I would like to say thank you to all of you who will share your opinion/experiences on this site. I am a step up student and been in nursing school for 1 year. I use this site for tips and reviews while I am at school.
My question is about what shift would be most appropriate for a student that will graduate in a couple months with some patient/medical background experience?
During my preceptor, I was told to start at night shift to hone your nursing skills.
I really appreciate sharing your thoughts and your experience.
I think Cygnus hit the nail on the head. It's just very different. I am a new grad and I started on day shift. While I do hate being busy CONSTANTLY and sometimes feel like I'm drowning, I really like being able to sleep like a normal person and I value that over pay. My body just wakes up at 5am all the time now because I'm used to it. If I had to move to nights (for example if I moved to another unit), I would. But my preference is definitely days. So what I'm saying is if you're a new grad and you start on FT days, it IS possible, albeit painful, lol.
Ideally, you get the basics on night shift: now to turn, position, clean up and chat with a patient. How to change a dressing, place an NG tube, draw blood, change IV tubings. How to look at orders, when to look at orders, what to do with orders. Where is the blood bank? The pharmacy? The cafeteria? Where do I find a sphygmomanometer? How do I work with a Pyxis? Where do I find the most frequently used phone numbers? Where are my resources? What's important to know about my patient and where do I find it in the chart? How do I chart vital signs? What else do I need to chart? All that and more, and without visitors vying for your attention (because the ice is too cold) or doctors showing up to change that dressing NOW.
After you're comfortable with the basics, you can see a lot more on day shift. Plus you'll have a framework for fitting all that new information together. It's hard to get excited about seeing the latest brand new wound vac when you've never seen ANY wound vac before and aren't really sure what they're good for. You might meet Dr. Imaworldfamoussurgeon, but if you haven't read his notes in the chart, taken off his orders and read his journal article on some topic that is hot right now, it won't mean as much to you. You also might see Dr. Imaphdinnursingandthenursingdirectorofyourhospital, but you won't know who she is, how she fits into the organizational structure or why she might be there. You might get the chance to watch someone placing a central line, but if you don't know how to flush it or dress it or where to get new IV bags and tubings for the brand new line, you'll be too stressed to appreciate seeing it go in. Also, by the time you get to day shift you'll be more comfortable calling pharmacy, walking to blood bank, talking to visitors, calling doctors and accessing lab information.
trumpetlove17
9 Posts
I think Cygnus hit the nail on the head. It's just very different. I am a new grad and I started on day shift. While I do hate being busy CONSTANTLY and sometimes feel like I'm drowning, I really like being able to sleep like a normal person and I value that over pay. My body just wakes up at 5am all the time now because I'm used to it. If I had to move to nights (for example if I moved to another unit), I would. But my preference is definitely days. So what I'm saying is if you're a new grad and you start on FT days, it IS possible, albeit painful, lol.