Does Preferring to Work Night Shift mean you're lazy?

[Soliloquy]

I prefer to work night shift. I prefer a little bit more seclusion to the hustle and bustle of the day shift experience. If I HAVE to work days, I would prefer for it to be weekends. I just can't take all the doctors, hospital rounds, discharge rounds, meetings, all of that. It's exhausting for me and it takes a toll on my health. I've been told that it just means you're lazy and don't want to do the work. But in the grand scheme, my life doesn't revolve around my job and there are other things I want to do and explore with my life.

I initially loved nursing, but after all that I've experienced while working on this particular unit, I've started to suffer continuous headaches and fatigue from work. This isn't good for me. I love night shift because I have some time to recuperate. I still get the headaches but the fatigue is less. I would really prefer to work solely nights.

[suanna]

I work nights and I'm lazy as sin. I just don't think the two are related. I think anyone who isn't Lazy has some wires crossed somewhere. I just have a sense of professional ethics and commitment to my peers that keeps me from ever sticking them with work that was mine to do. I feel I have to do the best possible care for my patients every day. It dosn't mean I go about looking for extra work, or I am going to put up with another staff member foisting thier work on me- I'm just as lazy as they are and if we all had that perspective- the work would get distributed evenly. I work Nights because I don't work as well with others as I could, and I hate the CHAOS!!!! of day shift. On nights I know what I have to do, I know when it needs to get done, and I know who will be there doing it with me.

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

How often does management allow day shift to work without ancillary staff? Working full patient load, no help, admissions and all...I don't call that lazy.

And seriously, to anyone who says night shift is lazy, please, come walk a mile in our shoes. Just one night of sundowners will have you changing your tune real fast.

[AtheistRN, ADN, RN]

I work my butt off. 80 residents, 4 CNAs, one nurse. Can't clock-out for lunch, wouldn't stop working if I could. Usually don't spend time off the floor except to pee.

[Cardiac_kbbq_diet]

I have worked both days and nights. Each shift has their own challenges. When I work days, its crazy, so many other disciplines to communicate and politics is more prevalent. Nights shifts have less resources than day shift when it comes to manpower and other things. Plus your sleep cycle is always off. No one should diss one another about being lazy.

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

Who said that working nights meant that you are lazy and don't want to do the work?

[NOADLS]

I've got a lot of feedback on here from night shifters that work in hospitals that do 12's. A lot different than the 8's in LTC. Apparently night shifts can be as busy (if not, busier) in hospital, but LTC is a different story. I won't go on my usual rant about what I do / don't do, but I love my nights. No candy goes uncrushed.