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.

Does it help to work 3 12s or 5 8s on nights? I am very interested in the night shift, but I do have a family to think of. I was leaning more toward 3 12s.

BTW, I love these threads on what each shift has to offer. I wish there was some kind of sticky that put all of these threads into one area so that we all could easily go back and read them again when we have questions.

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Specializes in med surg.

I love working nights. I am not a morning person and I used to feel miserable when I had to wake up at 0530 in the morning. Now, I feel very comfortable about waking up in the evening to go to work. Plus, it is easy to adjust your sleep-wake cycles in two weeks.

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Specializes in CVICU.

I absolutely loved nights. In fact, half the reason I went into nursing was because it's a good job that pays well that you can do at night. Much safer than working the gas station (or a street corner).

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Specializes in CVICU.

I love night shift! Not only does it work for my family...we have 2 school aged children plus my husband is also a nurse and works day shift at a different hospital...but I truly enjoy night shift. Yes, sleeping during the day is hard but I've gotten used to it. I feel on night shift, that while things are fairly busy, I have more time with my patients. They aren't running off the floor for procedures and the family isn't there taking over and demanding much more than the patient does when the family isn't there. I have more time to talk to them, I can provide more effective patient education and I can better address their concerns (things they may feel they can't discuss with day shift because the nurse was too busy). Just my thoughts.

Typically new grads start on nights because day shift positions are offered to more senior staff first. Differentials vary by hospital/region. I make $2 extra an hr for 7-11p and $3 extra an hr for 11p-7a with additional differentials for weekend hours.

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I work as an aid (not a nurse yet, but almost! still gotta take my nclex) and I work night shift on a telemetry unit. Based on what I see, I would LOVE to work night shift when I'm a nurse. I do work days sometimes when they ask me to work and it is too crazy. After all, it is a telemetry floor. I like night shift because there's just lazy craziness on the floor! I also think nurses on the night shift work better together...they are like a team. And in our hospital we have residents as our resources if any significant changes happen to patients and the nurses need an order written.

When I get that RN license I would definitely like to work 3 nights in a row so I can have the rest of the straight 4 days off.

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Okay, I don't understand why going to work at (all times are approximate) 11:00 pm, coming home at 7:30 am, sleeping from 9:00 to 3:00 would make anyone not see their friends or family? You are home and available for all visitors from 3:00 pm until 10:30 pm. At least that was how I did it when I worked the 11 - 7 shift for 17 years?

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I absolutely loved nights. In fact, half the reason I went into nursing was because it's a good job that pays well that you can do at night. Much safer than working the gas station (or a street corner).

street corner! haha!:lol2:

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Specializes in LTC.

I love working nights. I never thought I would say this! But I do! I work 3 12s in a row right now. That's soon to change because I work every weekend and I told my boss that I would like a few weekends a month off. She couldn't do that for me but is going to give me a weekend off a month. So it sounds like 1 week a month I'll have split days off. This will work for now but once my daughter starts school full time then I will need to be more demanding in getting 2 weekends off a month. But I don't know what will change in the next couple years so I won't get demanding YET. Anyways I work 6p-6a. I get 2 dollars extra an hour. That is a plus. Also there isn't a bunch of people trying to grab my residents. I still find myself staying very busy! In fact just last week 2 out of 3 nights I didn't have time to eat a lunch so I had a jello and pudding on the go. I work with the same 2 aides every week (unless they request a day off or unless my schedule is changed). This allows me to really get to know them and know how to ask them to do things. I don't get paid extra for holidays (I'm per diem) so that kind of sucks but I get extra pay each hour instead of just on special occasions!

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Okay, I don't understand why going to work at (all times are approximate) 11:00 pm, coming home at 7:30 am, sleeping from 9:00 to 3:00 would make anyone not see their friends or family? You are home and available for all visitors from 3:00 pm until 10:30 pm. At least that was how I did it when I worked the 11 - 7 shift for 17 years?

Well, some people go to bed when they get home and wake up when it's time for work again. Actually, I'm speaking for myself here. I work 7-7. I fall asleep by 9a and wake up at ~3/4p. That's not enough time to go hang out before work at 7p and I'm usually too tired to be my regular self. I still do see my fam/friends the days I'm off though.

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I love it. I am doing days right now and it is killing me. I can't wait to be done so I can switch to evenings or nights!! I always say after nursing school I am never waking up at 5 AM again!!

There is less staff, less people rushing around, and things are quieter. It's just better in general!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

There were a mix of new grad jobs for days and nights. I have always been a night person. Granted staying up until 8 in the morning (even later because I need unwind time) is not the same as 3 in the morning I was used too. I still liked it better then waking up at 4 in the morning and having to go to bed at 8. That was a lot harder for me.

I just landed my first job and it's a night shift and I am happy about it. I agree it's easier to get the days in a row if you can. I did my Sr. Practicum at night and did 8 12-hr shifts in 11 days. It was rough.

For me though I prefer nights. Higher pay is an added bonus. Come home and sleep while the kids and husband are at school and work. It's 3 days a week so I get the other 4 to spend with the family and I can schedule things in the late afternoon if I need to attend appointments, I can also attend most of my sons football games.

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Specializes in Med Surg.
There were a mix of new grad jobs for days and nights. I have always been a night person. Granted staying up until 8 in the morning (even later because I need unwind time) is not the same as 3 in the morning I was used too. I still liked it better then waking up at 4 in the morning and having to go to bed at 8. That was a lot harder for me.

This is really encouraging to me. I just landed my first job and it's night shift. Among the general nerves about "OMG, I'm a real nurse now!" is the question of whether I can handle working nights. Left to my own devices, I stay up until 3 or 4 and then sleep till 10 or so, so I'm thinking that night shift shouldn't be too bad. I never liked having to be in bed by 8 to get up at 4 for clinicals, I never got enough sleep and felt draggy.

Anyway, thanks for the post, it definitely makes me feel good!

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