Day shift or night shift - Which do you prefer? Why?

Genista, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2012

I work pm shift (swing shift). It's nice if you have small kids at home. I am home with the kids in the morning to afternoon. Husband watches the kids at night while I work. The shift differential also helps us out a bit. I'm able to take kids to doctor's appt, haircuts, go shopping, etc before I go to work. The down side is I do get home late, and sometimes that means 5-6 hrs of sleep for that day.

VICEDRN, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2012

I work days. I switched because between the two of us rns and our kids, it was becoming complicated and confusing to stay on nights.I miss nights. I liked the people better, the quiet atmosphere where you focus on patient care without management present and the awesome traumas that come in. My husband also misses nights and we think about going back when the kids are grown.

roseonye · Sep 16, 2012

i work 7-3 which i hate but i rather work 3-11cus its quite and no boss

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 16, 2012

Love evenings, can't currently do them so I'm stuck with days.

Sparrowhawk · Sep 16, 2012

Days 12's or Evenings. Nights are...horrible.

artsmom, BSN, LPN · Sep 16, 2012

one of my CNA's put it best when she said "work nights and have easier work and a harder life (always tired). Work days harder work easier life". Even after a busy day shift you can still carry on with life because it is a natural time to be awake.

macgirl · Sep 16, 2012

Artsmom not true. The truth is YOU. If you are day/ morning person go that way if you are not a morning person, but a night owl go for nights. Days would kill me. Clinicals were awful for me getting up at that hour. I would go to bed only a few hours earlier normally.I need stuff to sleep before clinicals.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Sep 16, 2012

I work nights (7P-7A). I don't have any kids, but I work with nurses who have children and they said nights are better their family. I personally LOVE working nights. I love my coworkers - we have great teamwork compared to the dayshift staff. We all get along great. I also love my night shift supervisors - all are very approachable and very knowledgeable so they serve as a good resource. I also love the shift differential haha :) I don't think I could ever do days...especially for what they pay you where I work and the amount of stuff you have to deal with. I figured I would make $600-$800 LESS per paycheck working dayshift and that's too hard of a pill to swallow for me, tbh.

The cons of working nights: my husband works days. A lot of times he will be coming home from work and ready to take a nap while I am getting ready for work and about to leave. The "transition" day (the morning I get off and then I am off for a few days) kind of sucks, too...I feel like a zombie that day. I flip-flop back and forth between my night shift sleeping schedule and sleeping during "normal people hours." Other than that, I have no complaints about my shift :)

Debilpn23 · Sep 16, 2012

\ said:
There are pros and cons to choosing a preferred nursing shift. But what is right? I mean - if you haven't tried it how will you know.
What is your current working shift? Do you like it?
What are the pros and cons of working your preferred shift?
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Work nights on a dementia unit

Works for me as hubby also works nights

seanynjboy, BSN · Sep 16, 2012

Every shift has its pros and cons. I am not a nurse yet, (graduate in APRIL!!!) but I have worked night shift/day shift as a pharm tech and personally prefer night shifts.

I do not have any kids, I am a night person and I get some of the best sleep when I sleep during they day.

When I worked day shift, I did not get the best sleep. I woke up a few times a night and never felt like I had enough.

The best way to find out what you like is to try them out for yourself. HOWEVER the thing with night shift is you have to do it for a few weeks/months before you can make a judgment. You need that time to get your body acclimated to the shift.

Most people have their own personal bias against whichever shift. Some people say NIGHTS ARE HORRIBLE, and some people say I HATE THE DAY SHIFT PEOPLE. I like everyone and people have stress on whichever shift. No one is more important than the other.

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2012

night shift.

*no docs

*no family

*no mgmt

*no problem :)