Day Shift vs. Night Shift

[Nurse3242]

Hi, all! I am beginning my first RN job in an ICU next week. I was hired on for nights, and had heard that most people begin on nights because it is a slower pace and provides a good learning environment. However, the unit I am beginning on has told us that they have a need for day nurses and want to keep a few new hires on days after orientation. I have the option to stay on nights as hired or go to days, and I am so blessed to have options but so torn as to what to choose! My hospital offers a night shift differential of about $4/hour which for a new grad, seems huge. I have also heard from people who work on this unit that the teamwork on the night shift of this particular unit is awesome, and the people who work at nights love their coworkers. However, I worry about night shift taking a huge toll on my social life and my health, and wonder if days would be a better option.

Any advice is so appreciated!

[KeepItRealRN, BSN, RN]

I have addressed this very topic right here.

[AutumnLeavesRN]

As a new nurse, the day shift would offer you the opportunity to be apart of more codes, bedside procedures, meeting and getting to know the doctors you'll be working with, etc. Most docs don't come on night shift to do any kind of bedside procedures. You will be able to see firsthand what PT/OT do when working with the patient or if your facility has a wound care nurse they usually do dressing changes on day shift and you can learn a lot with them also. Respiratory is around the clock and collecting your own ABGs is best to learn from an RT that's willing to show you so that in an emergent situation you don't need to wait for anyone. Day shift does offer you the opportunity to get more experience. As a new nurse, I would want to get exposed to an environment that would get me more experience than more money, especially in critical care nursing. Not just learning skills and assisting physicians with bedside procedures, but also learning how to interact with other HCP's and patient families.

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

Do you have intesivists in house 24/7? I actually did tons of procedures on night shift. Do you have to make a decision right away or can you maybe give it a month to decide? I'd want to know my coworkers because your coworkers make a huge difference in your work environment.

[Dranger]

Nights equal better teamwork, slower pace, more cash (400 a check for me) but also a seriously hit to your health/social life. Motivation and energy can be in short supply on days off.

[KeepItRealRN, BSN, RN]

Dayshift or Nightshift, if you're working 12 hour shifts you're not going to have a social life on the days you work anyway.

[ED Nurse, RN]

I've been in night shift the majority of my career and have seen every procedure you can think of- there isn't less procedures on night shift where I work, we do it all! I've even assisted a CT surgeon in placing a pt on ECMO bc he had no other staff with him.

[PatMac10,RN, RN]

I think that video summed it up pretty well. My first job in CVICU, which I still work Per Diem we were required to do both days and nights, but we got to work mostly one of the other bc it was self-scheduling and people had their preferences and it was s pretty even split.

There are benefits to working both, bc you see both sides of the coin. I'll admit that you feel more rested, many times on your first day off after series of days, but I still prefer night shift.

If you establish a good days off transition routine you can still find working night shift doable and having a social life. I have an active social life and have worked nights the past 5 years!

I detest waking up to be anywhere outside my bed at before 0900-0930, although I'm capable of doing it!

There really is a great teamwork atmosphere on nights, at least that been the case with the nursing jobs I've had.

[seasidesoul]

I enjoy nights for the most part. However, I despise having a single night off - I end up Netflixing and eating too much ramen. But, those are my choices. On day shift, I felt like I could actually use a single day off and didn't enjoy three in a row as much.

[PatMac10,RN, RN]

I enjoy nights for the most part. However, I despise having a single night off - I end up Netflixing and eating too much ramen. But, those are my choices. On day shift, I felt like I could actually use a single day off and didn't enjoy three in a row as much.

I agree totally. With days. I like having one day off between 3 days, but with nights I like to hit those 3 in a row and be done. However those occasions where I have one day off during 3 nights has been a blessing at times. Especially if I had a very rough night and want to be gone a day to left some of the problematic issues be filtered out (or transferred/Discharged sometimes) Lol!

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

I have worked nights for the last 20 years, but I would suggest you do days. My rationale is that, as a new nurse, you want to set yourself up to succeed. Back when I started six month orientations were possible. A winter graduation and immediate employment got you in as a graduate nurse first week in January. Boards were not sat until late March, early April and results normally started trickling in mid to late June. Now that new nurses present to employers with license in hand, orientations are rushed to reduce costs. In my days, night shift was not an option to a new nurse, the oversight of day shift was needed, and I still believe it is. Night shift leaves you hanging by yourself way too much. Those who didn't have that luxury will tell you that starting on nights is no different, but seasoned nurses will encourage the extra support day shift affords. I work with great nurses who started on nights, but I think to make the most of your career you want the best start possible. The downside to nights is that every day worked is really a day and a half as you loose part of your day off to sleep.