NIGHT SHIFT CENTRAL!

[meanmaryjean]

I've been a night shift RN for a looong time. I also do research on issues related to night shift work/ sleep problems and the 'domestic inconvenience' of shift work in general.

I'm currently doing a massive project on how healthcare institutions impact the sleep of their night shift workers, and how they allocate certain resources differently between night and day shifts.

So, I'm putting it out there- share your shift adaptation tips and tricks, your vents and rants - all things night shift related.

Why? Because everybody knows- all the cool people work nights! :)

[NOADLS]

Based on your posts, I'm not sure you're even a nurse. And if you are, I pity your co-workers and your patients.

The picture you paint is that of a self-centered, selfish slacker. And you seem proud of that. Sad.

Don't know if you play hockey, but it appears you're skating through life with your head down. Generally doesn't end well.

You are a superb troll though, I'll grant you that.

Just because I don't want to change diapers doesn't make me a slacker, nor am I self centered. At least once per rotation, I order food for our shift. On top of that, I voluntarily do some complex dressings that make more sense to do when the patients are in bed as opposed to leaving the two other more wakeful shifts with the work.

I am very keen on doing actual nursing interventions... but god forbid I change a diaper.

[bubblymom373]

Pros: great teamwork (so few people you have to work together), no bosses, no family (unless pt is dying or major health issue),

Cons: waking docs in the middle of the night, disregard for sleep time of night staff (meetings scheduled during sleep time), day shift whining ( pt wet at 0800 last rounds done at 0400 grr), being clean up for other shifts ( checking orders making out faxes)

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

Not quite sure where you get this idea from. I have done both shifts and the work amount is the same if not MORE on nights.

[NOADLS]

Not quite sure where you get this idea from. I have done both shifts and the work amount is the same if not MORE on nights.

Could be 1 of 2 things:

1) This is likely because I work in LTC where you (and anyone telling that I am wrong to say this) are working at a hospital. Would I be correct in saying this?

2) My shift is 11-7, not 7-7. Working 11-7, the majority of the patients are received asleep and don't require me.

[nynursey_]

This forum has been great. I'm a traditional day shift nurse moving into an evening/night position (3-11p/7p-7a). I'm a little nervous as to how the adjustment will go, but I figure I'm just going to try to be flexible and see how it pans out.

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

Could be 1 of 2 things:

1) This is likely because I work in LTC where you (and anyone telling that I am wrong to say this) are working at a hospital. Would I be correct in saying this?

2) My shift is 11-7, not 7-7. Working 11-7, the majority of the patients are received asleep and don't require me.

I've worked night shift in LTC, but I wasn't some holier than thou nurse who refused to get my hands dirty with ADLs and diapers. A GOOD nurse is just as busy on nights. Or at least one that is respected by colleagues, patients, and administration. Just trying to handle the sundowners on top of all other tasks is enough to keep one very busy.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Could be 1 of 2 things:

1) This is likely because I work in LTC where you (and anyone telling that I am wrong to say this) are working at a hospital. Would I be correct in saying this?

2) My shift is 11-7, not 7-7. Working 11-7, the majority of the patients are received asleep and don't require me.

OK, I will conceede that there IS downtime on 11-7 in LTC. Anyone with time-management skills can knock out all the "extra" night duties in short order and, on some slow nights, its a matter of waiting down the clock while making sure no one falls or elopes in between rounds.

This is their home, and the residents need to sleep. We (night nurses) should not be doing treatments or organizing their closets or doing foot assessments in the middle of the night because "days are too busy".

So I agree with you there, some nights most of the residents really do sleep and do not need much care.

What I don't like is how you keep saying you refuse to do direct care. You even insinuated that when you're all caught up, you'll pretend to be busy "charting" so the aides won't approach you to help with the care. I think that's pretty sad. You're setting a bad example to the aides and you're not representing the profesion of nursing very well.

[CamillusRN, BSN]

Do a quarter of the work (if that ) that day shift does about 99% of the time (the other 1% I like to tell myself that it's a more than fair trade off to get the rest of the shifts nice and quiet) and get paid more to do so? Sign me up!

I can only assume from your post and your info ("over 9000 years of experience and specializes in playing candy crush while you work") that you're being satirical. If not, you're more than welcome to work a night in my unit with skeletal staffing, multiple floor patients (many of whom are critical care), and an attached ER with regular turnover. And there is no cavalry coming to the rescue.