day shift vs. night shift vent

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2011

i work night shift and there are just things i dont understand.....
1. report is started exactly at 6:30am, why is it necessary for the day shift to run in late, then decide to still put on makeup, get their coffee, start talking....i'm ready to go home, i'm sleepy..please be considerate
2. i've heard the rumors that "night shift nurses are lazy". i'm sorry that you feel that way but we have different responsibilities in our shift, and i feel we make sacrifices with our family...besides if its so much easier, why dont you try it?
3. it's nice to smile in the mornings and say hello. its very rare to see a day nurse come, smiling, and saying "good morning". Even though i'm tired and sleepy i still know how to be polite.
4. Dont ask me details about every single thing about the patient...example, "what date was this test done?", although you know the patient has been there for weeks. I gave you the results of the test, and technically i'm responsible for giving you report for the previous 24 hours, or even 12 hours...
sorry these are just things that have been piling up on me. I am in no way putting down one shift over the other, instead of giving examples of things i experience. I am always early to work and make sure I give myself extra time if needed. Yet, i have only been a nurse for 6 months and see that nurses either are burnt out or appear to hate their job.

1. For the same reason night shift arrives late. And needs to put away their lunch, chat with their co-workers about how they did not sleep well and are tired, etc etc. I'm tired too and want to go home.

2. For the same reason night shift workers tell Day staff that they "have to get so -and so ordered better hs sedation. And they have to move this pt closer to the nsg station, and by the way this broke during the night - please put in maintenance req and get it fixed right away, No I did not fill out the req- you can do it.

If days are so easy, why don't you come and work days???

3. I seldom see a night shift come in smiling. Usually they come in complaining about how they did not sleep well, are tired etc. I"m also tired after my shift am polite. I'm lucky to get a "hello" from a night shift worker.

4. Night shift nurses ask day shift nurses the exact same questions.

Cuddleswithpuddles · Oct 5, 2011

Sorry to hear that! We have tough jobs as it is without friction amongst ourselves. I am happy that I have always had good experiences with either shifts. Problems are with individual nurses and not labeled as a "lazy night shift" problem or "uptight day shift" problem.

Problem number one is definitely something to talk with the manager about.

Orange Tree · Oct 5, 2011

Our day shift nurses come bouncing in singing whatever was on the radio on the way to work. And they get there super-early with coffee in hand. I'm sorry you work with cranky people :)

LVN2beRN · Oct 5, 2011

Ya, I agree, you may need to look for another place to call home,

Cris

melmonlove · Oct 5, 2011

like i said....i am only speaking from my experience. @PepperTheCat: i see you are going through exactly what i am going through, except vice versa...didn't mean to insult you

@JDBinCA: i would love to mention problem #1 to my manager, but she is the type of person that will point fingers and say ,"so and so doesnt like that YOU are coming in late...blah blah". many of these nurses coming in so late have been there years and i'm a newbie, so that wouldnt make me look so good.

MLMRN1120 · Oct 5, 2011

i think the night vs. day shift debate has gone on long enough :) Nobody is perfect, nurses should all work together and not be at odds with each other.

I am a night shifter, and I have worked days. I wouldn't say that either shift is easier per se, but I am definitely sticking to night shift because days seem a bit crowded to me with students, administrators, meals, etc...

I agree the tardiness is something to bring up with a manager, I come to work super early so as not to begin my shift in a rush. It does drive me crazy when day shift comes in late, but I usually let it roll off my back, since I'm happy to be leaving! lol

Queen2u · Oct 5, 2011

I know that no matter where we all work, there will always a rift between day and night shifters.....I honestly think it SUCKS!!!!!! We all need to get over it and learn to work well with each other!!!!! I guess that will only happen in my dreams.....that won't stop me from being the best nurse I can be to my patients!!!! Life goes on!!!!! :nurse:

Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 5, 2011

1. For the same reason night shift arrives late. And needs to put away their lunch, chat with their co-workers about how they did not sleep well and are tired, etc etc. I'm tired too and want to go home.
2. For the same reason night shift workers tell Day staff that they "have to get so -and so ordered better hs sedation. And they have to move this pt closer to the nsg station, and by the way this broke during the night - please put in maintenance req and get it fixed right away, No I did not fill out the req- you can do it.
If days are so easy, why don't you come and work days???
3. I seldom see a night shift come in smiling. Usually they come in complaining about how they did not sleep well, are tired etc. I"m also tired after my shift am polite. I'm lucky to get a "hello" from a night shift worker.
4. Night shift nurses ask day shift nurses the exact same questions.

I think the OP is just venting from a bad day at work and not commenting on the day shift vs. night shift aspect.

Shazoom · Oct 5, 2011

I have the best of both worlds so I do understand where you are comming from. I work 2 days, then 2 nights, then have 2 off - repeat.

If people are late for report then they can read the charts and the 24 hour report, I would just hand over the keys/phone whatever it is you use to communicate and head home, you are not obligated to stay later due to someone not being professional and on time. In saying that you must also be on time and show up early and ready for report.

I hope your shifts go better, I dont think the days vs. nights will ever be over... seems to be a trend not just in nursing!

Good luck!

Shazoom

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Oct 5, 2011

Both shifts have their drawbacks, and every place and the team that works there has different personalities. I've worked both, I think dayshift is too hectic, I will gladly oblige the missed medications and dressing changes if they spent half the day just trying to keep the patient with a pulse. Or if they had to deal with a stickler family who is still cranky, I will use 5 minutes to try to smooth them over to a place where they feel we are doing the best for their family.

My favorite nurses are the ones who realize it's 24 hour care, and things get missed or just fall to the wayside because they usually aren't the biggest priority of the moment.

I only get upset when someone made a big mistake...like not catching a big deal rhythm change (rapid a. fib) three hours ago and I'm calling the doctors and they want to know why it's three hours later before the change is reported so something can be done.

No point in getting upset over every little thing, it makes for too much burn out, too many stress cases, and miserable work environments. Changing the work environment involves changing each of us. :nurse:

JSBoston · Oct 5, 2011

I've worked both sides and I personally think days is a thousand times harder than nights! I switched back to nights, because the money is better, but when I was on days I thought that shift should be making the higher wage with the differential. Where I worked, Days has the horrible med pass at 9am, two meals, getting everyone up out of bed and washed for therapy, dealing with rounds, doctors, families, picc line dressings changes, wound measurements, wound vac changes, all labs, appointments, hemodialysis, consults ETC ETC ETC.

I was personally always there 30 mins early to get a start on stuff because it was such a hard workload, and it was always 3-11 and nights who came in late, and were chatting it up hardcore while I was dying to get out of there. Good thing I don't work there anymore! It all depends on the facility I think.

day shift vs. night shift *vent*

day shift vs. night shift vent