Day shift

BETSRN · Feb 15, 2005

Okay! Here's a good question. What do you think... would it give me more time at home if I worked day shift?
See, I find that since I have been working nights I am sleeping before the shift, working for 12 hours, then coming home to sleep afterwards. Then, it is always such a struggle to go and get my sleep schedule back on regular days / nights. The longer it takes the more time I loose because I am sleeping when I should be spending time with family.
I have a small child who stays at home with me or goes to grandmas if I need a babysitter while I sleep. But, she will be starting preschool in the fall.
I have been told that my night schedule will be more appealing when she is in school, that way I won't be "missing" time while she is in school.
What do you guys think? Thanks in advance.

Days is exhausting in so many ways and interferes more with your daily routine. Those of my colleagues who work days are always telling me hwo they are asleep by 9PM because they are so exhausted.

Personally, my favorite shift is evenings. It always has been and it is wonderul (part-time) with young children.

mmarquis · Feb 16, 2005

Days is exhausting in so many ways and interferes more with your daily routine. Those of my colleagues who work days are always telling me hwo they are asleep by 9PM because they are so exhausted.
Personally, my favorite shift is evenings. It always has been and it is wonderul (part-time) with young children.

Just wondering but wouldn't night shift interfere with seeing your children? If you worked during the day while theya re at preschool then you would be home with them for the night? I don't know maybe I don't know enough that is why I need some help with shift experience. Thanks!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 16, 2005

Just wondering but wouldn't night shift interfere with seeing your children? If you worked during the day while theya re at preschool then you would be home with them for the night? I don't know maybe I don't know enough that is why I need some help with shift experience. Thanks!

I used to work nights when my children were small because I didn't want to put them in daycare. I was always screwed up. Either tired to the bone because I hadn't had enough sleep or drowsy because I had been sleeping too much when I was off. Now that I'm an old lady, 49, I've been on days for 3 years. I love working days and having a normal sleep schedule. I do sometimes get so tired that I go to bed as soon as I get home but that's occasionally and only if I have to work the next day. The 20-30 y/o's I work with don't have that problem. The day shift is harder but the time goes by alot faster. I would definately choose the day shift if you are satisfied with your child care during the day.

mmarquis · Feb 16, 2005

I used to work nights when my children were small because I didn't want to put them in daycare. I was always screwed up. Either tired to the bone because I hadn't had enough sleep or drowsy because I had been sleeping too much when I was off. Now that I'm an old lady, 49, I've been on days for 3 years. I love working days and having a normal sleep schedule. I do sometimes get so tired that I go to bed as soon as I get home but that's occasionally and only if I have to work the next day. The 20-30 y/o's I work with don't have that problem. The day shift is harder but the time goes by alot faster. I would definately choose the day shift if you are satisfied with your child care during the day.

Hi... Thanks alot for the knowledgeable reply. Just wondering as it seems like you have alot of experience in the LPN field. I am a 25 year married women, I have a mortgage and bills like everyone else. I have a secure, well paying, low stress job but it is very meaningless and verrrry borrring!!!! I have always had a compassion for people. Would it be worth me getting into debt to fulfill a career as an LPN in Vancouver, BC? Thanks for the advice.:)

KimberRN1 · Feb 16, 2005

When I first started I was put on nights...as most new grads are....(I have elementary age children).....I could never get straightened out on my days off.... I still stayed up half the night and slept during the day.... I usually felt like crap most of the time...lol.... But I have to say that going right into the MICU upon graduation it was a great shift to get used to caring for the critically ill since dayshift is crazy busy....After a year I went to dayshift and like it much better.....I find that I really like the hectic pace....it makes the day go by really quick...

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 16, 2005

Hi... Thanks alot for the knowledgeable reply. Just wondering as it seems like you have alot of experience in the LPN field. I am a 25 year married women, I have a mortgage and bills like everyone else. I have a secure, well paying, low stress job but it is very meaningless and verrrry borrring!!!! I have always had a compassion for people. Would it be worth me getting into debt to fulfill a career as an LPN in Vancouver, BC? Thanks for the advice.:)

I'm an RN. I was an LPN for 26 years. I thoroughly enjoyed going back to school. I would bypass LPN and go for your RN right away. Going back to school was not a financial hardship for us. I was able to work part-time while going to school. It would have been worth the debt for me. Depends on if you still have children to put through college or not. I had one already through and my second is 15 y/o so now I can focus on putting him through.

mmarquis · Feb 16, 2005

I'm an RN. I was an LPN for 26 years. I thoroughly enjoyed going back to school. I would bypass LPN and go for your RN right away. Going back to school was not a financial hardship for us. I was able to work part-time while going to school. It would have been worth the debt for me. Depends on if you still have children to put through college or not. I had one already through and my second is 15 y/o so now I can focus on putting him through.

I would definately do my RN if I could but right now it is really not feasible for me to not be in the work force for 4 years. As you have had experience as an LPN do you think the job is worth me going for? Thank you!!!!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 18, 2005

I would definately do my RN if I could but right now it is really not feasible for me to not be in the work force for 4 years. As you have had experience as an LPN do you think the job is worth me going for? Thank you!!!!

You can get your RN in 2 years. ASN and BSN's make the same amount of money. LPN is worth it if you "really" want to be a nurse. You won't make alot of money. If you have a secure job, well paid, and have children to support I would suggest taking night classes and getting all of your prerequisits out of the way so you can then do the RN program in 2 semesters. Good Luck.

jeepgirl, LPN, NP · Feb 21, 2005

Okay back to topic... I'm actually thinking it will be more of a rotating schedule. But it will be 4 day shifts and one night shift every two weeks.

I don't think that would be that bad, do you guys?

LilRedRN1973 · Mar 12, 2005

Just wondering but wouldn't night shift interfere with seeing your children? If you worked during the day while theya re at preschool then you would be home with them for the night? I don't know maybe I don't know enough that is why I need some help with shift experience. Thanks!

I did days (6:45am to 7:15pm) for 6 months. I didn't get to see much of my kids on the days I worked because by the time I got home (around 8pm) they were either getting into bed or just about to. Plus, in the summer time, I was gone ALL day long, which stunk. I was always ready to fall into bed around 9 or 10 pm, which wasn't great for my hubby, either.... :chuckle

I've been working nights (6:45pm to 7:15am) since June 2004 and LOVE it. I am gone at work most of the hours my kids are asleep. I get home just as they are getting ready for school and am able to talk to them for a few minutes, maybe eat breakfast, and take them to school. Then, I sleep while they are in school. I wake up shortly after they get home from school and get to spend a couple of hours with them before I have to leave for work.

Either shift doesn't allow me to eat dinner with my kids and husband so that doesn't factor into it. The shift I would probably NEVER want to do (and my hospital doesn't offer it in the ICU anyways) is evenings. I can't imagine having to leave for work before my kids get home from school and then not getting home until they are asleep. That would suck. The only time I would really see them is on my days off and maybe in the morning before school (depending on what time I got home the night before and how much sleep I needed).

My husband has been working 12 hour night shifts for the past 4 years at a prison. He had a taste of days for about 4 months....and LOVED it. He can't wait to go back on days. He hates working nights. I love it. It's definitely a personality thing...very individual. I function very well at night and only require around 5-6 hours of sleep. I get more than that, I feel like crap. I sleep just as well during the day as I do at night and I LOVE being able to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. Because before I worked nights, I was one of those who took 45min to fall asleep. Now, I really enjoy crawling into bed!!

And since I will beginning my new career as an RN in the ICU, I prefer to work nights to give me a chance to get used to my new role. I've been acting in the role as RN for the past 8 months as an Apprentice Nurse, but it will be VERY different once those patients are under my license and I'm soley responsible for them. I don't want to be interrupted a million times a day while I'm honing my skills as a new nurse. Plus, at night, there is ample chance for me to pick the brains of my coworkers when trying to learn new things such as diagnoses, treatments, etc. I can't stand all the people running around the ICU during the day (too many chiefs, not enough indians), the residents and docs are forever taking my charts, phones ringing off the hook, etc. I like the environment at night much better. Even the drive home doesn't suck anymore. I've learned to appreciate the sunrise over the mountains as I make my 30mile trek home (soon to be a 45 mile trek).

Melanie