Night Shift And Cancer

gojack · Jul 2, 2003

Reply to Sean...

Corporate medicine is a cannibal, Sean. That's what the corporations are doing with the somewhat decent medical system what was once constructed in the US (by communities, nuns, and medical staff)................

They are now cannibalizing it. There's nothing normal about what is being done, even if the American people stupidly allowed it to become the norm. We let the corporations steal medical care from us, and we can make it the norm to get it back, too.

It's not enough to just work hard and do well. We have a responsibility to others around us.

Gojack

___________________________________________________

Sean seys...

"Corporate medicine" IS the norm jack...Get over it!

Do your best in your allotted shift...

Work hard and do well

Set a good example for those around you!

It's the only way nursing will flourish!

sbic56, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2003

gojack

Loved your post . So many great points brought out in it. Some may become defensive about some of the things you have said, but I don't believe anyone can truly dispute the reality you point out.

healingtouchRN · Jul 2, 2003

have been on nites since the 80's. Only working days in hospital during obligatory orientations, & meetings....am truly a nite owl. I watch TV or play online til 6-7 am on nites off. My hubby is nite owl too, but he has day job so it is a pain for him. My hospital won't go for us sleeping, will get you fired on the spot. would like longer breaks but who would do the work? My patients would like to sleep at nite but in the ICU, labs, serial EKG's, baths before procedures, suctioning....they get very little unbroken rest. nuff said. Plus, I like my nite diff, makes a $5,000/year difference on my salary! :cool:

debbie17368 · Jul 2, 2003

wow I'm worried now I work the night shift and I like it very much

debbie17368 · Jul 2, 2003

Hello

Can anybody tell me where can I read about this night shift and cancer thing? I'm worried now you know.

Good_Queen_Bess · Jul 3, 2003

Have tried the link, but it doesn't work anymore. They have prob removed it.

You might have to do a search. I did a "yahoo" search and put in "night shifts and cancer" and it came up with a fair few links.

Talino · Jul 3, 2003

This originally posted article is more than a month old, must have been archived already. Anyhow try this link...., it's the same article

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0612nightshift.html

more articles here...

http://websearch.cnn.com/search/search?source=cnn&invocationType=search%2Ftop&sites=google&query=NIGHT+SHIFT+AND+CANCER

debbie17368 · Jul 3, 2003

thanks guys!

debbie17368 · Jul 3, 2003

Wow I read the article that Talino suggested and it really worried me since I work the night shift as a permanent basis and like it very much. I chose that shift because I have trouble sleeping at night and on my days off I go to bed pretty late. Does this mean that I'll have to rotate again? What do you guys think?

MaggieDRN · Jul 3, 2003

Just love the night shift, cancer or no cancer! Left 20 years of days four years ago to go to the night shift and haven't looked back. Here is my spin on it. If I thrive on nights,feel my best,sleep the best,eat the best I ever have eaten,always feel rested and less stressed I really don't think that is working against me.As a matter of fact I am in a much better mindset than when I worked days and everyone wanted a piece of you and you couldn't even complete a task let alone a thought process before two more people were tugging on your sleeve. When I worked days I was up late and was more sleep deprived on that shift than any night shift. I sleep 8 good sound hours now,wake very rested and perform at peak at work. So I have to say, anything that can make you feel really good emotionally and physically, how can that be so detrimental to your health? I am a firm believer that the mind is a powerful influence on biological processes and if we don't fall for all the negative "surveys and "reports" we would be much better off. When these so-called surveys come out my first question is just what is behind these surveys-big grants,are they biased,etc. Oh yeah, not to mention that in 10 years they will come out with new "survey" saying oooops, remember that survey of 10 years ago-well, it has now been proven that there is no...... I think I would be more worried about the big C if I had stayed on days! MaggieDRN

Kateryne · Jul 12, 2003

I, too, work nights, I had a friend that worked nights at the same hospital die a few months ago from colon cancer. She was only 41 years old. There seems to be many health care workers at my hospital that have cancer or some serious illness.

I do believe that the lack of sleep and messed up scheduling is partly to blame because it just leaves me feeling i am never rested enough. I could sleep all day and still feel tired at night. It's something about knowing that the rest of the world is going to bed, getting nice and cozy beneath their blankets and I am going to work that is unsettling.

Yes, Its quieter, and I too love the atmosphere at work on nights, but is it worth the constant drain on my body? I dont think so.

I love evenings. I get to sleep late, and dont have to go to bed early. Plus i have alot of time during the day to run errands that i can't do when i work straight days.

My ideal job would be 10 am to 6pm, but that isn't going to happen in a hospital setting. Hmm..lets see then there would be 6pm to 2am, and then 2am to 10am.......hey that might not be so bad..smiles...

angelbear · Jul 12, 2003

I do believe that working nights is unnatural and probably somewhat detrimental to our health. However I also believe that we can do alot to counter the ill effects. I think to each his or her own. Afterall daytime workers get to much sun and skin cancer night time workers get to little sun and breast or colon cancer. All of these can have high survival rates if caught early. So why not give all nurses free yearly cancer screenings? OH I know I am only dreaming afterall look at the time it is after 4 a.m. but I am night shift even when off it works best for me.