Are nights the way to go???

[Toots71506]

Hi everyone - for those of you that have families and work nights, do you find it beneficial to work nights because you don't miss evening activities for your children and then you're home when they're home in the summer? You might be sleeping but you're there in case something happens. Do you feel you just have to juggle things more with family and friends? ie. starting a family get together a little later in the day so you have time to sleep.

I'm not working the night shift yet but I'm thinking that nights might be the way to go because if you don't work until 11pm then you're around for all the evening activities and you still have a good part of the weekend with your family since you are gone when they sleep. And, by the time the kids leave for school and are done with school for the day you're there. Just curious because I want to be there for my kiddos as much as possible but still want to be an RN.

[EmmaG, RN]

It worked for me, because the kids were in school while I slept. And like you say, if there was a need, I was right there.

I've done nights for over 20 years. I've tried days on the advice of my doc, but found I couldn't get enough sleep at night in order to make it through the day. So I'm back on nights, and I guess I'll stay there...

[TooterIA]

Nights works GREAT for me and my family. I have learned that I do best on 6-8 hours of sleep but if things are going on and I cant get it, I am fine for a few days. And yes it does take some juggling times of family get togethers, but it still works out well. All my night coworkers also have children and they also think it works out great.

That said, some people really cant function on night shift. Some have a very hard time sleeping during the day.

But if you think it will work, give it a shot!

Jessica

[MrsMommaRN]

i like working nights. i am a night person by nature. i work 7p to 7a 3 days a week. we self scheduel so it has its advantages. we can work three in a row and work it so we have 5-6 days off before we have to come back again.

i really like that i am able to sleep while the kids are at school and dh is at work. the hard part is in the summer when the kids are home. my oldest understands not to bug momma when i am sleeping. my 5 year old not so much.

nights is a different environment. quieter, less talking heads, rarely visitors. now by quieter the patients are awake. the majority of mine do not sleep they are fresh ortho post ops that need pain meds, help going to the bathroom, etc.

good luck in your decision. i personally love nights and would not have it any other way.

[nancykday]

I worked nights for 11 years when my children were little it worked well. I was available during the day if needed for school functions home in the PM for dinner and after school activities, Even Christmas morning worked well my children even thought they were young knew that they were to wait for me to get home before they started opening what Santa brought. That didnt me they didn't still get up early, but I'd come home with them sitting on the stairs waiting and they were extremely happy to see me

[azor]

I love night but i now have many things making me to think otherwise.In our hospital,thou i am still in orientation and was hired for night as i wanted but i noticed that around 4pm everyday,staffing calls and call off some of the nurses making night nurses to overwork thmselves as i understand.I dont think that is fair enough.

I want to go in for weekend special night for my 4month old's sake but it seems weekend specials night is fuul andthat leaves me with weekend days but my mamnager said i cannot enter into weekend plans else i work for 6 months before i can do that so i am kind of in between the two options.

I also will like to go back for my degree and i'll like some advice on which shift will be best for me to combine alll these.Thanks for the anticipated advice.

Azor

[jenrninmi, MSN, RN]

Nights work pretty well with my family. I work 7p-7a though. But I'd take 7a-7p in a heartbeat if there were any positions open.

[RN1263]

On the flip side ........

Night shift didn't work for me. My body would only allow me to sleep 3-4 hours when I got home regardless of how tired I was, then I'd lay down for 3 hours before work & still couldn't sleep. Then, the real fun stuff started- diarrhea, nausea, H/A, lethargy, ect.

My facility said I couldn't change shifts....for 6 mos.

......So, I was forced to quit.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Some people can do it and some people can't. I love nights for all the reasons mentioned by others. My patients are mostly new mothers and newborns, so not a lot of sleeping going on, but I enjoy it. I do 2 12-hr shifts a week, one weekend of back-to-back and one weekend of on-off-on. You do feel like crap some days, and day sleeping is just not the same as night sleeping. But for me, it works fine cause I only do it twice a week. I couldn't do it more than that on a regular basis, though I occasionally pick up an extra shift here & there. Good luck!

[GmanRN]

Nights...Oh man they would be absolutely the bomb...if only they were on days.

Its great for a lot of reasons...but in my opinion...you miss out on a lot of living.

Too many hours awake at 0300, at home, doing nothing.

[cmo421]

One of the best things about nursing is the versitility of hours we can work. I have gone back and forth between all three shifts and 12hr shifts during the past 28 years. All depended on what was good for the kids and my world at the time. Although days is always more hectic with all the rounding and personnel around, nights can be just as bad,especially in an ICU or ER. One thing I will say is that I found as a young nurse is that I learnt so much about independent thinking, gut feeling and setting priorities on nights. Sometimes it was sink or swim and u did what u needed to do to get through the shift. So it might take you working a few of each to find whats good for your world ,Good Luck!