Do Day Nurses Really Feel that Night Nurses Do Nothing All Night?

[Brita01]

Having worked the 12 hour night shift in many hospitals I find the same things. Day shift nurses leave us so much work to do that we're playing catch up all night. We start off 2 hours behind because we're finishing things left over from the day shift. I've had times when I'm still giving 9pm meds at almost midnite because things were so screwed up starting out. Then we have to do our night shift paperwork and deal with the patients who do NOT "sleep all night". Part of the night shift paperwork involves getting things proper and ready for the day shift to use. And I swear if something gets missed by us we WILL hear about it. It really burns my butt when they come in in the morning complaining about what the night shift didn't do because we ask their secretary to make a call or two for a consult. BUT it's ok for the day shift to pass things to us because it's a "24 hour care hospital". I'm just curious. How many day nurses out there believe that the night nurses should be able to do it all because we have nothing to do anyway?

[BearyPrivate]

I have worked noc shift for the past 15 years. I agree that each shift has their own duties. However, noc shift is the shift with less staff, more paper work, and Residents up all hours. I have worked at LTC facilities through all my career. Noc shift is left to basically CLEAN UP the crap that the shifts before couldn't get done:cry:. Our facility just did away with all med techs. So now day shift has 4 lpn's, 4 rn's, and 6 cna's for the 79 patients we have. Evening shift has 4 lpn's, 6 cna's. Noc shift gets 1 lpn (me) and 3-4 cna's if no one calls in. If they do call in most generally the evening shift lpn's (4 of them) just simply didn't have time to pick up a phone and call anyone. Now you tell me who is going to want to come in after 10 pm. The lpn's on days pass meds on the hall that rn's are in charge of, evening shift lpn's have to pass their own meds, charge their own floor do their own tx's and chart..

Noc shift has to pass all meds ( scheduled and prn), charge the whole building, make sure cna's are doing what their suppose to do, fill out census sheets, calibrate accu check machine, perform any tx evening shift couldn't get to, flushing 5 g-tubes, bolus feed 3 of the 5, perform 2 trach cares, suction as many as 5-6 times on each trach, and this is just an average noc.

Then day shift comes in and c/o having to do all this with just 4 rn's, 4 lpns and 6 cna's on the floor. It makes me sick. Sorry to all you rn's out there but just like lpn's there are the bad apples in the bunch and I think they all have jobs at the facility I work at.:chuckle

[newdawn_45]

Always get a chuckle when I hear the day shift talk about the night shift not doing anything. Speaking as a Charge for the ER we both work equally hard. We come in and usually have to hit the floor running. As the night progresses we lose all but one of the techs and a nurse or two. By morning we are worn out and have the ER down to a few rooms filled.. if my nurses are standing around when day shift comes rolling in, its because they have earned it.

[jessPICURN]

I'm not a big commentor, but I had to throw my $.02 in on this one.

I work in a 20-bed pediatric ICU. we get everything you can imagine, and stuff you'd probably rather not. In the beginning of my career, I worked straight nights (7p-7.30a), But for the last eight months or so, I've been working a rotating shift (2 mo's days, 2mo's nights). I can honestly say, it's about the same. There are lots more people around on days, and lots of rearranging, but nights sees the "trainwreck" admits and is more frequently short staffed. On days, you can get by with asking docs and pa's- and you are much, MUCH more likely to sit in the break room for a 30-min lunch. On nights, you have your brain, your charge nurse, and your neighbor. On nights, your extremely unstable pt in multi-system organ failure is ALL YOURS. When something goes wrong, yeah, you can call the resident over to the bedside, but more frequently than not, they'll look at you like "now what do i do?" And yes, there's a fellow in-house... except he's sound asleep and really needs some caffeine to get that brain going.

I guess what I'm saying is that days has a lot more hustle and bustle, but nights is what separates the mice from the men. it's all about finding your niche in the mix.

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

I'm on nights and I rarely get to sit down..I'm a new nurse, but it's still very busy because we do additional stuff at night.

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

Having worked both days and nights, ("Bi-shiftual") I honestly believe that at least in critical care, days and nights has equal amounts of work, it's just that on days you have rounds, many new orders, families, meals, etc taking you away from your patients. On nights you have less distractions from your work, but have less staff, less experience, rarely have NAs or secretaries. Pharmacy and Lab are running on barebones staff, the kitchen's closed, and the equipment depot is cleaned out of equipment.

Same work, different resources.

This topic has been discussed to death. It all comes down to nurses realizing that nursing is a 24-hour job, and that sometimes, no matter how good a shift we had, stuff didn't get done.

[Brita01]

This topic has been discussed to death. It all comes down to nurses realizing that nursing is a 24-hour job, and that sometimes, no matter how good a shift we had, stuff didn't get done.

It's hard to believe that this thread was started way back in 2002 and people are still finding it. Not much has changed in six years, it seems.

[BayouLPN]

It's hard to believe that this thread was started way back in 2002 and people are still finding it. Not much has changed in six years, it seems.

I didn't know it started that long ago. I have worked 6a-6p for a long time. I found it chaotic and grueling. Never enough time to get done what needs to be done. Now I work nights 7p-7a or 11p-7a. I like it so much better.

Nights are not less busy. NOT in the least. Staffing is cut and alot of tasks are added because of the perceived "less work". But, it feels less chaotic to me. No back to back scheduled surgeries and sections. No md's buzzing around your head like flies. Fewer family members (esp. those with the darling children who run relays up and down the halls while squealing at the top of their lungs) and emptying the pantry and making request for themselves (you think you could get me bag of chips and a soda?, I have to be up at 5 in the morning, will you make sure I am up?) and let's not forget the students who are asking questions and looking for procedures.

Students: Don't take offense, you are doing what you are suppose to do. Just for me personally, more people equals more noise and chaos. I wish I had a few students at night.....

I believe each shift has it pros and cons. I, also, believe that EVERYONE should be on a team. Having worked both shifts...I know both are busy. I just find nights are less chaotic.

[GRASSCUTTER]

I can relate to A LOT of this, since I work on nights in med-surg. *Mandatory* inservices and educational classes are *never* offered on our shift- usually they are scheduled right after our shift- starting at 0730 when our shift is supposed to end. We usually don't get out right on time, and after being up all night most of us could not sit through a 2 hour class and comprehend it all. Or else they are scheduled in the middle of the morning or afternoon when we are sleeping.

:banghead:This burns my hide. I am an Educator. I work in a rural community hospital. I have tried every schedule I can think of and night shift at my hospital responds as above. Come in on their shift, they don't have enough time to attend, not enough to cover the floors. :uhoh3:Okay, start at am shift change--They can't come, kids to get off to school, or too tired. :rolleyes:Come in an hour early before shift start, They can't come, have to spend that time with family, can't--makes my shift too long. :wink2:Okay schedule on days off--"Can't, it is on my first day off, Can't it is on my only "feel good" second day off.:zzzzz--Scheduling inservices for night shift is a PAIN. :bowingpur They cannot be pleased, no way. I asked them to choose and I would accomodidate them, they never did get back with me after 3 weeks. Well, now (after 4 years of trying) I am over trying. I schedule to my hours now.

[Ginger45]

I don't. I have worked nights as well although I now work days. Most of your codes happen at night, you have less staff, and more pts.

[class 5]

I have been a night nurse for 4 years on a med- surg floor 12hr shifts..and for some reason there is the misconception that night nurses have it easier.. and that patients sleep nice and quiet all night..I am here to say we do not have it easier at all from my experience.. my patients with dementia love to try and climb out of bed and become combative around 2-3 am.. the foleys get pulled out,iv's get pulled out, never mind the 10pm,12am,6am meds and once in a while 2am meds and iv piggybacks to be hung..patients tend to call more for pain meds,( esp.my sickle cell pt's.. )spike temps, have blood sugar drop, fall, code and feel anxious during the night... residents changing orders....The ER is buzzin and admissions coming I usually got 1 -2 per shift..and my facility is still writing everything!!! one ward clerk floating to all the 4 floors on nights..and having to help cna with am care at 5am especially with my vent patients, or pt. who had wound care, inc.care, etc...night nurses can I get a witness? Respect to all my day and night nurses we all work our butts off and are never truly given the respect we deserve!!!

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I have been a night nurse for 4 years on a med- surg floor 12hr shifts..and for some reason there is the misconception that night nurses have it easier.. and that patients sleep nice and quiet all night..I am here to say we do not have it easier at all from my experience.. my patients with dementia love to try and climb out of bed and become combative around 2-3 am.. the foleys get pulled out,iv's get pulled out, never mind the 10pm,12am,6am meds and once in a while 2am meds and iv piggybacks to be hung..patients tend to call more for pain meds,( esp.my sickle cell pt's.. )spike temps, have blood sugar drop, fall, code and feel anxious during the night... residents changing orders....The ER is buzzin and admissions coming I usually got 1 -2 per shift..and my facility is still writing everything!!! one ward clerk floating to all the 4 floors on nights..and having to help cna with am care at 5am especially with my vent patients, or pt. who had wound care, inc.care, etc...night nurses can I get a witness? Respect to all my day and night nurses we all work our butts off and are never truly given the respect we deserve!!!

Amen!!

Plus, reporting off to 4 nurses in the am because they have 3 pts a piece and I have 8. Always the same on my floor.......no secretary, no sitters, 2 aides for 46 pts, no transportation aide, housekeeper. As opposed to 5 aides in the day, 2 secretaries, 4 transportation aides, no chart checks required, etc.

I'm convinced that the reason we make it through the night sometimes is by the grace of God and the outstanding teamwork we have. If we didn't, we would never make it.

Oh and after I'm done with report at 0800, off I go to a mandatory staff meeting or inservice. Only to get out of there God knows when and come back to work that night. Burns my bottom!

Sorry for the vent!

[nurseknowsbest]

maybe somebody can tell me why nurse educators want night nurses

to orient on days? I am a 20 year veteran of nights. I only want to work

nights, so why do educators want to mess up my bio-rhythm to orient

on days, when I was hired for nights? I do not like days for several

reasons. Days has too many people just walking around. I don't like the

distraction. Also as I have gotten older, getting large people up for meals

by myself is exhausting and a danger to my back. Anybody have a

suggestion on how to approach my educator to tell her to get me off

of days? The CVICU where I transferred is just as busy on nights as

days. Help!