I LOVE NIGHT SHIFT!

I work nights and love it. I have 2 girls and working midnights allows me to attend activities with them during the day or events in the evening so that I never miss anything. I just have to adjust my sleep to fit the schedule for that particular day. I would never work another shift again. Plus the shift premium is a bonus!

Awesome post, thanks for sharing!

On our floor, it's actually night shift that has a waiting list! Most of our night shifters love it and there is no-one who has started out on nights who wants to move to days!

Hi everyone, let me start out by saying that I understand that we need staff 24/7 in our business, and I admire those who are able to work nights and make it work out in regard to sleep, family aspects, etc..

I have worked both the day and night shift, and both have their pros and cons, there's no question about that. However, from many of the people responding in this thread, I get the feeling that you don't like the night shift as much as you dislike working days, which I think is unfortunate. I'm thinking, is this job of ours really that miserable and stressful that we avoid working during the day? Is that what you should want coming fresh out of nursing school, be a night owl, "holding the fort" ? I think it shows the failings on part of the employer. Also, have you considered the health aspects, like the adverse metabolic and cardiovascular consequences of circadian misalignment and the increased risk of breast cancer among women working nights?

I work nights myself every now and then, but I don't think it's healthy in the long run, and I think you miss out on social interaction, rounds with the doctors where you learn alot, etc. I'll rather switch to another nursing field and/or employer where the daytime working conditions are acceptable, instead of avoiding the problem by going all nights.

Someone's got to do it! I'm glad to see that there are people who also enjoy it.

I haven't graduated yet, but in theory I think that night shift might be a good fit for me. I have school age children that I want to be involved with as much as possible, a DH who will be working from home and holding down the fort while I snooze-plus I hope to go into L&D as a pre req to a CNM someday. Truly, I'll take nights with the spontaneous labors associated with off hours rather than scheduled inductions and CS's each morning.

Just my thought.

Thank you so much for your post. I start next month as a new grad in the SICU on the night shift. I am so excited! You relieved some of my fears of the unknown. Thanks!

I absolutely loved reading this. I am starting my nursing degree in a month and am SO nervous that I am not gonna pass especially the board test. But this makes me want to be a nurse even more. I have to ask, do you work in a nursing home? I want to become an RN and work in a hospital.. and have thought about wanting to do night shift. My finace is in the process of getting his Police science degree and we'll be moving to a bigger city for him to finish police academy and he wants to do night shift also... So if I do nightshift we'll be able to spend more time together.. Your post makes me feel better about night shift!!

Keep up the good work.

What a great post!! I am a long way from becoming a nurse (just applied to school for the spring - this will be a second career), but I had really wondered about what was involved with working night shift. Thanks for the info and sharing your experiences.