Feeling Flustered

[MystyqueOne]

Hello All,

Since this is the place we all reach out to when we need to vent, I am going to consider this my very first "on the job" vent thread.

I've been working at what some people may call a "cushion" job.... It's an addiction recovery place.... the night shift. All I do is basically update the paper MARs every single night and do mini-assessments. I'm so bored here, it's ridiculous.... Just waiting to begin my new job in the place I've been wanting to work for a long time, beginning in January.

So, my vent is that I've been on the schedule for 4 nights in a row ever since I began working here three months ago. I work a 12-hour shift on Thursday nights, then 8-hour shifts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. In the beginning, I've handled it well, but now that I've been doing it for 3 months, I can see how it's interferring with my personal family life. All I want to do is sleep during my 4 days and my kids barely see me. I have absolutely NO social life now, because the time I have off, my friends are working (during the week). I do start an in-patient RN hospital position in January and I'm super excited about it.... So, I'm just hanging in here until my last day of work (which is Christmas night) as I've already put in my notice last week.

Since this is my first RN job out of nursing school, I was wondering if most RN shifts are schedule together like this job. I truly hope that I am not always scheduled 3 nights in a row, especially on the weekends. The pay is great, but not worth the loss of family time and social life. We all must unwind somehow, someway.

Any advice would be great right about now. During the weekends, when we all should be happy and spending loving time with our families, I've become the b**ch due to lack of sleep, night shift work, and wanting to spend time with my kids, but can't due to work and sleep.

Thanks for hearing me out and allowing me to vent for my first time.

Thanks.

[Merlyn]

Every place is different. I worked 11-7 for twenty years. At first it was 7 days on 1 day off 3 days on 3 days off. then I went to 3-11 then 7p-7a. Nursing can be hell sometimes. Thinking the Sun is the Moon and the Moon is the Sun. When Nursing is 9-5 it will be heaven. Unfortunately scheduling can be unfair at times. The best advice that I can give you is talk to your new supervisor. You're the new kid on the block but sometimes you can get lucky but only if you talk to her. Tell her what you would 'like', not what you 'want'. like is a better term. Always remember you are not the only nurse that she has to please. Besides she has to ensure coverage for 24/7. But if she is good at what she does. She will try to make you and all the other nurses happy.

[Bravekids]

If at all possible I do not schedule myself 3 days in a row. I work them when I have to but that third day is really rough...and I am thinking about myself and my patient. Who says you need to keep plodding along in a schedule that you are having difficulty with. Have you spoken with your supervisor?

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I love the night shift, just not all crammed together like this!

Did you sign up for working all weekends? (I used to prefer that so I'd know my schedule, and not have to worry about when to plan things- I also preferred to have all shifts in a row to have days off in a row). I also liked nights- I worked alcohol/drug rehab- though did that on days...but I know the drill....

If not- this isn't fair. IMO, it's reasonable to asks your boss about the schedule - and seeing if things can be divided up a bit- but the trade off will be a major roller coaster with going back and forth between working nights- and your "life" during the day... always a trade off. :)

[Butterfliesnroses]

I recently changed jobs. The job I left I was working Thurs-Sun nights. At 1st it was nice being home all week. But then it got to be a drag working every single weekend. I was told upon getting hired that if I wanted every weekend off it could be worked out. When I asked for it was was given 1 weekend off a month. I was then offered a job closer to my house.

I now work days. I absolutely love my new schedule! I never work 3 full days. Two weeks would look like this. Work Mon and Tues. Off wed and thurs. Work 12p-6p Fri, full day sat and sun. Off mon and tues. work wed, thurs, and 6a-12p on fri, off the weekend. Rinse and repeat. I love it! I get every other weekend off. I'm home at 6 and get the evening with my daughter and husband.

[Sewbusy~RN]

That's a ridiculous shift schedule, unless they are paying you a ginormous shift differential for working nights AND weekends! It is standard to work every other weekend, maybe less if you've got seniority/work part time or if the hospital has a weekend only staff (my hospital does and pays a very high shift differential for those who work all weekends) I work 12s, 3 a week. They rotate so generally it's 2 on 3 off, with 3 shifts in a row twice a month at the most.