Are you one permenant nights?

Nurses General Nursing

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I just did my fist night shift and I think I may have found my calling! everyones unconcious so they cant ask you to fluff their bloody pillows or do something they can easily do themselves, no relatives on the phone. you get to wake up doctors and treat them in much the same ways as a kitten would a ball of yarn, the majority of arrests happen at night (and call me sick, but I love participating in an arrest, especialy sucessful ones, theres no better rush)

And I spent 3 hours holding a patients hand and telling him he'd be okay as we sorted out his SOB (resps of 45-50) which is the kind of one on one care you cant give duiring the day....

yup yup yup, no more evil day light for me! I will be that strange skinny guy with skill the colour of alablaster who only comes out at night to care for the sick, sociability and friends are for the weak!!

Originally posted by 3rdShiftGuy

I've worked nights over 11 years and won't go back to days. But I don't like nights because patients sleep!

I like nights because there are no MDs, management, and most of the family members have left. We nurses run that place at night!

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by KC CHICK

Night shift, where I work anyway, gets more admissions than day shift by far. We had at least 7 admits on our shift last night. Not to mention the patient that expired at 2AM. (Guess we had 1 discharge.)

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Naaa, that counts as a transfer (Celestial Care Unit)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I don't find it quiet at night AT all...they ring their lights all night long....in OB, family members NEVER, EVER leave; (visiting hours don't mean a damn thing here). They pack our waiting rooms and the patients' rooms, raid our kitchens and can be a HUGE nuisance. Babies cry all night long, so moms ask us to watch them so they can sleep. Our surgical patients often take at least half the night to get comfortable.....believe me, it is anything BUT QUIET most nights if we have any census to speak of.... I say, the same annoyances exist at night as during day shift, just fewer suits hanging around (yes a big plus). We just have fewer nurses to deal with it, usually. To insinuate it is "easy" at night cause patients are "sleeping" means you don't work where I do, obviously.

However, I am glad you enjoy it; you may indeed have found your calling!:D

Deb,

We have a very lenient visitors policy on our unit as well. All but one of our rooms are private, so family members are allowed to stay the night. They don't all leave at some "magical hour".

Most family are great to have around because they usually help out a lot.

....but then there are some family members that just make things more difficult.......:(

Britishstudent....we refer to them as CELESTIAL DISCHARGES.

Originally posted by KC CHICK

Deb,

Britishstudent....we refer to them as CELESTIAL DISCHARGES.

But that just gives me immages of planets with reee--aallly big dressings on :zzzzz

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I hear you KC.....family can be of ENORMOUS help..I did not mean to say they are not. But OB is the spectator sport of the century and most visitors (above and beyond close family/friends) are just groupies, hangers-on and NOT there in the best interest of our patients, believe me. Case in point: lady delivered at change of shift, evening. all her friends hung out in the hall in and our waiting room, drinking beer and being generally rude and loud (where they got the beer I dunno). Situations like this are happening w/increasing frequency and I don't like being the one caught up in all this drama. I have a job to do as any other nurse does, and it is NOT to police people like this. THIS I find tremendously frustrating! You can understand that, I am sure.

Britishstudent.....kinda gross when you put it in that context.:D

Yes, Deb...I totally understand. I especially could do without the family/friends that hover and question EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE. Had a patient with a dtr that worked as a CNA. I'm not putting down CNA's by any means. But, that girl would interrupt me when I was speaking with her father so she could make an assessment observation or ask a question. I mean, come on!! Let me do my job. At least wait until my patient has answered my question first before you start in! Geeez.:rolleyes:

She would even approach us in the hallway, saying dad was in pain and needed a pain med. Went in with pill in hand and dad says he's fine and doesn't need anything. This happened a few times.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

celestial discharges in OB could mean some serious shyt....EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEhhhh said that around the wrong nurse rofl....

right this instant I heard a consultant call it 'poopie'

Specializes in General/Trauma/Neuro ICU.

In our hospital it's a "transfer to the 5th floor" (we only have four floors) or "eternal care unit"

I agree, more admissions on nights than days, generally, and we DEFINITELY have better teamwork and better senses of humor on nights, too.

Did 14 and half years of nights - 3-4 times a week - great for being with the family not great for the mtabolism

Great for forming really good frinedships and not having to reall y deal with the heirachy

Would l do it again yes - but not for as long maximum 10 year or less - l wicjh l could find my biorythms again

in all seroiusness - nights are good but recognise when to get out - l didnt

Tookie

Nights for me.But on my unit,we are constantly busy. Tele in a resort town. Lots of snowbirds who will admit they were having chest pain before they left home but thought it would get better "once they could relax". Cant tell you how many have visited"Original Benjamins Seafood Buffet"immediatly prior to their trip to the ER.

I like nights for many reasons. The people I work with are wonderful,the line at the post office is short in the a.m.,can always get a no wait time appointment at the tanning bed,no wating for my favorite machine at the gym at 9 a.m.List goes on.

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