Rotating Day/Night shifts

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad and just accepted a job offer at a large hospital on an Acute Care of the Elderly unit. I will be working two 12's and two 8's per week and will be rotating between day and night shift. The manager I spoke with said the shifts usually switch every 3 weeks, but there will be some weeks where I will have to work both day and night shift. I am nervous about this because sometimes I have sleep issues and have never worked night shift before. Any advice on how to adjust my sleep schedule based on what shift I will be working without becoming overly tired and burning myself out?

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Specializes in CMSRN.

No advice here because I'm a new grad too, also looking for my first position. First, CONGRATS! Second, UGH! That sounds terrible. I mean, rotating days and nights every few weeks would be hard enough but having to do it in the same week? I can't imagine trying that. I think making a strict schedule, making sure you have light blocking curtains, a white noise machine (if that helps you), and turning off your phone during the day will help but I have no idea how to tackle trying to do days and nights in the same week. Good luck!

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Thanks! I am definitely going to invest in some light blocking curtains and try to stick to a strict sleep schedule. Thanks for all the tips and good luck in your job search!

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I've had a d/n rotation for the last five years. It depends on the rotation layout.

I do 8 hour shifts. I also have a long stretch off between the end of my nights and the start of my days.

From the way you've described it, it sounds like you will do all days and then flip to all nights.

You need to ask to see how the rotation is laid out and then you'll have a better idea.

I have times when I don't sleep well, you just push on with it and then sleep like the dead on your days off.

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Specializes in Huntingtons, LTC, Ortho, Acute Care.

If you were hired for a position they most likely already know your schedule. Ask your hiring manager for a mock schedules I you can see on paper just how your weeks may fall so you can prepare yourself before starting. I personally would never accept a "swing shift" job, but to each their own, and in some areas the market is tough, luckily for me, I have always been able to work my desired shift. Goodluck!

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I worked 2 days-8 hours and then 2 nights-8 hours It was almost like having a day off. I just make sure I get a nap before I work the night shift. I also try to work 4 days and off 3 if your working the night shift you generally have worked 8 hours of your 1st day off so if you only have 2 days off you are really only getting 1 day off :confused:. It really helps to always have the same days off, but always being tired is part of the downside to working nights. :sarcastic:

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Specializes in Addictions/Mental Health, Telemetry.

Yuck! I do 3 different schedules: mostly 11a-11p; some 7a-7p, and the occasional 7p-7a. The scheduler makes sure I have at least 24 hrs off straight (i.e., 1 whole day) before my night shift. I force myself to stay up to 4-5am and then I can sleep the day of my night shift. I also have the room darkening curtains and turn my phones off. It is hard to have much of a life when you first start working nights, or as a new nurse in general. Congratulations and good luck to you.

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Specializes in CMSRN.
Thanks! I am definitely going to invest in some light blocking curtains and try to stick to a strict sleep schedule. Thanks for all the tips and good luck in your job search!

Thank you!!

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I choose to work only nights but many on my unit are rotators since you can't have a days-only schedule until you've been on our floor for 10 years. Not kidding, it's insane. But I do know that our rotators have to schedule themselves 6 night shifts within a 6 week schedule period. We do self scheduling and 12 hour shifts with a 4 weekend shift mandate during that same period. This works out to be 2 weeks of nights out of a 6 week chunk. Most get their nights out of the way in one block and I can see the logic in that. But most rotators on our unit are able to switch and keep days, working only 1 or 2 nights because we have an excess of nurses now and don't need extra people for the existing night shifts. I just wanted to put another situation out there for you and hope it's at all helpful. Good luck!

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Specializes in critical care.

Beyond light-blocking curtains, I recommend aluminum foil in your windows. It looks tacky, but it really works. Curtains only do so much.

I like to switch to day shift schedule on my days off if I can. I take lots of naps, at all hours of the day and night. I often go to bed at night with my husband even if I just woke up that afternoon, and I will take a "nap" in the middle of the night.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Light blocking blinds from Lowes and dark curtains...and white noise :)

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Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.

The position I'm starting is 12 hour nights during the week and whenever I work a weekend 8 hour day shifts.

I find that to be easier, to be honest, so long as the space in between the variation is a couple of days.

I'd prefer that over working days only or nights only. Just my 0.02!

Here's another topic that addressed this issue:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/advice-appreciated-nurses-534205.html

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