Dayshift

DextersDisciple, BSN, RN · Sep 23, 2019

Nope

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2019

Be prepared that it might move you to the bottom of the hire/transfer list for that unit as opposed to someone they interviewed who really wants night shift.

Waiting for Retirement · Sep 25, 2019

On 9/23/2019 at 2:43 PM, tama18 said:
In the next 6 months I am looking to move to a different unit at my hospital after I get my CPN. I really am not a fan of night shift, but don't mind doing it for about a year if I can get to dayshift. Would it be rude of me to ask in an interview how long their unit waitlist is to move to days?

The answer they give you might not be an accurate reflection of how long it might actually be. For example, I worked on a unit that used seniority to determine schedule changes, not length of time on a request list. There was no such list. When a slot opened on days people were asked starting at the top of the seniority list if they wanted to switch their shift. Someone could be wanting to change to days since the minute they started a year ago on nights, and someone who is on evenings but has been there for six years is asked if she wants it. She does? She gets it.

Something else to consider is what JadedCPN said, if they want to hire for nights and you are already asking about switching your schedule they might not be so interested in hiring you. About a hundred years ago when I started nursing I wanted nights and when I was being interviewed I told them exactly why. I have no doubt I moved higher up on their Top Choices list because I did NOT want days and would be much more likely to stay on the shift they were hiring for. You tell them up front you don't want to stay on nights more than about a year and they might just keep on looking.

brownbook · Sep 25, 2019

I worked nights 17 years because I liked it. Many of my colleagues felt the same way. I don't think any facility has a crystal ball that can accurately answer your question.

Don't ask before you've even gotten the job.

srod79 · Sep 26, 2019

Do you want to be stuck on a shift that you really do not want? Are you on night shift right now, and if not are you sure you can adjust to night shift?

allnurses Guide · Sep 26, 2019

I wouldn't ask that during the interview. If it comes down to you or another person, even an external candidate, who seems more than happy with nights, you will not be the chosen one.

tama18, BSN · Sep 26, 2019

15 hours ago, srod79 said:
Do you want to be stuck on a shift that you really do not want? Are you on night shift right now, and if not are you sure you can adjust to night shift?

I was recently on night shift for about 5 months. It was fine. I just hated how I felt on my off days trying to be awake and normal.

allnurses Guide · Sep 26, 2019

24 minutes ago, tama18 said:
I was recently on night shift for about 5 months. It was fine. I just hated how I felt on my off days trying to be awake and normal.

Well, that was your mistake. Don't try to be "normal" on your off days. You can flex your hours a bit but if you are going back and forth on your wake cycles between work days and off days, not only are you going to feel terrible, you are threatening your health.

tama18, BSN · Sep 26, 2019

1 hour ago, Nurse SMS said:
Well, that was your mistake. Don't try to be "normal" on your off days. You can flex your hours a bit but if you are going back and forth on your wake cycles between work days and off days, not only are you going to feel terrible, you are threatening your health.

Then how do you have any kind of life outside of work? How do you see your friends or family? They wont be up at 4am

Waiting for Retirement · Sep 26, 2019

18 minutes ago, tama18 said:
Then how do you have any kind of life outside of work? How do you see your friends or family? They wont be up at 4am

If I only had one day off in between shifts I kept the same nighttime routine. That meant doing laundry and grocery shopping at 3am LOL but it worked.

If I had two or more days off in a row I would flip my schedule by staying up after my last shift doing things that would keep me alert and take a nap early afternoon, quick like an hour or two. Then I would be ready to sleep at a "normal" time that night, get up the next day like a "normal" person, and the night before I was due back to work I'd stay up as late as I could (got lots of stuff done this way!) and therefore sleep quite late into the morning. Rest before nightshift, and then back to work that night.

The schedulers were pretty good about giving those of us who wanted to work 4-5 nights in a row and then be off for 3-4 that kind of schedule. I made plans with family and friends around my "awake" days ?

Gennaver, MSN · Sep 27, 2019

On 9/23/2019 at 11:43 AM, tama18 said:
In the next 6 months I am looking to move to a different unit at my hospital after I get my CPN. I really am not a fan of night shift, but don't mind doing it for about a year if I can get to dayshift. Would it be rude of me to ask in an interview how long their unit waitlist is to move to days?

Hello,

If they are hiring for night shift they need someone who wants to be on nightshift. I would be honest and not apply for this job but, let them know what you are interested in. I don't think you'd be helping them, or yourself, to take this position knowing you don't really want to work the hours it requires.

If you do take this position and want to transition to days in a year then they will have to hire someone else but, really, they likely will not transition you to days in a year and you might get stuck.

Jen