Day shift or Night shift

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Sep 11, 2018

At most hospitals, you do not have a choice. Most new grads start off on night shift. After they develop seniority, they are able to move to day shift.

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Sep 12, 2018

Ignoring random anecdotal claims like the one above. At more hospitals than not, you have a choice. You can even work 9-5. It's all up to when the people who train on the unit you're getting hired for actually work on that unit. If you're training with someone that only works nights, that's when you're working. If it's someone that works 4 10 hour shifts in the middle of the day, that's going to be your schedule. When that's done, then you get the shift you got hired for. But it's all up to, surprise, where there's an open shift that needs to be filled. The majority of people prefer day shifts, nursing is no different. So there's going to be more night shift jobs for new graduates than day shifts, just because more people are wanting to work the day shifts. This myth of you have to earn your stripes before you can work a decent shift is just pure BS. You might not be able to start with the best job at the exact place you want to work, because that job doesn't exist for anyone, but you'll get a job that works with your life outside of work if you're open to having more than one option of where you'll consider working.

Anyway, you want to aim for days because that's when all the chaos is going on on top of the ton of work you already have to do, dealing with the doctors, discharges, and all that other fun stuff. You want to get in there and learn.

WanderingWilder, ASN · Sep 12, 2018

Hey everyone,
I am in my last semester of nursing school and have been debating on what shift I would like to work. The shifts at the hospital would most likely be 12 hour shifts. Being a mom of 2 young kids that are in school and looking to expand our family in the future. What are the pros and cons of each shift when trying to balance a job while being family oriented?
Thanks

I'm a new grad on days. I think no matter which shift you work you don't really get to see the family on workdays. I leave in the morning before anyone is up and at night I only have an hour until they and I go to bed. If you do nights you are going to need to sleep most of the day. Most of my class did end up taking night shifts but a few of us found day jobs so they are out there. Look and apply early, don't wait until graduation to look for a job.

mindofmidwifery, ADN · Sep 13, 2018

Nurses I've talked to on nights say they stay up until their kids go to school, sleep until their kids get out, and are able to spend time with them. Day shift nurses spend time with their kids on their days off. I think either schedule could work, it really just comes down to what you prefer and what your body would do best with.

Miss.LeoRN · Sep 13, 2018

Days can be hard to get as a new grad, especially in hospital settings. Not saying it's impossible, but it's more likely you will be on nights. I can't relay the benefits there might be for you, but night shift has always been great for me. I don't enjoy 12's as much as I did 8s, however I do love working only 3 (4 if I pick up) days a week vs. 5 days a week.

I'll start with 5x8's. I worked 11pm - 7am. I went to work after kids were in bed, got home in time to maybe see them off to school. Really depended on when they went to school; in middle school I could see them off, in high school they were out the door as I was coming in or already gone. I would unwind and sleep until they got home from school. It was family time, dinner, bed and some time with my husband before I was off to work. I worked every other weekend and on my off weekend days my days off happened to me Monday and Thursday. Set schedule and at the company I worked for very hard to change. I felt like I was never home with this schedule, even though I had a good 6ish hours with my family every night. However, it was difficult to work doing anything as a family into this time frame considering it was from about 3pm - 9pm. I also rarely had time with just my husband.

Now that I am on 3x12s, I am definitely home more! I am actually starting my first of three tonight after having 5 days off. It was glorious, I also love the side eye my husband give me (we love to tease each other). Anyway. I can't say it's all roses. I do love that I can make my schedule. I either do 2 and 1 to minimize the "after coma" or do my three straight and get it done with. However, working nights, I don't see my family much on the nights I woke. I see the kids when they get home for about two hours, then my husband gets home from work practically as I leave. When I get home in the morning everyone is already gone. I sleep a good 10 hours, then get up and get ready for my shift, and then repeat. If I do 2 in a row, I get home after that second shift and I can sleep my usual amount of time (maybe a bit less), get up, and I spend the rest of the night and my days off (however many until my next shift) with my family. Of course, attempting to sleep at night is a no go, so I binge all my shows while everyone sleeps, see them off in the morning, and sleep while they are at school/work. If it's been 3 days in a row... that day 4 is gone. I'm sleeping the whole dang thing away because by then I am typically exhausted. I'll stumble out of bed around 8 or 9pm... spend a small amount of time with the kids and my husband till he's going to bed and then repeat the same as any other night I am home. Binge watching and making breakfast in the morning. When I was still studying for my BSN I would use the time at night to do school work or study. This was always the easiest time for me because it was quiet and everyone was asleep. I didn't feel guilty for trying to set aside "OMG STOP BOTHERING ME!" time. I always try to have 3 days off between any shift, just because of the recovery I feel I need after multiple shifts together. If I can't do 3, then 2 is okay. I make sure to never do an every -other-day type schedule it's just dreadful.

Whether something like this works for you or not, I couldn't tell you. I am a night person. Always have been. I can't sleep at night for the life of me and never have been able to. If you're not a night person, no matter what you do night is gonna be absolute dreadful for you; especially if you attempt to adopt a "normal" schedule on the days you have off.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2018

Everyone that I know in my general area of the country is hired into a day/night rotation. The only people I know on straight days have worked on the same floor for 15+ years. Straight nights was the coveted schedule when I worked in the hospital.