Day shift on medsurg?! Advice please

[xanderfan]

Hi everyone. I have been working night shift on a medsurg floor for a little more than a year now and I recently got approved to the day shift starting in a couple weeks. I am so nervous. This was my first job at a hospital and I'm just now feeling confident and comfortable in my skills as a nurse and I'm afraid that it's a mistake to rock the boat. But the reason I'm switching to days is because nights have been extremely detrimental to my health overall. I've gained weight, I've been stressed and easily angered. On my days off I'm still adjusting and feeling exhausted and sleeping those days away. I really want the normal schedule that comes with days but I'm so so afraid and nervous of what to expect and the business and how to schedule oneself and generally driving myself crazy with worry. I was wondering if anyone had some advice on how to be successful and time efficient in days on a busy medsurg floor or if anyone that did such a transition can give some tidbit advice for someone struggling.

thanks in advance.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

https://allnurses.com/nursing-career-advice/day-shift-vs-1137115.html does a good job going over the differences.

[anewsns]

It's just busier. Sometimes it's just the unknown that makes you anxious. It's like the same thing except you're dealing with more families , docs , therapies and stuff. It's still pretty controlled though usually. But with more people around you get more help. When you finally get out there your anxiety will start to fade because you'll know what to expect. Your mind is probably causing all these unrealistic scenarios that are unlikely to happen. (That's my experience with anxiety at least ). Self scheduling is a no-risk endeavor so definitely don't worry about that. Just have someone show you. As far as time management just have meds and assessments done early so you can start charting and handle whatever comes up. Following doctors in rounds helps you anticipate next things and mention any extra details. I just tell myself to be thorough and proactive” which sounds like sort of intense wording but it will save you time and energy and anxiety. Simply acting on things helps.