Night Nurses: Why Do You Work Nights?

Mister Chris, MSN, NP · Oct 15, 2005

Working Nights..............Why?

So that we do not have to put up with all the administration B..S...!

Joking aside working at nights can be (1) very rewarding as you can spend more time on real hands on care and (2) read and learn more about the clients. On days we never had time to do that.

(3) Some clients will at night be more relaxed and chat.

(4) More money.

(5) Get more time to do things like go shopping and socialize.

(6) Get an extra weeks leave allocation in some places!

I will think of some more in a while.............

Mister Chris:specs:

Mister Chris, MSN, NP · Oct 15, 2005

Working Nights is in the view of some, a lower order of life! Something that you do in absolute desperation for extra money. I have been told working nights is specially for ugly nurses. I don't believe that - we are among some of the most beautiful people around.

We night nurses are special and have a lot to offer. For instance, who would do all the filling and tidying up, and bringing notes up to date, putting the elastic in nickers etc. etc. Cutting up bandages an restocking the clinic, and someone has to complete the head count at midnight!

We on nights always have all the same care to carry out and still have the same number of traumas - falls, incontinence, deaths, etc.

Lets hear it for the night nurses..............Hooraa :balloons: :balloons:

Love you all.

Mister Chris:specs:

nurserachel · Oct 15, 2005

My reason is simple...I don`t function well during days! Over the years I`ve just become a night owl, so nights from 7pm to 7am are perfect. I`m just so "fuzzy" if I get up for a day shift (trust me, school clinicals almost killed me) that nights are a natural for me. And I agree, I get way more hands on time at night then I could ever hope for during the mornings...sounds funny, but hs care can be one of the most relaxing parts of my night, even when I might have to do total care for 10 or more patients. (8 is usually the norm, unless I`m in charge of the floor, which happens a lot, then its just doing hs med passes) Plus, night staff rule! We are a different breed...

fluffwad · Oct 15, 2005

I used to work nights because:

the administration wasn't there....less aggravation
the families weren't there.....same as above
I've moved state to state a few times and you can get a night position a lot faster than a day position
its usually a lot quieter
less need to be politically correct

I went to day shift after 12 years because it started effecting my health. I got so that I just could not get enough sleep during the day anymore.

momof3heathens · Oct 15, 2005

I'm still in school, but I am working nights as an aide now, and plan to continue working nights once I'm licensed. Main reason is that I have young kids. I can work nights, 3 -4 a week while they are home sleeping, with my husband in charge. Gives me more time with them, less cost for daycare, and yes, less beaurocracy/interference from the higher ups. (ANd the shift differential won't hurt either!)

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 15, 2005

My reason:

I have no choice right now. No day positions exist where I want to work. Simple as that. That and it did work for my childcare situation when my kids were very young (dh was home when I was at work and vice versa).

I dislike nightshift work intensely; it goes against my entire grain---I am an early to rise kinda gal.

PhoenixGirl · Oct 15, 2005

HOw do you those of you who work nights to take care of small children during the day do it? When do you sleep?

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Oct 15, 2005

HOw do you those of you who work nights to take care of small children during the day do it? When do you sleep?

I get home while my daughter is still sleeping. After my husband goes to work at 7am, I lay down until she wakes up, around 9 am. And I also take a nap when she does during the day. And I lay down when my husband gets off work in the afternoon. So I get 2 hrs. in the morning, 2 hrs. during the day and about 2 hrs. in the evening before going to work. All together I sleep about 6 hrs. a day. It has been working out for me so far. I just like nights better. I am better at staying up, than waking up.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 15, 2005

HOw do you those of you who work nights to take care of small children during the day do it? When do you sleep?

that is the problem; we almost never get as much sleep as those working day shift. It's a dayshift world, and often others expect to function as though we are on their schedule. And w/small kids, it's very hard to get sleep when they are up, unless you hire or take them to daycare. Simple as that.

momedsurglpn · Oct 15, 2005

I work nights for a different reason. I dont really like having to turn my clock upside down most of the time but the people on my night shift make it worth it. Coworkers on days drove me crazy, really dumped on me. I actually went to nights per my request. Work better as a team because you dont have the resources available to you that days do. Day shift could really learn alot from night shift, as far as working together as a team!!!!!!! Been on nights for almost 5 yrs. and plan to stay on it.

CapeCoralNurse2be · Oct 15, 2005

I used to work nights, but I was in a lab not a nurse. I liked it because all the bigwigs were gone! Plus I'm naturally a night person anyway, nights are just more peaceful in general.

Far less docs around at night which is nice...most of the ones I have worked with has been pains in my rump.

The shift diff is an added bonus.

After I finish school I'm thinking I will go on a night shift so that I don't have to find childcare. By then both my kids will be in school during the day so I plan to come home and sleep until they get out of school at 3pm which should give me 5-7 hours of sleep, which is more than I get now and I'm not even working!!