best shift for new nurses?

MIA-RN1, RN · May 25, 2006

I heard that 3-11 shift 5 days a week can make you burnout quick.......I have heard that from SO many nurses and friends.

yeah but it was that or alternating days/nights and that would do me in! :) I like the hours, I"ve done them before as a tech, and I don't think they will all be in a row...I don't know. If it doesn't work, I'll move on. Plus she is thinking about the 11a - 11p option, waiting until I start working to really move on that.

smileysenior · May 25, 2006

yeah but it was that or alternating days/nights and that would do me in! :) I like the hours, I"ve done them before as a tech, and I don't think they will all be in a row...I don't know. If it doesn't work, I'll move on. Plus she is thinking about the 11a - 11p option, waiting until I start working to really move on that.

Its good that you've done the hours before........it'll make you more comfortable when you start the shift.......I didnt know about 11a-11p......that'd be kinda cool....

flowerpower · May 27, 2006

Hello again...I work med/surg nights 7p-7a. I chose that shift b/c I am a new grad and pace is a little slower. I do get to use a lot more of my clinical skills than I thought I would. I also wanted a social life and was not a night owl. But I adjusted rather easily. I am not tired at night and have no problem sleeping during the day. Many nurses on my floor eat constantly throughout the night. They take turns bringing food. I dont want to gain weight eating poorly at night. I will usually cook big the day before I work and bring leftovers or pack a salad. after I work 3 nights I sleep till about 3pm or 4pm and can still have a social life. But good luck with whatever shift you choose.

i am planning on working night shift on med/surg and that was really helpful.. thank you for ur tips!!

SkateBetty · Jun 8, 2006

I didn't like 50 people all looking for and fighting over the same chart. I don't like needing to chart and there isn't a chair or spot at the desk available. I didn't like going in a pts room to give them meds and the pt is not in the room. They are out to pt/ot/activities/mri/testing/whatever and no one told you they were taking the pt. You just wasted 20 minutes trying to figure out where the pt is.

This is exactly why nights is a good choice for a new grad. During the day our nurses station is Grand Central Station. It can be really unnerving to the new grad, like sensory overload. :no: At night your charts stay put so you can find them when you need to make an entry, or need to verify an order. There's less commotion with team members and families at night, a neat camaraderie between nurses and care partners. Patients do not disappear from the floor, as mentioned above, but, as she said, each shift has it's positives and negatives. Calling doctors in the middle of the night can be like sticking hot pokers to your eyes. You really have to be on your toes to be able to detect a change in LOC in a patient at night. Getting a doctor to call back and give you an order for a stat head CT is unnerving when you see a patients condition deteriorating before your eyes. Still, the chaos of day shift is an added complexity the new grad is better without.