Embracing Night Shift

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Before having a child you couldn't pay me to do nights. I have done nights in the past and always despised them. Well, now I'm a new mommy and in order to avoid child care I went to nights part time. So instead if whimpering and complaining I've decided to embrace nights , since this is my new normal. Here are the pros I'm ever so grateful for:

- Not having to place my baby in daycare. Yes, I rarely get sleep but I have a peace of mind

-Shift diff . Enough said

-No visitors after 830pm

-No managers, or any other persons that typically pluck my nerves in day shift

-Working two 12 hour nights really isn't that bad. I spread my out.

-It goes by pretty fast most of the time

-Weekends are split. Which means I don't have to work sat and sunday like I did on days. I can work fri and sat but split up( friday one week and Saturday another week).

The list goes on. Its honestly not that bad.

Love nights!! they can be crazy but usually pretty low key. Totally agree with your above reasons tho.

Specializes in geriatrics.

I really miss nights for many of the reasons you've mentioned. I am wired for evenings and nights too. Day shift exhausts me no matter how early I've gone to bed.

It's not that bad cuz you're 0.6. ;)

I love nights!

Nothing beats night shift.

The teamwork

The different kind of busy to day shift busy

Less if any visitors at all

The pay

Specializes in Medical Oncology, Alzheimer/dementia.

I started working nights to avoid the child care situation as well. My kids are in college now and I still work nights, lol. It suits my personality better because I'm not a morning person.

Specializes in OB.

33 years on nights and they'd have to pay me double to work days! Really - I turned down a contract in Hawaii because it involved working day shift!

People always look at me weird when I tell them I would rather work nights. For me, there is a special feeling of doing something necessary and important when I work those wee hours. I like the sense of special responsibility. For the same reason, I like having to stay extra because of bad weather, etc. Things get smaller and there is a sense of a team pulling together. I am the lighthouse operator, keeping the light on so others can sleep.

Glad you were able to find lots of positive things. People who get good at being thankful for what they have and are able to find something positive in less than ideal situations go far in life.

Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

I started working nights in 1975 when I started nursing school. I tried going to day shift in 2007 after I got married so I'd be on the same schedule as my husband. I only lasted a month before I was begging to go back to nights. I will never leave night shift again. 40 years & going strong!

My positives:

Hubby leaves for work 5 minutes after I get home & the house is quiet all day.

I get the queen bed all to myself! He gets it all to himself at night.

We get our evenings & weekends together.

I'm not a zombie like I was when I tried to work days.

Glad to see all those positives !!!!!!!

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