better to work rotating shifts or full time nights?

[cicf2005]

I am a new grad and am deciding between two jobs (different hospitals). One is 12 hour night shifts (7p - 7a) but no rotating shifts. The other one is 8 hr days/nights/evening rotations.

I am a person who values good sleep so I would rather work the night shift and working 3 days a week sounds great to me. However, since I am a new grad, I also heard that you don't learn as much since the patients are asleep and that there is also less support.

Is it true that I wouldn't learn as much working on the night shift? Would it be better to take the job with rotating shifts so I can gain better experience?

The other alternative would be to look for a full-time days job but I know that would be impossible to find as a new grad. Full-time evenings (3-11) don't work so well for me either as I take classes in the afternoon 3 x a week.

Thanks in advance for any advice

[Mommy2Katiebaby]

Not to mention that people on rotating shifts tend to EAT to make up for the sleep they're losing, and not be able to exercise because they're so darn tired. I gained like sixty pounds! Lost it all now, though...

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I read a study that of all shift workers rotating shifts physically faired the worst, in areas of absenteeism, illness, gi problems, heart problems, etc.

However, most people that work nights tend to rotate their schedules. If you ask, a lot of people who work nights deliberately flip flop their schedule to do a day schedule and sleep at night on their days off. This is just as hard on the body and essentially the same thing as rotating shifts, except it's more by choice.

Good luck.

I worked nights for many years. Don't worry about not using your skills or not learning anything. Those first few hours of a 12 hour shift can be very enlightening.

[humglum, BSN, RN]

I read a study that of all shift workers rotating shifts physically faired the worst, in areas of absenteeism, illness, gi problems, heart problems, etc.

I also read that recently. In fact, as a retention measure, a lot of the hospitals here are no longer requiring nurses to rotate shifts, just because its not good for their health, and hospitals need healthy, working nurses.

My first nursing job was on night shift (after we completed the 16 week new grad orientation on day shift, that included the classes we were required to attend) and I learned a lot on that shift. I think there's more comraderie on nights, just because its a smaller group of people, and there will definitely be people to help you. We still bounce things off each other (i.e. would you call the doc for this, would you take a look at this patient, etc.) and everyone is incredibly helpful. The only thing you might not be privy to is interaction with case managers and attending rounds, but you'll still be doing assessments, administering meds, wound/drain management/care, if you're on that type of floor, pain management, calling docs for changes in condition, monitoring hemodynamic status, preparing people to go to OR/dialysis (a lot of that happens early morning), maybe drawing labs, restarting IVs, getting admissions... believe me, you'll have plenty to do. :chuckle

Congrats on graduating! We need more nurses!

What specialty are you considering?

[cicf2005]

Thank you all for the advice! It definitely made it much easier to decide on the full-time night shifts with no regrets. I was really worried about the learning experience but I'm glad to hear that I will learn just as much on the night shift.

I was already leaning towards that position as I like the concept of 12 hour straight shifts and also that one is on a med/surg oncology floor (although the NM said 1/2 the patients are respiratory) so I thought I would learn more. There was a little doubt in my head though because I wasn't sure about the learning experience on the night shift but after all the replies, I have no more doubt in my mind!

The rotating shifts one is on a surgical floor and the shifts would change every 4 weeks. I was considering it because it is in a more recognized hospital and it is located in a safer area but I think there are too many negative points (rotating 8 hr. shifts, it would be harder to schedule with my school, and it was a surgical floor which I think might be too limiting for a first job).

Thank you all again for your great replies! I really appreciate the time you all took in answering my question.

[humglum, BSN, RN]

Med/surg/onc is a great place to start. You'll learn about many different disease processes. Good luck!