Should I feel bad about this?? New grad wanting to quit days.

[Bonnie86]

I'm a new grad one month off orientation and have been working days. I have been totally overwhelmed. After talking to many of the night nurses I decided I wanted to try nights. I think that's the best place for me as a new grad.

I asked to be moved to nights, but but my request was denied due to needing nurses on days and being told nights were too busy for a new grad ---- to busy for a new grad??? Apparently I ask too many questions and don't function independently enough. If you ask me, that ALONE would be reason to move me to nights. Honestly, I think it's more about keeping nurses on days than my feeling safe.

Anyway, someone I know told me he might could get me on nights on his floor. It would also cut my driving to down significantly as I currently drive 1 hour to work and back. I'm currently at work about 14 hours (due to late charting) plus 2 hours drive time = 16 hour/days. This new place would be about 15 minute drive to work. Should I suck it up and stay feeling overwhelmed on days or bail to nights? I feel really bad about it and wonder if my emotions should play a role at all in my decision.

What would you do???

[Guest296136]

Orientation is overwhelming. Stay on days, you will learn a lot more, due a good year or 2. Nights you need to be more independent and those skills you learn on days will caring over and really help you with nights. I have had many new grads go to nights and it takes them much longer to feel comfortable and learn more skills.

[Jess_Missouri_RN]

I have been on nights for 2 years on a busy med/surg floor. Spent 6 weeks on days for orientation and welcomed nights. Nights are busy and like others have said you get more patients, we don't have a unit clerk so all admissions fall on the nurse but we are a very close group, we always help each other with admissions, difficult patients etc. We have 6 full time RNs. But we also have less PCT help. We primary a lot and when you have more patients than day nurses and primary it gets frustrating. Know you do not have all the help like days. You are more independent and have to really rely on fellow nurses to help. One plus side is no family at the bedside, more patient focus and I find I know more about my patients than day nurses, most of the time I get more time to talk to the patients and read their charts. We have a lot of night owl docs so they are either at the hospital late or awake when you need them. Very rarely have I been spoken to rudely by a doctor and that may be because we don't call for every little thing, we work things out ourselves and call when necessary.Having said all that I am done with nights. Mainly because I am missing out with my family. I will not do days where I currently work so I am seeking a day job elsewhere. But the closeness that we have on nights (nurses and techs) is irreplacebale and I will miss it. We are like a really close family and it's nice.

[bradons]

I try to trade all my nights for days as I can't stand the boredom of nights.

[RockinChick66]

Well, I wouldn't ever leave one job without having another. Thanks for the advice. I just don't feel days are right for me as a new nurse and I have the anxiety it causing me.

I worked nights when I first became a nurse. I oriented on days and it was a night mare, there was no way I would have made it on days. I work days now and it's much much busier than nights. However, nights does have it's own set of problems. Confused people for instance sleep all day and stay awake all night. But during nights, you don't have all those orders to carry out, meals, accu checks. There is so much going on during days. It takes some experience on nights to feel comfortable on days.

I would go nights, you will learn at a slower pace. It was good for me. Good luck.

[Bonnie86]

I haven't given an update on my status in a while, but I ended up getting offered the night position at the hospital 15 minutes away from home and I took it!!! I will start orientation there this Friday. I'm excited about the night position and having a little more time to breathe at night, connect with my patients and learn more about their conditions.

[Merlyn]

Cheers!!!!!

[Awesomepossum]

At my hospital nrew grads aren't allowed on nights all the time since "The floor is busier during the day and you need more experience" Um ok. I have 7-9 patients at night and we don't get breaks or lunches. I never leave my 7p-7a shift before 9 for the most part and days are WORSE!

I can be on all nights after a year but I don't intend to put up with this place after my year ticks by