night people are awesome. We aren't so conformist. Not too many brownnosers amongst us.:rolleyes:

This is the beauty of working night shift. I hate what I'm doing to my body physically, but the peace and quiet makes it very bearable indeed.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
And talk about psycho/social issues...:rolleyes:
r

rofl, me or the visitors???? :rotfl:

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We just sit around reading magazines, surfing the net and eating. No sleeping allows. :)

Gee I thought I was probably the only nurse on this forum who was so fortunate to get to do this at work--including the option to sleep for 1+ hrs, which I don't do. Let me tell you though, it's not all it's cracked up to be. It's damn hard to sit at a job for 8 hrs at night and only do 1-2 real hours of work/ :o :) It's a catch 22: I find myself praying a pt will become agitated on our floor (or another floor so I can respond), but the problem with agitated patients on our floor is that they might wake up the other patients, then I feel bad for the pts.

Note: I know you were being sarcastic...I was not.

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r

rofl, me or the visitors???? :rotfl:

LOL, not sure 'bout you, but most certainly the visitors...

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

Or when family members call at night and say , "Oh nurse, sorry to wake you up but I was wondering..."

Actually, I'm a nightshift nurse and half or more of my shift is administrative stuff. Filing papers into the charts, 24 hour checks, checking and putting the new MARs in, (I realize most night shifts do this) and doing ALL the admit stuff; we have no charge or secretary at night.

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I work a 0.35 nights and a 0.25 evenings, for a total of a 0.6.

Can you tell me what this ......0.35 and 0.25 for total of 0.6.....means?

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