Does anyone like night shift?

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My gf when she worked it hated it with a passion. Said it was hard to see friends and family etc. Does anyone like it? Was is good about it? Doesn't seem like anything to me.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Bobby Pickett and the Crypt Kicker 5 like working the graveyard shift.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Do you get extra if you work holidays?

Yes you generally get time and a half for working federal holidays (New Years Day, MLK, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas). Some floors have a rotation so you don't get stuck doing the same holiday year after year. Other floors allow people to volunteer. Of course if you want to sign up to work a holiday "extra" most floors are more than willing to allow that.

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I love nights. I'm on a scheduled rotation where I work 3, off 1, work 3 then off for 7 days. I can take mini-vacations, catch up with family and friends, enjoy the sun (when it decides to come out, Seattle is notorious for crummy weather). Oh and don't forget you make a lot more money on nights.

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I started on days as a new grad but now work nights. I enjoy nights MUCH more for several reasons. The reason I switched initially was for pure financial reasons, but soo glad I did. We get $5 an hour night differential, plus I committed to a years worth of weekends and that gets me an extra $15 an hour on my 2 weekend shifts. I usually do Thurs, Fri, Sat so I at least get Sundays off (well half of it anyway). We can take one weekend off a quarter.

The reasons I like nights...much quieter. As others stated, less docs and family members to interrupt your flow. Most days I felt I was just bouncing from meaningless task to meaningless task. Rarely did I have time to actually do any sort of meaningful research on what was going on with my patients or what I should be doing to help speed there recovery. Instead I was grabbing cokes for visitors, pain meds for patients, and trying to keep my head above water charting wise.

On most nights you get a chance to read notes, H&P's, go through orders and catch things day shift never has time to. I can read about conditions and as a new grad it has been helpful connecting the dots between ordered treatments and diagnosis.

I work at a larger hospital, so while staff is much "thinner" at night, we still have at least someone in most departments. You do have less resources, but sometimes that is a plus because it forces you to become more resourceful and learn. Unless it's an emergency, most things can wait till morning anyway.

Sleep....I am fortunate and can sleep most any time. In fact, I get more sleep doing nights because I could never force myself to go to bed the nights before I worked. I often would be up till 1 or so and have to wake up at 5 for work the next morning. I would be miserable all day. On nights, by the time I finish a shift, I can't wait to get to bed so I take a quick shower and in bed by 9 am. Usually sleep till at least 3, so I get a solid 6 hours. It definitely helps me to do my 3 in a row. On Thursday, my first night back...I try to sleep in as late as possible then go to work that evening. Then I am in bed like I said by 9 am the next day. When I get off Sunday morning, I am in bed by 9 am but force myself up by 1. I am tired, but after a quick shower I feel ok and then you have most the day to do what you want. Because I get myself up early, I am usually ready for bed by midnight that night and I resume a normal sleep schedule on my days off.

Nights works great for me and I truly think it is a better fit for my lifestyle, but you will never know till you try it. You have to give yourself a couple months to adjust and see what works for you. You can always go back to days if you just can't get your body to cooperate.

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Specializes in Private Duty/Geriatric/Home Care/MedSurg.

Its something you just have to get used to. Its hard and I dont think everyone could do it. It takes a while to adjust to sleeping during the day when everyone else is awake. You will feel like a walking dead person for a while.

Tip--Keep your phone off when you get home and ready to sleep. People dont understand that since youve been awake all night that you must sleep during the day.

Good Luck!

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Also as far as calling docs at night, you get to know them and you have to figure out what is important enough to call immediately and what can wait till either morning or rounds. I don't feel bad about calling as it is there chosen profession and what they went to school for. Of course you get ones that want to scream and yell or make you feel like an idiot, but you are there eyes and ears and I would rather get an earful from them then have a patient go bad and be in serious trouble for not reporting a condition or lab. If they are over the top rude or disrespectful, write them up. Our hospital has an increasingly lower tolerance for MD's being inappropriate and several have had privileges suspended or terminated.

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On the holiday pay, say to work 7p to 7 a on thanksgiving, would you get talk and a half up to midnight or would you get it your whole shift?

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
On the holiday pay, say to work 7p to 7 a on thanksgiving, would you get talk and a half up to midnight or would you get it your whole shift?

Depends on the facility. I've seen it done both ways.

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Well, I hate that my sleep schedule is messed up and I don't see my friends/family as much as I want. But, I like the money ($200-300 difference, per pay check, compared to day shift), the people and the atmosphere (not as many people around).

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i don't mind them at all. i don't like flopping around from days to nights your body can't keep up. but i don't mind straight nights, or the two days two nights, five off is pretty sweet. i'm young, no kids so it works out fine for me, i'd be up late anyway so i figure what's the difference? some day i'd like to move into more day shifts but for now it suits me.

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Specializes in long term care Alzheimers Patients.
So how much more does one make (in you own individual experience) working nights? A couple dollars an hour?

Where I work only pays $.75 more an hr for nights. and a $1.75 for weekends.

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Specializes in long term care Alzheimers Patients.
Do you get extra if you work holidays?

All shifts get double time for holidays

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