I LOVE NIGHT SHIFT!

Hopefully someday I can say that I love night shift but I surely don't see that day coming anytime soon. I just came off of my 7p-7a shift and I just don't want to go back! It was horrible for all. I had 8 patients last night. When I first came on the shift, I had three patients. I had to straight cath an elderly lady for a urine sample. It was horrible. I used two kits with no results. I felt so bad because it was hurting her. I had to get antibiotics started and get report on my two new admissions. One admission was coming to me with a K+ of 2.2, glucose of 1000, lactic acidosis, lethargy and blood pressure of 80/50. She was a DNR/DNI. We tried to bolus this patient several times to get her bp up and then we tried to give her Kdur PO but she aspirated, then the doc wanted me to run ns w/40 of K and then they wanted more boluses, meanwhile, I have meds to give on 7 other patients and I have another elderly woman who needed to be straight cathed. She would not keep her legs open and I swear it was like she had another part down there. We had one aide on the floor who had to sit in a patient's room who was trying to get out of bed every few minutes. So I'm cleaning and caring for my patients and don't get me started on the charting and arrythmia strips that needed to be interpreted. Everyone else's assignments were equally difficult. I had to force myself to go to the bathroom. In the morning, I had labs to draw, another attempt at the straight caths, bp's and glucoses that dropped on two patients, docs to update, nurses to update, it's just as overwhelming for me on nights as it was when I oriented on days.

Oh lordy Sounds like you had a rough night.... the lady with the BP of 80/50 sounded like she needed to go to a higher level of care, I could understand them not wanting to admit her to ICU with her being a DNR, but still, with a ratio of 8:1? She should have been somewhere else. I feel for you hon, those kind of nights are the worst

I have worked nights forever and became a Rn 2+ years ago. I was fortunate to even orient on nights, never had to do a day.............love it, enjoy and continue to learn..

Yeah! I'm glad you like your shift, and it gives me some relief to know I'm not crazy for wanting nights. Thanks!

we actually have nursing students that are in leadership or almost done with school working with a preceptor 7p-7a, I did have to do dayshift in school...

To the OP, your post put a song in my head by Ray Charles, Night Time (is the right time)
It wouldn't take much tweaking to adjust the song for your shift.
You know the
night time, darling
(night and day)
Is the right time
(night and
day)
To be
(night and day)
On the unit you love, now

"Do you mind telling me your hours and when you sleep? I am married with a 4 year old and want to try to think of how I could balance my time between my family and my work. I am sure that it is do-able, I just do not have anyone to ask."



I am a single parent, the 2 children that are still home are 12 and 14 so it's a little easier for me. I work 7p-7:30a, get home around 8, unwind until about 9 then hit the sheets. If i have to go back that night i get up at 3 so i can spend some time with the kids, maybe make a little supper(maybe throw a corndog at them, lol). If i am off that night, i get up by 1:00 so i dont waste a day by sleeping and then i can go to bed at night...it's not always easy and i confess i am rarely certain what day it is....but i work with a great bunch of woman and we work as a team...so, i'll sleep later!

I the nightshift also. I guess that's why I am the "nightshiftnut".

yes night shift can be a blessing. it can also be a major downfall. in example.... getting ahold of the person you need in the middle of night is not always easy. but at night we do get more in touch with our residents. night shift normally has much less staff than other shifts. we have to work as a team for the patient. i'm in process or orienting in a large nursing facility. the size seems to be the most overwhelming part. new facility...new rules... and different system for doing everything it seems. nothing that bad. just will take a little time to get into the rotine of night shift again. what other shift can the lpn on duty do more than some day shifts rn. yet we are the lowly aide that helps the little old lady to bathroom for the 20th time during the night. and dont take the lowly aide as a negative. they are just assisgned the bottom rung of the ladder. without them, our lives would surely be extremely tough on a good day.

I would first say Thank-you for all the wonderful posts about night shift. I have worked all shifts there are and to me the night shift is the best. Night shift crew care more about their co-workers than any other shift and before I get a Bizillion replies to that comment please let me finish. I do not mean the night is is a more caring shift than days or evening hmmm let me put it this way.:
Days--hard working have to tolerate the facilities Brass and the Dr's visits which is time consuming. They have more Dr.s orders and such...I am talking floor nursing here... Wants to get home to family and their plans
Evening...Hard working Tolerates more Dr.s orders and visits and many family demands not to mention this shift has more transfers and admissions and more deathes than days overall ( I will catch flack over that one.) This is usually the younger crowd so they go out after work and play.
Nights.. Hard working more over all paperwork than the other two shifts ie: New mars, labs results, stuffing charts (unless) you have computers then they do chart checks and follow through to see if every thing was entered or done.. Death visit often on this shift also, However this shift sometimes have time to really get to know their co-workers on a personal level. Statistically night shift have fewer socializing time than any other shift (out-side of work) Night shift is not normally clickish in a less desirable way although you will find that at some place any where. They are usually friendlier and more helpful to their co-workers on an overall basis. I myself love Nights and of course now the 12 hr shift have caused a blurring of the norms. I am very happy for you that you found a GOOD
night crew. Congrats and good luck,....Sorry I was so long winded.


TuTonka