Day/Night shift?

[elainebenes]

Hello! I've recently moved and am looking for a new Med Surg position. I see many positions offered here are advertised as Day/Night shift. Is this a thing, to have to work both shifts instead of one or the other? In this scenario, do nurses typically work day shift one week and night shift the next? I've always found day shift positions easily in the past. A day/night shift seems hard on childcare options, and sleep continuity. Please let me know if you've worked a "Day/Night" situation before and how scheduling has worked for you. Thanks!

[whofan, ADN, BSN, RN]

Usually its an either/or situation, probably means they have both shifts available. I personally have never had to rotate. I know the VA system does that, but the majority do not

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

My first job was rotating. At that place, you self-schedule your "ideal" schedule, the scheduling committee may have to move your shifts around a bit, so what you want isn't always what you get. That job wanted half days, half nights, some mondays, fridays and weekend shifts. If you self-schedule, you can do day/night/day if you want or 3 weeks days then 3 weeks nights.

My float pool job wanted "at least 1/3 nights". My new job will be all nights, not rotating (not sure if that means I can _never_ work a day shift - but why would I?)

[NewOncNurseRN, BSN, RN]

I work rotating. Here, we have day/night where some weeks are days and some are nights- depending on your schedule, it’s either two or three weeks of each, but I have also heard you alternate with months or schedule period. It absolutely isn’t great for childcare or same sleep schedules when you rotate every 2 weeks, but the more time between rotating is okay. People seem to make childcare work by using family.

[BeenThereGoingThere, BSN, RN]

I see this a lot in the Northwest. Especially in Montana and Idaho. Research indicates this is unhealthy, but it’s the norm. In WA and OR I don’t see it as much. Hospitals are unionized and that effects bids on jobs and shifts.

I never saw this practice until coming here. You could choose to work an extra shift but you had an assigned shift. I was shocked when I discovered the expectation. This is something I personally would like to see changed. As nurses we should be able to protect our own health as we as that of our family. Regular sleep patterns are important.

[Brooke]

Where I'm from it's very typical for jobs to offer rotating shifts and advertise them as "day/nights". It depends on the facility as to what "rotating" really means. For some jobs rotating is temporary while you are on orientation and then you will be moved to a permanent position depending on what positions are open. If your position will always be rotating unless otherwise notified, then it most likely means you will be required to work a certain ratio of days to nights. For example, one hospital I worked at required that you scheduled yourself for at least three night shifts a month. Another hospital required that half of my schedule for the month was days and half was nights. Some switch month for month and one month you are days and the next you are nights. I suggest you go into an interview and ask how they're scheduling policy works and go from there. Good luck!

[Tron8622]

for workload nights but I would stick to days . In my years of experience I see that nightshifters complain alot and cause issues at work more compared to dayshift . probably cusse they dont sleep enough lol