First day on the job...

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I have a question for anyone with experience or in a leadership position. I was offered a position on nights and of course I accepted b/c I'm thankful for a job, interested in this floor and am willing to work nights since I'm a new grad. My desire is to move to days if/when a position opens up.

On my first day, I asked the nurse manager what the protocol would be for switching to days if a position opened up. (I really wanted to know if...because I was hired on nights I'm stuck on nights and can't switch)

She didn't seem bothered by my question, but I then wondered if I should have waited a while to ask or if it was ok to just put a bug in her ear of my interest to switch to days.

Thoughts??

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

I began on second shift and absolutely HATED it! I had been told that day's were for longtime and not to hold my breath waiting. My dad said

he guessed you could get used to being hanged, if you hung there swinging in the breeze long enough. That was exactly how I felt about working second shift.

My solution? I worked. 7 pm to 7am three days a week and was paid for forty hours. Would a schedule something like that work for you?

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Specializes in retired LTC.

With some folk, your question would just be like water off a duck's back - nothing surprising about a newbie wanting to go to day shift. So no harm, no foul. But others might see you as someone who may have just 'settled' for what was available and you'll have no great desire to hang in there (esp since you asked on day 1).

Personally, I would have waited a little bit longer - not on day 1.

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That's what I was thinking, amoLucia - I probably should have waited. Like I said...she didn't seem bothered, but after thinking about it, I wished I had waited.

Sharpiemom - that's what my hrs are 7p to 7a three/four times a week.

Thing is, I'm happy with this floor and I don't want her to get the wrong impression that I "settled" - I just really prefer days.

Thanks for your responses. :)

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Thing is, I'm happy with this floor and I don't want her to get the wrong impression that I "settled" - I just really prefer days.

That seems to be a common denominator with new grads over the last several years, despite the obvious 24/7 nature of the job. So who "gets" to work all the nights?

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That seems to be a common denominator with new grads over the last several years, despite the obvious 24/7 nature of the job. So who "gets" to work all the nights?

There are people who prefer nights. With night positions paying for student loans, night differential and...sleeping patients, it's not a given that people will want to switch to days even if offered the position.

I see nothing wrong with having a preference. Did you not have a preference as a new grad??

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Nope, no preference. I had to put food on the table so I worked whatever I could. I've worked rotating days and nights for 20 years and likely will until I retire. Where I work, the patients don't sleep all night; in fact it's nearly as busy as on days. If I were not as old as I am and slept better during the day, I wouldn't mind nights at all. But I don't want to work yours. Or anyone else's.

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I guess I'm fortunate then. I'm 49 and am not doing this to put food on my table. I went to nursing school at the age of 45 because I want to care for people, not just make a living. The paycheck is an added bonus, but being a nurse was always a dream of mine, so I finally decided to just do it before I got to be TOO old ;)

At your age, you may not want to work "my" shift, but there are plenty of people out there who would.

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