Hate night shifts

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi all!,

I am a newer nurse with 6 months of experience on a floor I love with a team I love. However, it is night shifts and I am hating them. I feel like my entire life either revolves around when I will sleep or work. Its also wreaking havoc on my health. I sleep well between shifts, but still feel like a zombie all the time. My floor has little turn over so the prospects of a day shift on my unit may be a year or more and the thought depresses me. So do I try applying to other units and hospitals. Will employers look badly on me for moving so quickly?

I'd stick it out a year for the more favorable reference but I disagree that you have to "pay your dues" for some unspecified time. I worked nights for a few years... was pretty depressed throughout it. Maybe some people feel I needed that or to even work longer.... I see it as time spent depressed when I didn't need to... wasted years, stress on marriage. Some people can handle nights better than others. If you find its a struggle, you have to advocate for yourself to improve it.

I think it depends on your area and what your long term goals are. Do you want to get into a specialty area? Critical care, labor and delivery, PACU? If so you will probably have to suck it up for awhile and take what you can get as long as you are working toward that goal. If you're looking at doing med/surg for awhile and are more looking to get on Day shift as soon as possible it is my experience that you gotta talk to your manager and let them know what you need. It costs money to train new people so it's in their best interest to retain you. If you're in a flex/rotating position let them know your preference is to move to a permanent day position as soon as one is available. Talk to other units within your hospital that you wouldn't mind moving to, and worst case scenario apply other places. The reality of the business is that nurses are not expected to stay loyal to one place, at least not around where I am, I was told the only way to get a decent raise was to leave and come back. They're playing the same game.

Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.
NO , no no.---"Obviously you are low on seniority but maybe your manager can make something happen."

I do not recommend that someone try to bypass seniority rules and get special treatment.Sorry, it is not right and disrespectful to those with more seniority.

Talking to the manager and requesting to go to dayshift is not necessarily special treatment. Perhaps others haven't requested it and she'll simply be the first to ask. Where I started working, straight nightshift was the preferred shift and you couldn't get it if you tried. Where I currently work, the manager lets anyone who wants to go to days go to days. Sure nightshift is short, but that's not the problem of the nurse who moves to days. There's no disrespect in asking. No job is worth your wellness.

Seniority is not as big of a deal at some places as it is at others. I've worked in some hospitals where seniority plays a role in everything and there is a posted seniority list that is updated monthly, to my current hospital where it doesnt mean a single thing and things are done first come, first serve so without knowing more about her environment it's not fair to say.

Night shift is not healthy and staying there knowing it is not working for you does NOT make you a better nurse, it will lead to faster burnout and poor health.

Apply for a day shift where you currently work and stick it out until something becomes available. I would at least complete a year where you are in order to have some experience on your resume.

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

You may have to be willing to take "any" job to get on days. It wont' be forever. But you DO have to pay SOME dues to get the coveted specialty jobs on dayshift. It's not a "line" -----it's for real. Highly sought-after specialties have their pick. Those who want jobs in them with little experience, will be working nights. In some cases for years. It's the way it is.

Be willing to take anything on days, get experience, and move on when you can. I feel for you; I worked nights for years in OB. Took a LONG time to get a day position and it was only part time for a while. I was patient, and eventually got the coveted full time day position in a highly-sought specialty. Yep, there were "dues" to be paid.

If I had wanted to move to med-surg or LTC, I could have been on days much sooner. But I did not wish to. So I waited my turn.

Everyone has to figure out what sacrifices they will make to get what they want. It's the way the world works; not just nursing.

1 Votes
Specializes in med surg.

ughhh I feel the same way. Just started my first job ever and its nights. my first night was awful. I hope it gets better. I cant imagine a year of this but my plan is to stick it out and then request days or apply for a transfer within the same hospital. so far I love where i work

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