Day Shift Anxiety in New Grad- should I talk to my manager?

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I am a new grad nurse recently out of orientation. I was hired for a rotating position (to learn as a new nurse), equal time days and nights. On nights, I feel good. I am still scared as a new grad, but I feel that I am able to safely give care for my patients... And, after lots of self-reflection, I truly feel that I am meant to work nights.

When I oriented on day-shift, my anxiety level was off the charts. And I am not an anxious person. I always felt behind, and I despite very positive feedback, I feel that I was not a good nurse on days. I was unable to sleep, and would constantly think about work even on days when I was not working or had some time off. I had this pit in my stomach that would not go away, and my heart was racing whether I was working or not. On nights, it was not and is not like this at all.

I feel that I really need to talk to my manager about this. I have come to this decision because I went to schedule myself for the next scheduling period (on days) and I burst into tears just thinking about going to days again. I know I would learn a lot by being on day shift (and I definitely did while orienting), but I feel that my mental health would suffer.

My question is, am I right that I should talk to my manager and ask them to go to straight nights? And, how should I go about this? I am thinking that honesty is the best policy, but I don't want them to think I am crazy. I am also thinking about confiding in my nurse educator, who I feel could give me some good advice.

Any advice or feedback would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Psych.

Talk to your manager. I hope they are compassionate. I wish I talked to my manager. I had MAJOR anxiety too as a new grad. Many institutions expect new grads to be totally up to speed and taking a full load of patients (i.e. 1.5 loads) in a few months. It's really an insane expectation. Be kind to yourself and stick up for yourself. What you are experiencing is all too common :) My first job was on a med-surg floor orienting on nights and I was physically sick from anxiety for 2 months straight. Couldn't handle the stress, so I left that job and began working as a nurse in a pediatric office for 3 years. Not a bad thing, because I still learned tons, but I recognize that I let my anxiety consume me. Talking about your anxiety is a good way to combat it. Tell your manager everything you just wrote! I believe that the smartest, most conscientious nurses are the ones that deal with the most anxiety. I'm sure your manager would be thrilled to have you on nights (which are usually harder to staff anyway) but I agree that honesty IS the best policy. In my own hindsight 20-20 experience, here's what I would have said to my manager: I become so overwhelmed by all of the new information coming at me. When the pace gets too chaotic, my anxiety kicks into high gear and I feel like I am rendered useless. I can't think straight. I feel like if I was given a more manageable workload, overtime I would build the confidence I need to pick up speed and begin taking on a larger patient load or higher acuity patients. Right now, I don't have the confidence to take on the tasks at hand, and it's causing me so much anxiety that I'm beginning to shut down. I wanted to bring this to your attention because I believe that I am a very conscientious and capable person. Safety is the number one priority in nursing, and as an employee of this hospital I want you to be confident that I will always provide the safest care to my patients. Is it possible to arrange my schedule such that I can decrease some stressors and focus on learning/technique?

If your manager is not flexible or willing/able to help your situation, this is NOT a reflection on YOU. So don't take it personally. Just know that you did everything you could to direct your destiny :) My guess is that you will get good support :) Best of luck! Claire

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Specializes in Neurosciences, stepdown, acute rehab, LTC.

I think they will appreciate your honesty.

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Specializes in Postpartum, Med Surg, Home Health.

Sorry for typos as I am on my phone on the app.

IV espresso I had a very similar situation. I started med surg and did 5 weeks f orientation on days. I was soo anxious, it was terrible! I was so stressed out, I would came home and couldn't stop thinking about work. The night before work I would get anxious and be in a crabby mood. Riding up the elevator my stomach would turn and I would literally have upset stomach as soon as I got onto the floor. Then I went to nights...oh my goodness what a difference!! I was amazed and I couldn't even believe the difference that day and noc shift were. Gone was most of my anxiety and other problems! I have stayed on nights ever since then. I am per diem so it was easy to schedule myself only for nocs. Often times day shift staff would ask me to work for them, just reading that text from them my belly did a flip flop, so I always declined.

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Specializes in Postpartum, Med Surg, Home Health.

Wow I accidentally posted before I finished my post lol.

Anyway I wanted to just add that I am now starting my post partum position this week and am super excited! Perhaps, after some time you may decide to go I to a specialty, if you haven't decided already, and that will help with your stress as well. Good luck!

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Do not confide to anyone that you are that anxious on days. It can and will be used against you.

Simply state you prefer night shift. They will most likely jump at your offer.

Also... lay off the IV espresso ;)

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I think they will appreciate your honesty.

I doubt it. Confiding in your manager is a really bad idea that might come back to haunt you later. Just request straight nights. It's not necessary to give a reason other than that's what you want.

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The manager does not need to know about your anxiety issues. You do not need to get tagged as a "high maintainence employee" who needs all kinds of special accommodations.

If you pitch the idea that you really love nights and that nights would work best for you, that would be better. Nurses who work straight nights are valued by managers.

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Thank you everyone for the honest feedback! Now I feel that I am more torn. I am just scared that if I request straight nights with no explanation, the answer will be no.

I am just curious, perhaps it is because I am new... why is confiding in my manager a bad idea? At my hospital, management and clinical leads are overwhelmingly supportive on our unit, and I know this from my own experience and from talk from other units. I suppose i understand that I wouldn't want to be labeled as "high maintenance", but I also don't want to hide or bottle up my concerns.

Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

I would talk to your manager. It isn't uncommon to feel overwhelmed on days, it is faster paced and a million people around. Talking to her, or someone else, may make you feel better!

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When I was on a hospital floor we had MANY people who wanted days so it was not considered a problem if you volunteered to do only nights. Sometimes I volunteered to do a few months of only nights because alternating was more difficult sleepwise.

I agree with others - just tell your manager you prefer a straight night shift.

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Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

I can really relate to what you are going through. I did three months on days for my orientation period and it was pretty awful. I was extremely stressed out and hated going to work. At one point, I was standing at the nurse's station in the morning before shift and I could barely stop myself from breaking into tears. It was just so bad. However, I knew I was going to nights permanently after orientation and always had the hope that it would be better. And it is. i have to admit, I am still stressed. But it's not nearly as bad as days. I wouldn't go back on days for anything, despite issues with sleep.

I can tell you that I did talk to my manager at my first review. I told her how I'd been feeling and she told me about her feelings when she first became a nurse and encouraged me to hang in there. I don't know if I did the wrong thing telling her, but nothing bad seems to have come of it. I wouldn't make this a habit, though. Now when people ask me how I'm doing I answer in an upbeat way, even if I feel ready to quit. The only time I talk about my stress level at work is when another new grad talks with me confidentially about how bad they are feeling. Then I will talk about what it's like for me too.

I think you should ask to just go straight to nights. Where I work, they wanted me to have my orientation on days so that I would learn some of the stuff that doesn't happen on nights very often, like discharges and etc. Other than that they were glad to have me on nights. Often, hospitals need night shift nurses so they may be happy to put you on nights permanently. Good luck!

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