ALL nights or day/night MIX shift to pick? HELP! need to reply to recruiter!

evolvingrn, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2012

It depends...i work a mix ...........but i only have to work 2 night shifts a month at most... its not so bad. i have worked all nights and i was tired all the time. I don't get tired just working one night here and there.

singinRNwannabe · Jan 28, 2012

i LOVE night shift. Especially just beginning your career, it may be less stress for you to not have as many other professionals in the mix while you are trying to navigate your first job. Plus I find it that more nurses have time to help out a new grad during night shift.

my opinion

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2012

I work permanent nights. I keep the same schedule, so on my nights off I stay up. I've tried flipping....doesn't work for me at all. If I want to do something during the day, I can be up by 1pm. Very rarely have I needed to be up for 9am to go somewhere, so it works well for me.

nursemaReN · Jan 29, 2012

My vote is straight nights. We're required to rotate on my unit. I do a 2 week night / 2 week day schedule. I'm constantly messed up. For instance. I worked last night and have been up since 3:30 yesterday afternoon. I'm off until tuesday.

Like one of my friends says, "nights are god awful on your body, but at least it's straight something, and i'll take it"

gagirl1124 · Jan 29, 2012

I've worked both nights and days. When I first graduated I worked a mix and it almost killed me. I worked 12s and often only had one day to get my clock reset so to speak when going from a day to night or vice versa. Days to nights isn't as bad but nights to days can be brutal. For example you work Sunday night from 7p-7a. You're off Monday and then have to work tuesday 7a-7p. So you try not to sleep Monday or only a few hours and then you can't sleep that night and then you're exhausted all day Tuesday. I would ask the recruiter if it would be a whole rotation of each for several weeks at a time or a few days of each per pay period. You can do a mix but it's just hard. Especially if you have a family and responsibilities that can't work around a mix easily. Good luck and I hope you get a great job!

NewAggieGrad09 · Jan 31, 2012

I have been a day/night rotator since I started in Dec 2009. I was hired for rotation, which was good for me because I wasn't sure what I would like better. Our scheduler told me that she could see me as a night person...and she was right! Even though I prefer nights, I am not ready to commit to one, because sometimes days works out for me (like when I work weekends). However, I only do days about every 3 weeks, and 3-4 day shifts tops...anymore than that, and I'll have a serious attitude! I'm naturally a night owl, so when I am on day shift, I can't sleep til about 12am or later, even after coming home from a rough day! I do sometimes have nights and days in the same week...IDK how I do it, but I manage! Maybe next year, I'll ask to be strictly nights.

I would ask if you could try mixing first, then have the opportunity later to pick just one. If not, I'd go for the nights. I didn't see much of a difference as to what I was able to see and learn on day shift vs night shift as a new grad. Good luck!

Martha Clark · Feb 1, 2012

My suggestion is all night shift for at least 6 mths. As a new grad you're already stresed-Don't push the envelope-nurse since 1978!

NocturneRN · Feb 2, 2012

Hi all nurses.com!!
I am a new grad ready to start my new job soon, however had a question for you, the recruiter called me and asked if I wanted all nights or day/night mix shift.... I have no experience so wondering what the pros and cons and maybe what you would prefer picking and why?
ALL night shifts: i would have to adjust for only for the first few weeks??
Day/Night Mix shifts: i would constantly be adjusting my sleep schedule?? would i be a zombie?
THANKS in advance for any comments or advice!!:redbeathe

I'd definitely go for straight nights for several reasons:

__it's easier on your metabolism, and MUCH easier to schedule appointments, etc.

__the pay is usually better

__there aren't as many interruptions (phones ringing, visitors and bosses milling around, piles of new doctors' orders)

__there's a camaraderie on night shift that you seldom see on days, because you HAVE to work as a team. When you're working rotating shifts, you don't quite "belong" to nights OR days

__(my opinion only) people who work nights tend to have flexible personalities

When I started with my present employer, they had only nights available, so I agreed to try it for the 6 months or so before a day shift opened up. Once the opportunity to switch to days presented itself, I thought very hard about it and said "No, thanks, I think I'll stick to nights." That was 13 years ago, and I've been on straight nights ever since.

It's not for everyone----some people never do manage to adjust to sleeping during the day, and eventually find that they're better suited to the other shifts. And some have commitments (small children, etc.) that make working night shift very difficult. But, for those who can manage the switch, it's a great shift to work and gain experience.

miriamlpn · Feb 8, 2012

I'd do all nights. A shift mix really gets to you physically.

mmmc2 · Feb 9, 2012

Hi all nurses.com!!
I am a new grad ready to start my new job soon, however had a question for you, the recruiter called me and asked if I wanted all nights or day/night mix shift.... I have no experience so wondering what the pros and cons and maybe what you would prefer picking and why?
ALL night shifts: i would have to adjust for only for the first few weeks??
Day/Night Mix shifts: i would constantly be adjusting my sleep schedule?? would i be a zombie?
THANKS in advance for any comments or advice!!:redbeathe

Take all nights. I have worked both and day/night mix is so much harder for your body to adjust too. I'll never do a mix again!

SDHealth, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2012

I was offered a day/night position, and I took it. It was in the area I felt is a good area for a new nurse, and being out of school for two years and licensed a year ago, I couldn't be too picky. I believe they do it in set weeks, so 2 weeks days, 2 weeks nights. It may not be ideal, but I have not had much luck in jobs at hospitals. This was the best opportunity I've been given, even if the schedule is not desired, but I believe the experience will be worth it. :) In your situation, I would say take the straight nights though.

froggy8, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2012

WOW thanks to everyone for the advice!!!!!!!!! I appreciate everyones support!! Especially since it is soooo hard to get a job in a hosp as a new grad....

I'm going to buy my vitamin D3 tomorrow - 1000units... maybe I will buy the one with calcium (calcium with D) but I will compare tomorrow at the drug store.... not sure if that vit D3 is much less or not...