Evening Shift - support needed.

Published

Hi Everybody,

I am a new nurse....started orientation on a busy surgical floor on July 12th. My perm. shift is evenings, but I have been orienting during day shift up until two days ago.

I became very comfortable during day shift. Now I have started evenings. I realize that obviously it is a change and I will need to adjust, however.................................I came home almost in tears yesterday.

I feel it is very unorganized on the floor during evenings. I'm not sure if I just need to get used to this......or it really is chaotic like this all the time!

They started a "total care nursing" theory on evenings, where we have no nursing assistants, and each RN will have 4 patients. Sounded great to me when I chose this job. HOWEVER...............................we do not have enough nurses for this to work. We end up having 5 or 6 patients, with no help, other than from other nurses who are very busy themselves. Day shift waits to discharge patients at 230, and we get slammed w/ admissions to the point where we have to rush out of report........and not even get a good report, or great foundation to the start of the shift, and its scattered all over from that point! And it doesn't help when day shift does not properly do their job..........and when I get there everybody is like "oh my gosh today totally sucks.......your gonna have a rought night".

Everybody is very nice and bubbly, and apleasure to work with...........but it just seems like a very high stress environment, and I am letting that "tension" rub off on me.....and give me a headache!

Whats up with this????? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!! :rolleyes:

Thanks, Anniekins

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Evenings are notoriously unorganized. The folks that have been in ER since morning waiting for beds finally show up on the floor, the docs show up after their offices close, the visitors come in after they get off work, etc.

But each shift has its own set of problems/interruptions to the nurse's attempt to be organized. You will eventually get adjusted to the eveing routine, just as you did to the day routine.

However, six patients total care is unreasonable under any circumstances. Your facility should provide at least a CNA to help with adls, etc. Unfortunately, your situation is not unusual.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Surgical.

Did you come work at my hospital? Unfortunately things are notoriously chaotic on evenings and with 6 total care it is no surprise. Lobby for a CNA or two, will make the world of difference.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED.
Did you come work at my hospital? Unfortunately things are notoriously chaotic on evenings and with 6 total care it is no surprise. Lobby for a CNA or two, will make the world of difference.

As an evening shift CNA who formerly worked days, I agree that they are unorganized and we do get dumped on, but it helps when the RN's work twelve hour shifts, then the pts come at 1830!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have worked evenings for 14 years and don't feel that it is disorganized as much as it is different. Day shift comes out of the starting gate running and doesn't stop. Evening picks up the mood of day shift, it is usually chaotic at change of shift. No longer are patients discharged by 11am. Our management did studies and our evening shift gets most of the admits averaging 4-5 per night. So evenings start off crazy and generally tapers off over the course of the evening. Although the "sundowners" can keep you hopping after dark. Nights generally starts off quiet, with the exception of sundowners, and picks up when lab starts to come around at 5a and the patients start waking up. Everyone needs to be tolieted at the same time, patients are getting sent off for test etc.

It is hard if you are doing total patient care and are suppose to have 4 patients but have several more. That is probably the biggest problem not the shift per se but the way it is run at that hospital. Also lots of post ops return on evening shift. That is the nature of that kind of floor.

I love evenings, no traffic to or from work, I come home and have a quiet house to myself. I will never go back to days in hospital nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree with Batmik... Its not the it's unorganized its just different.... I have worked all 3 shifts, and to me the most chaotic is Days, which I presently am on.. But when I work evenings my mind changes to evenings being chaotic, and well nights.. they are just horrible.. (I'm not a night person, narcolepsy stopped that)..

You will eventually get your routine down, to where you are comfortable.... It will just take time...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Renal, Haemo and Peritoneal.

Sounds like a normal days work to me. :uhoh3:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you all for your opinions :kiss

Today was a much better night! I do believe part of the problem is doing total care on 6 patients (wow how we rely on nursing assistants...something I didnt realize when I was working as one during school!)

Also, my preceptor gets overwhelmed VERY easy..........tonight she was telling me what a rough day it will be tomorrow b/c fridays are always busy. :uhoh3:

Today I went in with a very positive attitude....did what I had to do...and even managed to finish on time. :)

I think it will take time, but I will eventually get into the swing of things.......Thanks Again, Annie :lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion