Night shift woes

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I'm 42 and have been a nurse for a year...not old, but started at an age when my body was beginning to let me know its limits. You all know that when you're new you pretty much have to work some night shifts (in most situations, anyway). Well, I'm trying. First, I would wake up the next afternoon in full-blown anxiety attacks (which I've had before, but not in years). That slowed down, but now I'm getting migraines, which I've NEVER had before. My supervisor said that nobody is promised straight days, but of course the ones who are on days have been there a lot longer and will not switch. A girl who was hired two months before me was not promised straight days, either. However, she absolutely REFUSES to work nights, and is very blunt about it.

We are a small hospital...25 beds, 4-bed ER, out-patient testing & clinic. So, with the number of nurses we have, there are 14 day shifts to be filled in a week (2 per shift if census is low), but there are 15 available to be worked by the nurses (varying degrees of employment, .3, .6, .9). So, that leaves 3-4 day shifts a month where there is no room for me. My sup IS trying, I guess, and agreed to give me only one in a week, which is better, but it's like it takes me a week to recover. I can't win for losing and am getting very frustrated. I don't want to work somewhere else...it takes me TWO minutes to get to work, and anywhere else would be a pain-in-the-butt drive (it's pretty cool taking care of people who watched me grow up). There's always the nursing home...which I love dearly and miss...but I don't want to do that full-time and lose all that I've learned med-surg wise; I want to keep learning. Plus, benefits are better, hosp will pay for BSN, etc. I don't want to go back to casual status or drop to .6 (two days a week) because there is no guarantee the census will stay at a point where they will need me a third day a week.

My doc is aware and said he'd put something in writing if I wanted, but I don't want to jeopardize my job and have my sup say, 'well, you can't be flexible like we talked about in the interview, so hit the road.' Of course, the other girl refuses to be flexible, and I'm biding my time, being patient, living with the pain & aggrevation, waiting it out, doing the right thing. I know she could do the right thing & put my physical well-being over the other girl's attitude...

I just really needed to vent. Yes, I'm looking for sympathy, ideas, encouragement, ANYTHING...I really, really love my job and don't want to leave.

HELP! :bluecry1:

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Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.

Night shift is rough,no two ways about it.As a new employee you pretty much have to work when and where they need you. Actually working straight nights would be better than trying to switch back and forth. You're right,if you say you can't work nights and start making a stink about the other person they will probably show you the door. I worked nights for quite a number of years and I know it's not easy on anyone,most people have headaches and some health problems associated with it. It's some consolation that there is usually a hefty differential for working nights.

IMO you be best to work the shift you were hired for the best you can and don't make waves and when there is a vacancy go for it. Your hospital has good benefits regarding continuing ed and getting your BSN and if you sour the working relationship with them so early in your carreer you'll be driving a long way to work somewhere else or end up working where you don't want to without a way to get your education.:twocents:

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

MamaT

I turned 42 on monday. I work nights (7p-7a) in a very busy ER (trauma center). I've been working nights most of my 10yr career. I can so understand your frustration. I can't get your sup to give you a full time day spot,.but, I will tell you that you really need to work days or nights. You can't do both! I can't imagine working 2 nights and one day a week!! ( did I read right that your working some nights and some days?) I've learned over the years that unless I have more than 4 days off I pretty much stay on a night schedule. It's too hard to flip back and fourth.

Good luck,.I hope it all works out for you!!

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If you feel that bad physically, maybe it is time to look for a day job. I couldn't stand nights physically and mentally, as the hospital I was in was very small and nights was HELL because it was SOOOOO boring I felt like poking my eyes out with a stick, plus I was nauseated 24/7 and tired all the time. Really, I felt it wasn't worth my health and sanity to stay there, so I found a different job. Nights really take a toll on your health.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

To help allevieate the headaches you need to work either nights or days not both. Switching back and forth is too much on the body. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and eating regular meals. Working straight nights keeps your body on a schedule.

If you really want days then apply somewhere with day positions open. Even if you have to commute some, it will be worth it for your sanity.

I have the opposite reaction than you, I absolutely loathe going in during the day time. I hope you find something that works for you.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

if you really, really love your job and don't want to leave, try working straight nights for awhile. it's much easier than rotating, and the pay should be a nice bonus. plus, since you're still relatively new, the learning opportunities are endless. nights are tough, but rotating is the most difficult shift there is!

treat your day's sleep as sacred. you wouldn't expect anyone to get out of bed at midnight to have lunch with you. or to wake up at 2 am to discuss investment opportunities or insurance plans. nor would you make a vet appointment at 3am or talk to your son's teacher at that time. so don't expect yourself to work other obligations into your sleep time. your sleep time is sacred. get an industrial strength fan for white noise, black out your windows, turn off the phones, take ambien or benadryl -- whatever you need to do to sleep.

on your days off, keep as close to the same schedule as you can.

eat right -- make yourself a real meal and take it to work. a lot of people who aren't fully committed to night shift try to make do with snacking all night. it doesn't work. it's not healthy.

after a year or so of working nights, you'll be in a better position to ask for day shift. or you may discover that you like working nights after all.

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Specializes in ICU.

i feel your pain. i originally started out on a day-night rotation....it was hell on my body and thought a straight night shift would be better...it wasn't. i never did adjust right. i never knew when to eat or what to eat when, when to sleep and i never felt like i had enough sleep.....ever. i put my time in and eventually got a day-eve. rotation then a day rotation. funny how i could do a day shift on as litle as 2 hours sleep when my kids were babies and still do ok. now my circadian rhythms are all screwed up and i can't sleep for longer than 4 hours regardless. can't wait till i'm old and insomnia is an added twist....lol. just another symptom to add to the list of what will be "nurses syndrome"......bad back, poor sleep habits, poor eating habits, enlarged bladder capacities, etc etc etc. :smokin:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

Suggest you read through prior threads regarding working nights to learn more tips. This subject is covered quite frequently.

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Please Dear,do striaght night or day shift and if you choose night,work ur dayss straight so that u can get ur full days of rest besides,there is nothing like doing what you like doing cos it 'll bring out the best in you.You dont need workin in anguish.Life is too short to manage what u dont like.You have options.If u feel you can get what yo want,then find job elsewhere.goodluck

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Working nights is hard on the body, no question about it and if you don't get enough sleep you can become deprived of serotonin leading to depression. Do what you can to get a day job before your health suffers for it. No job, no matter how much you like it is worth your health.

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I agree with all the suggestions given, especially the not switching. Additionally, you might want to discuss this with a Gyn. as the migraines might be related to peri-pause. She may have other suggestions not just related to the shift work. Your hormones have to be out of whack as you mess with your circadian rhythms. This stress on your body will come out in some strange ways.

Depending on the LTC facility you might get really good experience as a nurse. It is very different than working as an aide. I have worked with many former LTC aides who thought nursing in LTC was a breeze until they tried. Some worked in LTC for awhile because many of the Med-Surg patients in hospital are elderly and they learned lots that transferred easily to M-S.

One of the best ways to increase your knowledge in assessments is to care for elderly people. More than likely they have abnormal results that are not critical but you can still get experience in listening to heart murmurs, lung assessments, etc. You will also find that elders also have acute problems crop up and you have to be ready for these. They are easy to miss unless you are on top of your game. LTC gives you the time to get experience under your belt without the frenzied pace of day shift in a busy M-S or other hospital unit. With shorter hospital stays you will most likely get opportunities with trachs, IV infusions, etc. Learning to start an IV in an elder is a skill you can carry everywhere.

Regardless of what you decide to do, do not neglect your health.:specs:

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Sounds to me like you need to drop the "nice gal" routine and learn from the girl who refuses to work nights. Put yourself first for once, you will never regret it. That 2 minute commute will eventually lead you to burn out and problems down the road. Start looking for alternative places as a back up in case these actions #$%& off management. If you are good, they should work with you.

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