Day/Night with young children at home

Nurses General Nursing

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So I am looking at transferring to another unit at the hospital that will require working day/night. I currently work straight days. I did the swing shift deal when I first started nursing, but I had no kids at the time. (My kids now are 1 & 3)

Does anyone out there have encouraging words or advice for me? I would really like to take this new job - it would be a great learning opportunity. Thanks in advance! :D

Specializes in Hospice, LTC, Rehab, Home Health.

It is very difficult for your body to adjust to the frequent shift changes, so you will be exhausted from trying to work and take care of two young children while trying to get time to sleep. I'm not sure I would try it without live-in child care, but you need to do what you feel is right for you. No one can make that decision for you.

Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

I did this for about 6 months with a newborn while I was waiting to get on day shift. You do pretty much have to have someone that is going to help you a whole lot. Who is going to watch your kids when you come home from a night shift and need to sleep, because you have to get back on a day shift schedule over the next few days? If you have FT daycare and are planning on sending the kids there while you work and/or sleep, it could work. Otherwise, prepare to be very, very tired.

Of note, I also think you see your kids less. If you work when they are sleeping and sleep when they are awake, that's not so awesome.

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I wouldn't do it. I seriously would not do it. Unless you have a LOT of help set up, I wouldn't do it.

I currently work straight NIGHT shifts with a 7 year old and a 3 year old, and a husband that does help out, and it's STILL hard. I'm tired a LOT and feel like I don't spend enough quality time with them because of it.

Keep the day shift job. Sounds like a dream to me.

Specializes in ED.

Unfortunately I'm in agreement with a lot of what has already been said. I'm currently on a 12 hour straight nights schedule (currently next in line on the waiting list for a day position) with an 8 month old at home, and its incredibly difficult. I get tons of help from my husband, yet I'm still exhausted a lot of the time. I don't feel like I can give my son the attention he needs on the days I'm home to tend to him alone after my stretch of shifts. I too left a straight day position for my current ICU position. Rotating day/night is just mean IMO.

That's whats so difficult about changing jobs in the hospital setting. You almost always start out back on the bottom of the totem pole with regards to shifts. Makes it hard to want to change. Would the rotating be temporary with the possibility of a straight day or evening position? It may work if as someone else stated if you have daycare so that you are able to sleep after those night shifts and transition.

I feel for you. My ultimate dream is to work L&D, and I KNOW I wont be able to pull that one off without doing the night gig again, and I once I get back on days here I don't know that I'll ever be willing to do that again.

If you can work out the daycare details, and will be willing to deal with the toll of a rotating shift I'd say go for it if its really a position that you want. It wont be easy though.

Specializes in LTC.

Make sure you have daycare for the days you have to sleep. Those who work nights and then come home to take care of their kids all day burn out very quickly.

Also don't get in it in your head that you'll have less time with your kids because your sleeping all day. They still have the evenings with you like they do now.

The thing of it is that the day/night part of it will be a 70/30 mix. 70% of your preferred shift, and 30% of the less desired (nights). And I've been told that there are enough RNs there that like to work nights, that they will often trade. I trust the source - it has been repeated and repeated - I know the NM personally. Thanks for all of the replies!

Personally, I wouldn't do it-----unless you have a reliable child-care provider always. But I think you made up your mind on this and have accepted the position-----so I just hope it works and you don't burn out quickly!

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

casi: It's strange though... for me, I can come home and I kid you not, sleep ALL day, and when I wake up I still feel awful, like i just want to go back to bed and just keep sleeping until time to go to work. NO energy.

I actually do better when I can come home, maybe take the kids somewhere like the park, then some lunch, what have you, for the first part of the day, and then come home and go to bed around 2pm and sleep until about 9:30. My little girl gets out of school this week, and then I'll actually be able to do that for a couple of months, if I want to.

jesshopper: Well, if it's a unit that you are going to like very well, and you do have the help for when you work the nights and you are tired and wanna sleep.... I say go for it.

The awful reality of nursing is that most desirable jobs are going to involve shift work anyway, like L&D. Myself, my ultimate dream job is school nurse. A job I would really love (I think!), with great hours. Not great pay though, that's the downside of THAT.

Specializes in ICU.

ok, a lot has been said for it being hard.... and I'll agree it's not cake.... though I don't work a split (I'm pure nights) I have 2 kiddo's (22 mos and 4) with my husband at home and it works great for us. My husband works full time too, though not the typical 5 days a week. We also have a great hospital day care that's open weekends too.

Here's how I do it... I work weekends, so the 'day' of the night, I'm in bed by 11AM which means I have time to play with the kids, get them breakfast and do some general stuff before bed time. I'm up at 430P to get ready for work, spend some time, have dinner with them and get to work. Back home, repeat (though sometimes I do go straight to bed). My last day I stay up until the little one needs a nap (noon to about 3), then I take a nap with him and am back on the day routine. If we have a conflict or overlapping schedules, we use day care or a good friend of ours for the coverage. My hubby works set days a week, which I obviously don't work those days....

It works for us. I can switch back and forth relatively easily, though do take a sleep aid.... a melatonin and herb mix... or benedryl or a lovely breakfast cocktail.... all with ear plugs and a sleep mask.... I knew I'd be working nights when we remodeled our house, so the master bedroom has massive insulation in the inner walls.... :) You have to find what works for your family, though you may need to 'suffer' a little to get your way back to days.

Good luck to you-

Specializes in RN: L&D, LPN: Med/Surg, CNA: MedSurg/LTC.

I would not do nights one day, then days, then nights, etc. if that's what you're talking about. However I work 11p-7a and it's the best shift for me cuz I have insomnia. I won't do it forever cuz it's not good for your health long term (so I've heard anyway) but I feel the most awake at work and after I wake up at around 3-4pm. It's just like working days cuz you are asleep all day so it's like you're at work but you just can't sleep with your husband at night. That's the only difference that I have. When I worked 7a-3p I was dead after getting off of work and had no desire to do anything, then at night I try to go to sleep and am up till 2am tossing and turning just to wake up at 6am.

Make sure you have daycare for the days you have to sleep. Those who work nights and then come home to take care of their kids all day burn out very quickly.

Also don't get in it in your head that you'll have less time with your kids because your sleeping all day. They still have the evenings with you like they do now.

I agree. I find I get more time with my children working the night shift. But I work 3 12 hours shifts - all nights. I wouldn't want to switch back and forth. I sleep when they are at school, so I get just as much time as I would working days.

If you continue with the daycare you have now, you should be ok. They can go to daycare so you can get some sleep, just like they go when you are working days.

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