I need some help with this decision-PLZ!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all! Been in ER now for about 1.5 months on my own. I am currently on night shift and had asked to be switched to days as soon as day shift position became available. Well the time has come for me to make decision, days or nights!! I oriented on days and that's when I thought I wanted days, but now that I am on nights I am not real sure! Nights are very busy, but do not seem to be as stressful as days. I work with mostly guys at night and they are truly very helpful and we all work great together. Less drama IMO! Then again I think, I can do anything for three days a week, sleep normal, be with my family at normal times. Heck I am just rambling on now, SORRY! I just don't know what to do. Guess my biggest fear is that since I am so new to ER I won't be able to keep up with the dayshift madness!!

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Specializes in Emergency.

AH! I am jealous. I am doing a residency in the ED on nights and I would love days. For me it would also mean a pretty big paycut though. Is that an issue for you? is it that bad doing nights...? If not, why not just stick it out, you seem to have a sweet team on nights :)

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Money not really issue, even though shift diff is sweet! It just seems like I feel bad all the time since starting back on nights (that's all I have ever really worked). I just know that more times that not on dayshift I had my "you know what" handed to me because it was crazy madness! I have had nights like that too, but they don't seem to be quite as often. Less money=more work, but less money also means a somewhat normal life for me and my family. Also going to days would probably mean having to work weekends which now I currently do not have to do. Maybe Friday and Sunday occasionally, but never entire weekend. Ugh decisions, decisions!!

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Specializes in Emergency.

I work 12s, Mon Tues, Fri, Sat Sun..... but then I have an entire week off..... Good and Bad I suppose. Works well for the summer because I can take long trips, In the winter I teach skiing as well so its kind of like I live two lives....!

Good luck deciding :)

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Specializes in geriatrics, IV, Nurse management.

Only one way to find out:) Try it. IMO it would be a different experience. I work nights/evenings full time but have been trained on days and have been bouncing shifts lately. Not really sure my preference as each shift is so different:)

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Specializes in LTC, PCU, QA & IC, Ocology.

I went to days about 6 months ago after years of working on nights. Physically I feel better, I am more alert and don't have that blah feeling that I had on nights. I guess I never got use to it. As far as family time goes I had more time to spend with my hubby and kids on nights. Hard to believe huh? I had time to run errands after work and sleep until hubby and kids got home and spent the evening with them... Now my evenings are spent running errands and rushing home to throw a quick supper together, homework and baths. I would go back to nights in a heartbeat but I love my coworkers and patients. Plus I work in an office setting so I am off on holidays can't get that working night shift :(

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

It's the old the grass looks greener on the other shift syndrome! Here in Oz we do all three shifts, but as an agency nurse, I choose afternoon shift. It's better money and less stress for me, and fits in with my lifestyle.

U have to decide what fits in better with your lifestyle I suppose. Can you do one dayshift and see how you go? That might be the best solution.

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Specializes in NICU/Subacute/MDS.

I found that night shifts were bad for my health. Not long after I went on nights I started having terrible PVCs. Like, every 3 or 4 beats! After several tests and xrays, it suddenly occurred to me what the cause was. On days (mostly) now, and feeling much better! I sure do miss the extra pay though...

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Specializes in cardiology/oncology/MICU.
I found that night shifts were bad for my health. Not long after I went on nights I started having terrible PVCs. Like, every 3 or 4 beats! After several tests and xrays, it suddenly occurred to me what the cause was. On days (mostly) now, and feeling much better! I sure do miss the extra pay though...

I agree with you 100% I finally get to go to dayshift in July after the new nurses are out of orientation. I feel like I have aged 10 years in the last 6 months! At least I wasn't in trigemeny though lol!

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery, MS.

Take the days. I am on nights with no hope of getting on days for years in labor and delivery. I have only been on nights since January. I love the people I work with but it is wrecking havoc on my body! The extra money is nit worth it!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

the age old days or nights debate is truly a personal decision, I am in ER and love my nights, I've always been a night a person and have no trouble sleeping during the day and my kids can do after school activities, if I were on days they wouldn't be able to do anything because my hubby's schedule is a bit erratic, AC season in FL is pretty much year-round lol I've also worked med/surg & ICU and love nights on any unit, mainly because there are less higher ups running around ;)

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Weird that you mentioned this, I had some PVCs the other night! I think I am going to go to days. I told my 15yo that was what I decided to do and he said-good! I miss my hubby and sons at night and seems like when I am not at work I am grumpy and sleepy all the time! Don't like being that way with anyone, much less my family!

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